British farms hit by record bluetongue outbreak after heatwave summer
The National Farmers' Union urged livestock keepers to vaccinate as warm weather helped drive a record outbreak.
- The UK faces its worst-ever bluetongue outbreak, with 2,485 cases recorded just three months into the 2026-27 season. England accounts for 2,031 infections, while Wales reported 414 and Scotland 40, according to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs .
- Intense summer heatwaves created "favourable conditions for the biting midges that spread bluetongue," according to Defra. The department reported midges became active in March, allowing the BTV-3 virus to develop and spread rapidly.
- The National Farmers' Union urges producers to vaccinate livestock to mitigate disease impacts. Officials stated, "Vaccinating now can help protect animals through the remainder of this year and provide immunity into next year."
- Deputy UK chief veterinary officer Ele Brown introduced an online reporting system to accelerate case identification. Surveillance remains critical through autumn and winter, particularly in areas exposed to infected midges blown across the Channel.
- Robyn Munt emphasized the importance of monitoring the evolving disease picture to address wider surveillance challenges. Farmers must continue working with veterinarians to plan vaccination strategies, ensuring long-term protection against the virus's productivity impacts.
22 Articles
22 Articles
British farmers are facing the largest and most devastating bluetongue outbreak in history, with the number of reported cases in the current season already surpassing the total for the previous three years.
news-pravda.com
Unprecedented bluetongue outbreak hits British livestock
Severe infections of the midge-borne virus can cause a blue tongue, abortions, stillbirths and death in livestock British livestock farmers are confronting an unprecedented spread of bluetongue, a virus carried by biting midges. Cases this...
GB News
PressNewsAgencyBritish farmers facing worst-ever outbreak of bluetongue on record
British farmers are facing their worst bluetongue outbreak on record, with reported cases in the current season already exceeding the combined total from the previous three years.Defra has recorded 2,201 cases since the 2026-27 bluetongue season began on July 1, including 1,103 in September alone.The season runs until June 30 2027, meaning the number of recorded cases has surpassed the total for the previous three seasons in just three months.Bl…
It is being called the worst season of the disease ever.
The Independent
The Independent (US)British farms hit by record bluetongue outbreak after heatwave summer
Defra said hot and humid summer weather had created ‘favourable conditions for the biting midges that spread bluetongue’ – likely contributing to the increase in cases
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