Bluetongue outbreak Summer 2026

Statement from ADA

There are growing concerns over the rapid spread of the animal virus Bluetongue (BTV-3) circulating in England and Wales. Bluetongue is a notifiable disease of ruminants (e.g. sheep, cattle, goats and deer) and camelids (such as llama and alpaca) spread by biting midges (Culicoides species) that causes severe illness and high mortality in sheep and can make cattle very sick, reducing milk yield and can cause abortion and birth defects.

Our changing climate is helping midges that carry the disease to spread up through Europe over recent years from southern Europe and Africa. They can be blown long distances on the wind and bring the virus over from mainland Europe. With hotter summers and heatwaves the midges that transfer the virus can survive for longer and spread the disease.

ADA recognises the anxiety and stress this presents to the farming community and recommends that they stay up to date with the latest advice and information. The NFU has set up a hot topics page with the latest guidance and what you need to do as a farmer from a range of trusted sources: https://www.nfuonline.com/hot-topics/bluetongue/. AHDB also have a latest news page: https://ahdb.org.uk/bluetongue.

 

Controlling the spread of bluetongue

AHDB states that:

The control of midges is difficult and although there are things that can be done to reduce their spread, it is unlikely that the risk of them can be removed on any individual farm. Reducing the risk is therefore the aim.

The main preventative measures are vaccination and movement controls/restrictions for susceptible livestock species in relevant areas to reduce the opportunity for vector transmission between holdings.

Culicoides midges that carry the Bluetongue virus breed on damp soils with high organic content, such as muckheaps. So, keeping these distant from susceptible livestock and livestock-housing may reduce biting frequency and therefore BTV transmission.

As such ADA is not aware of specific disease prevention methods being recommended in association with the wider environment (including lowland watercourses and ponds) or the operational watercourse maintenance works conducted by land managers, internal drainage boards, and other risk management authorities. There are no specific requirements around the cleaning and disinfection of vehicles and equipment between landholdings by IDBs conducting those operations, beyond the steps they are already taking where necessary in relation to the control of invasive non-native aquatic species (see www.ada.org.uk/environment/).

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