Suffolk dairy farmers urge cattle owners to vaccinate against bluetongue
Jason and Katharine Salisbury run Suffolk Farmhouse Cheeses at Whitegate Farm near Stowmarket, where they keep Guernsey and Jersey milking cattle. Katharine Salisbury, who is also a vet, said one of their cows was the second bluetongue case identified in Britain during the 2007 outbreak, after a case at Baylham Rare Breeds Farm near Ipswich.
Bluetongue does not pass directly between animals. Biting midges transmit the virus to cattle and sheep, and hot, dry weather can create conditions in which the insects survive. The disease can cause serious illness, birth defects and death in some animals, although it does not affect people.
During the 2007 outbreak, the Salisburys feared that their whole herd could be destroyed while government veterinarians considered how to respond. Regular blood testing found about ten infected cattle, all of which recovered, Mrs Salisbury said. Bluetongue later disappeared from the area for roughly 15 years before returning to Norfolk and Suffolk in late 2023 and early 2024.
The Salisburys vaccinated their herd of about 100 animals this spring as cases increased elsewhere in Britain. Mrs Salisbury, who operates a veterinary practice on the farm and represents Suffolk on the National Farmers’ Union’s dairy board, also encouraged many of her clients to vaccinate. She said the country had been dealing with bluetongue for three years and that the current year was particularly difficult because heat had helped midges survive.
Vaccines are available, with supplies being produced in Europe, although farmers may have to wait for them. Mrs Salisbury said fewer than 10% of vulnerable animals were vaccinated at the time of her comments. She described vaccination as highly effective, with very few side effects and minimal risks. Other measures include keeping livestock indoors at dawn and dusk, when midges are most active.
Bluetongue can reduce milk production in dairy cattle and affect fertility in sheep, including causing abortions, Mrs Salisbury said. She also linked the disease’s recent presence to warmer conditions, while noting that farmers were simultaneously dealing with drought and diesel costs.
There have been 353 confirmed UK cases of BTV-3 in the 2026-27 bluetongue season. England recorded 17 additional cases on August 11, with most reported in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. Clare Wise, the NFU’s acting livestock board chair, said farmers should assess the risks and discuss available measures with their farm veterinarians. She said vaccination was proving to be the most effective protection against the disease.
