'Don't left up' in jab campaign

3:30pm Wednesday 20th August 2008

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THE NFU is calling on West Midlands farmers to continue to vaccinate their animals against bluetongue disease nearly a year after the virus was detected in the UK.

Just two weeks before the anniversary of bluetongue first being found in England, the Joint campaign Against Bluetongue (JAB) group is urging farmers to vaccinate their livestock to stop the disease taking hold in this country as it has in Europe.

So far this year, France has reported 4,543 cases of bluetongue, including cases in Calais, and the Netherlands has just confirmed its first case of the disease in 2008.

Members of JAB have issued a reminder to farmers to contact their vets and vaccinate as there is a threat of bluetongue re-emerging.

In a statement, JAB said: “The amount of cases being reported across Europe shows the disease is on the move.

“This most recent case in Holland demonstrates that not vaccinating livestock leaves farmers vulnerable to outbreaks now the midge season has started.

“The industry has rallied behind the JAB campaign and has done tremendously well in terms of vaccination.

“Nearly 19 million doses have already been made available to English farmers and with another nine million doses planned to be released in the coming weeks we need those areas that are new to the protection zone to vaccinate as soon as they are able.

“We must remember bluetongue could already be circulating in areas where outbreaks occurred last year so the risks to everyone are very real.

“The explosion in the number of cases on the continent also acts as a timely reminder to those farmers in the current protection zone who have not vaccinated and the dangers this presents to their unprotected livestock.

“We are entering the peak period for midge activity so vaccination is the only way to prepare and protect us from any potential outbreaks that may emerge in the coming weeks.”

The NFU West Midlands office and other organisations in the livestock industry launched the JAB campaign in the region over the summer and urged farmers to place vaccine orders with their vets.

JAB aims to get 100 per cent of cattle and sheep vaccinated against the virus and a series of meetings have also been held to keep farmers up to date.

Funding and support for the JAB campaign has come from regional development agency, Advantage West Midlands and around 11,500 campaign cards have been sent out to farmers and livestock keepers across the region.

Livestock holders were also made aware of JAB at county shows and events and hard-hitting adverts have been placed in the regional press.

Oliver Cartwright, NFU regional spokesman, said: “I would encourage all farmers and livestock keepers who have not vaccinated their animals to do so as quickly as possible.

“There has been a good take-up in the region but we need to ensure the West Midlands is protected against the disease, which has the potential to decimate the livestock and dairy sectors.

“We don’t want to see complacency creep in and for farmers to be caught on the back foot, which is why we would like to remind farmers of the JAB slogan, don’t hesitate, vaccinate.”

Information on bluetongue and the campaign is on a number of individual websites, including www.nfuonline.com.

Further information on the vaccine is also available on the Intervet website, www.intervet.co.uk.