Scottish Government audit of compulsory bluetongue BTV8 vaccination campaign
1st to 30th September 2009
Compulsory Bluetongue Vaccination in Scotland
Compulsory vaccination against Bluetongue 8 (BTV8) was introduced in Scotland in 2008 because of the importance of protecting Scotland's animals against the serious risk posed by this disease. Scottish Government and agriculture industry representatives agreed to have the campaign as it was recognised that mass vaccination creates immunity amongst our susceptible animals, so that virus from infected midges or livestock cannot circulate and therefore disease cannot establish. The legal requirement to vaccinate cattle and sheep will remain in place for the rest of the higher risk vector active period, which ends later in the Autumn.
Scottish Government has monitored the uptake of the vaccine through information provided from veterinary practices.
Why is surveillance being carried out?
Scottish Government is committed to supporting healthy livestock and wants further to assess the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign by checking that animals have been vaccinated according to legal requirements. A commitment to this surveillance was made to stakeholders earlier in the campaign.
What is involved?
When animals are fully vaccinated against Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV8), they develop immunity and in most cases antibodies to the virus can be detected in blood samples. A blood sample will therefore be collected from selected animals and the samples will be tested by Scottish Agricultural College laboratories to look for the presence of Bluetongue virus antibodies.
How many animals will be tested?
Animals from approximately 1 in every 200 holdings in Scotland will be tested by the Animal Health agency - 750 animals across Scotland. 75 sheep and 75 cattle from each Animal Health Division will be tested. Testing will be carried out both on farm and in markets.
How will animals be selected for blood testing at markets?
In most Animal Health Divisions, the target is to test 5 animals from each of 15 farms at markets. Testing at markets allows livestock from several different holdings to be conducted at one visit.
Markets where sampling will take place have been notified and Animal Health agency staff will work with markets so that sale procedures should run as normal.
Would testing of prime sheep delay slaughter?
No, blood sampling will not delay slaughter for any animals.
How will animals be selected for blood testing on farm visits?
15 animals from each of 5 farms will be tested on farm visits. Animals at holdings will be randomly selected for testing.
Do livestock keepers have to allow their stock to be tested?
The testing is compulsory. Animal Health agency will work with Market operators and farmers to ensure animals are sampled in a mutually convenient manner.
When will livestock keepers be informed that animals are to be tested?
Markets where sampling will take place have been notified. As animals selected for blood testing will be determined by spot-checks on the day of testing, it will not be possible to inform keepers of animals prior to testing at markets.
Where animals are to be tested during farm visits, keepers will be contacted in advance to ensure that enough animals are held, and to arrange a convenient appointment.
Who will take the samples of blood?
Samples will be taken by Animal Health agency staff who are trained in handling animals and to do blood testing without affecting the presentation of animals.
Only cattle and sheep, aged 9 months or over, for which vaccination against BTV8 is compulsory, will be sampled. Animals sampled will have been continuously resident in Scotland since birth, or have been continuously kept in Scotland since August 2006; when the Bluetongue virus was first detected in northern Europe.
When will livestock keepers know the results of the tests?
The results of the test should be available within about 2 weeks of sampling. Keepers will be notified by Animal Health agency once the results of laboratory testing have been received. If the animals have been sold then the new keeper will also be told.
What will happen if results do not indicate that an animal has been vaccinated?
When animals are fully vaccinated against Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV8), they develop immunity and in most cases antibodies to the virus can be detected in blood samples. If those antibodies are not detected in the initial blood sample taken, the keeper of the animal would be advised of the result by Animal Health agency and further tests would be carried out on that keeper's flock before conclusions would be drawn about the significance of the initial results. Checks will also be made to see what vaccine has been dispensed to the holding of origin. The appropriate course of action will be decided once all information about the animals is known.
Whose responsibility is it to ensure the animals are vaccinated?
Keepers of animals are responsible for ensuring that they meet the legal requirements for vaccination of their animals.
Buyers should secure assurances from sellers that animals have received courses of a BTV8 vaccine.
Scottish Government
Rural Directorate
11 September 2009