BTV - Angus Wyse
14th July 2025
A leading vet in Wales is urging Welsh farmers to vaccinate as soon as possible against bluetongue. Angus Wyse is the official veterinary officer for the NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales, one of the UK’s most important sheep sales.
He says it’s not if, but when, the disease comes to Wales. The midge carrying bluetongue will clearly not recognise the border between Wales and England, a restricted zone. And the results will be catastrophic for sheep farmers in particular.
Angus explained: “When there is a disease that can cause you 70% mortality in your sheep and you can prevent it with one dose of vaccine, it just seems a no brainer as an insurance policy. In Holland it was so bad that the dead stock disposal services couldn’t cope and there were piles of carcasses lying on farms. “It will come in Wales. Midges aren’t going to respect the border. It will come through midge activity, but movement restriction may prevent it moving further into Wales as quickly.
“Btv 3 doesn’t seem to be so severe in cattle, although it does carry a very high milk drop which in the intensive dairy industry is the biggest worry. It also seems to cause quite a bit of mortality in young calves, because they are more susceptible. “We’re seeing some 50% milk drops in cows and they’re not returning to full production in that lactation.”
Angus also stressed growing concern about the capacity of the testing facilities underpinning the movement restrictions. The system wouldn’t be able to cope with a large volume of demand for testing large numbers of stock, especially during the peak breeding ewe and ram sale period. The cost of around £70 per animal to test before being able to obtain a licence is also a huge disincentive. A licence to move sheep has to be validated with a clear test, taken within seven days of movement. The UK’s only testing laboratory, at Pirbright, can only cope with a few hundred per week. Angus is concerned that the fact that Wales isn’t a restricted area is giving farmers a false sense of security. Farmers are taking comfort in feeling they are not at risk. He fears that when the disease does hit it will come in very quickly.
He urges: “Vaccinate now, before you have a problem. Get your rams vaccinated now, so that they are covered well before the tupping period. And also with any early lambing ewes, you need to be thinking about it now so that you are trying not to vaccinate over the tupping period. “The price isn’t prohibitive in relation to stock values at present. With most vaccines available, sheep only need the one dose but cattle need two doses three weeks apart.”
