The total number of cases in Great Britain for the 2024 to 2025 vector season is 201 (199 in England and 2 (high risk moves) in Wales).
Over the past few weeks, APHA has started receiving reports of aborted calves or new born calves showing weakness, ill thrift and / or brain deformities – these later died or were euthanised. Upon veterinary inspection (post-mortems or serological tests), these calves have been confirmed as BTV-3 positive.
The NFU is also hearing from EU countries that they are seeing similar issues with calves.
Legal obligation to report suspicions
Bluetongue is a notifiable disease – this means that any animal keeper who suspects BTV in their animals must report that suspicion. See our section on clinical signs of BTV.
There is, therefore, a legal duty to report any abortions or deformed calves under The Bluetongue (No. 2) Order 2007 and The Bluetongue (No. 2) (Wales) Order 2007. We've set out the specific wording in our section on legislation.
These clinical impacts on new borne or aborted calves is an indication of infection in the dam during early second trimester of pregnancy (so these early cases indicate infection during Sept-Oct 2024).
We don’t know yet what the next few weeks of spring calving and lambing will ‘look like’ for animal keepers, but this development in the clinical picture is concerning.
Reporting abortions
Cattle keepers also have a duty to report abortions under The Brucellosis (England) Order 2015 and The Brucellosis (Wales) Order 2006. We've set out the specific wording in our section on legislation.
Abortions and brain deformities can also indicate the previous presence of other diseases, such as the non-notifiable Schallenberg Virus (SBV).
The NFU urges all cattle keepers to report any abortions or premature, deformed, ill-thrifting calves to the Animal and Plant Health Agency:
- England – call the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301.
- Wales – contact 0300 303 8268.
Failure to do so is an offence.
The clinical signs of BTV
Visit: GOV.UK | Bluetongue: how to spot and report it
In sheep
Sheep are more likely to show obvious clinical signs of bluetongue than cattle if they become infected with bluetongue virus. Signs of bluetongue in sheep include:
- ulcers or sores in the mouth and nose
- discharge from the eyes or nose and drooling from mouth
- swelling of the lips, tongue, head and neck and the coronary band (where the skin of the leg meets the horn of the foot)
Other clinical signs include:
- red skin as a result of blood collecting beneath the surface
- fever
- lameness
- breathing problems
- abortion, foetal deformities and stillbirths
- death
In lambs
Lambs can become infected with bluetongue virus before birth if the dam is infected while pregnant. Signs of infection include:
- lambs born small, weak, deformed or blind
- death of lambs within a few days of birth
- stillbirths
In cattle
Signs of bluetongue in cattle include:
- lethargy
- crusty erosions around the nostrils and muzzle
- redness of the mouth, eyes, nose
- reddening of the skin above the hoof
- nasal discharge
- reddening and erosions on the teats
- fever
- milk drop
- not eating
- abortion, foetal deformities and stillbirths
Adult cattle may be infectious for several weeks while showing little or no sign of disease. They are often the preferred host for biting midges (the vector of bluetongue virus).
In calves
Calves can become infected with bluetongue virus before birth if the mother is infected while pregnant. Signs of infection include:
- calves born small, weak, deformed or blind
- death of calves within a few days of birth
- stillbirths
Key legislation
The Bluetongue (No. 2) Order 2007
PART 2
Suspected and confirmed bluetongue
Initial requirements where bluetongue is known or suspected
5.—(1) The owner or keeper of any animal or carcase, or any person who examines or inspects any animal or carcase, who knows or suspects that the animal or carcase is infected with bluetongue, must—
(a)immediately notify the Divisional Veterinary Manager; and
(b)not move any animal or carcase on or off the premises where the animal or carcase known to be or suspected of being diseased is located, except as authorised by an inspector.
The Brucellosis (England) Order 2015
Notification of abortion or premature calving
11.—(1) Where the owner or person in charge of bovine animals reasonably believes that an abortion or premature calving has occurred, that person must within 24 hours—
(a) give notice of that fact to an officer; and
(b) arrange for the animal concerned, its foetus or calf, and its placenta to be isolated as far as practicable from other bovine animals.
(2) Paragraph (1)(b) applies until such time as an officer serves a notice in accordance with paragraph (3) upon the owner or person in charge of the bovine animal.
(3) A notice under paragraph (2) may require the disposal or destruction of the foetus or calf and the placenta without delay, whether or not samples are taken and a test result for brucellosis is obtained.
