Farmers urged to help control SBV
With the Schmallenberg virus spreading out of the south east of the country and moving south, farmers have been urged to play a vital part in ensuring the disease remains at ‘low impact’ levels in the new breeding season.
During a conference, experts explained that even though there was evidence of SBV still being transmitted in the UK, Defra have continued to consider the disease as ‘low impact’ and therefore a vaccine would not be available for farmers until 2013.
Peter Mertens, head of vector-borne viral diseases programme for the IAH, said: “Changing management practises to help control infection and transmission of the disease can help limit the effects of Schmallenberg in the coming year. Make sure you are aware of the symptoms, especially if you are in a previously unaffected area as the stock in these areas will be most at risk due to carrying no immunity.”
“In Australia farmers plan pregnancies to occur when the midge population, which carry the disease, is at its lowest. This shows they understand the key to virus control, is not simply contained in the vaccination bottle, but management practices are equally important.”
While Mr Mertens said this was not always easy to do, producers needed to learn from farming industries in other countries.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
