TheCattleSite Bluetongue Disease News
Northern Ireland Warning Over BTV6
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - The Ulster Farmers’ Union has thrown its weight behind fresh calls for a voluntary ban on livestock imports into Northern Ireland, following the emergence of a new Bluetongue virus, BTv6, in the Netherlands.UFU President Graham Furey said; “It is worrying to see a new strain of Bluetongue emerge on the Continent; and the BTv1 strain has also spread significantly across France this year. Bluetongue remains a big threat to our industry and to farming families livelihoods. The biggest single risk to our industry is from importing animals from Bluetongue areas. So I would re-iterate our call for people in the local industry to think about this seriously and not import livestock to Northern Ireland. Livestock imports put our entire industry at an unnecessary risk”.
Graham Furey added; “The best way to keep Bluetongue out of Northern Ireland is to avoid bringing livestock into the Province. I am urging producers to put the industry first and not take any unnecessary risks”.
