Defra's latest update on the Schmallenberg virus this week confirmed that the disease has now been identified on 11 UK farms. The virus which causes deformation in the neck, head and limbs of cattle, sheep and goats, was named after a German town where it was first found last year. The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency has reported that the virus has been identified on 11 sheep farms in Suffolk, Norfolk, Kent and East Sussex. All these counties are within the ‘at risk’ zones identified as being in the pathway of wind-borne infected midges during the summer. Whilst the primary route of transmission is still not certain, Defra has said that the current UK cases ‘add credence’ to the possibility of midges being the vector responsible for transmission rather than mosquitoes or ticks.
In Northern Europe, Belgium has reported finding virus-positive lambs with congenital deformities on 61 sheep farms in several regions, and also a six-month calf foetus where the herd had reported a drop in milk production and three cattle subsequently tested positive for the virus. In the Netherlands, there have now been nearly 350 farms reporting deformed lambs, calves or kid goats. Of these, 81 of the 144 sheep farms, four of the 17 goat farms and two of the 188 cattle farms have proven positive for the virus in offspring.
In Germany, there are now six regions with affected premises and more than 100 cases have been confirmed across 8 cattle farms, 132 sheep farms and 7 goat farms. One of the cattle (in Rhineland Palatinate) was a bison. In France, ‘high risk zones’ are in place and there have been 13 reports of virus identified in deformed lambs. The increase in cases in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands and the UK is still considered to be the result of infection in the summer months of 2011, most likely through midge transmission.
Important: Defra has said that whilst the disease remains non-notifiable further cases may arise as the lambing season progresses and as spring calving starts and all farmers are therefore urged to report signs of congenital deformities in newborns to either their vet or local AHVLA office. An NFU briefing can be found on our Animal Health pages - here.
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