November Brings More Bluetongue For Balkans
EUROPE – Colder weather has not checked the rising death toll from Bluetongue in southern Europe.November has seen more reports come in, particularly from Bulgaria and Macedonia, where death losses lifted by 550 and 390 respectively.
Both sheep and cattle farms have been affected by the serotype four strain with many backyard enterprises reporting losses, mainly in sheep.
Bulgarian sheep farmers have been hit hard with a spate of cases in the south west centring on Blaegoevgard region.
Over 1400 cases have been reported this month by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), many coming from the south west and slightly further north in Sofija.
Central Montenegro has also been affected by the virus, killing one cow and nine sheep from 24 cases.
Outbreaks have continued in Croatia.
The southern coastline has reported more cases, including a dead sheep in the Tisno district.
TheCattleSite News Desk