Local MP raises concern over potentially deadly farm animal virus
Tim Farron MP (Image: Tom Cockburn)
Local MP raises concern over potentially deadly farm animal virus
Tim Farron MP (Image: Tom Cockburn)
A local MP has raised concerns over the risk of a potentially fatal virus in farm animals after cases were found in north Cumbria and in neighbouring counties.
Bluetongue affects sheep and cattle, among other animals, is potentially deadly and is carried by midges.
The nearest cases to south Cumbria are near Preston, in the Yorkshire Dales near Settle and Skipton and near Carlisle.
The ‘notifiable’ disease, meaning if you do not report it you are breaking the law, does not affect people or food safety but can prolong animal movement and see trade restrictions brought in.
The government briefs that, rarely, it can affect dogs and other carnivores if they eat infected material, such as aborted material and afterbirth.
Now, with cases having been found in adjoining Lancashire and North Yorkshire, Tim Farron MP of Westmorland and Lonsdale has raised concern for farmers in his constituency.
A cow in a barn (Image: Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA)
He said: “It is a big threat to animals’ welfare, it is a really unpleasant thing to have.
“There will be huge concern to the nearly 2,000 farmers in my patch so I have written to Stephen Morgan, the farming minister, to raise two issues.
“One is to ask about the rollout of a vaccine and the second is to clarify what strain of the disease it is, and will it impact on the extent to which vaccines will work?”
Mr Farron added a point about compensation for farmers, saying they were ‘already in a terrible situation financially before this happened’ with the dry weather this summer.
He added: “I don’t intend to scaremonger, it’s just that we now have the disease in two of our neighbouring counties.”
Tim Farron MP (Image: Tom Cockburn)
As well as sheep and cattle, the disease affects ‘ruminants’ like deer and goats and ‘camelids’ like llamas and alpacas.
If you suspect bluetongue, you must report it immediately on 03000 200 301 in England.
For more information on bluetongue and how to spot it in animals, see the government website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bluetongue
