Bluetongue: rams test positive
Two rams, imported from France, have tested positive for bluetongue


Bluetongue tests have come back positive on two rams that were imported from France last Tuesday, according to Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).
One ram testing positive for bluetongue is on a farm near Lewes, East Sussex, while the other is at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Tests were carried out as part of Defra's routine post-import tests on all bluetongue-susceptible animals arriving from Continental Europe.
Alick Simmons, deputy chief veterinary officer, said there was no evidence that the virus is circulating between local midge and animal populations.
Mr Simmons said: 'Bluetongue has recently been confirmed as circulating this year in the Netherlands and large areas of France, despite vaccination programmes being undertaken. Similar re-emergence of disease in the UK would also not be unexpected in the coming weeks.
'…Farmers throughout the protection zone should vaccinate as soon as vaccine is available to them.'
Defra has confirmed that a full investigation is underway following the confirmation of the bluetongue cases near Lewes and Hemel Hempstead.
To comment on this article, use the comment box below, or email us at clonews@ipcmedia.com. Read more about the countryside.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
-
From California to Cornwall: How surfing became a cornerstone of Cornish culture
A new exhibition at Cornwall's National Maritime Museum celebrates a century of surf culture and reveals how the country became a global leader in surf innovation and conservation.
By Emma Lavelle Published
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country Life
From a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
By Toby Keel Published