A bold warning: bluetongue may have slipped beyond Northern Ireland’s current temporary control zone, according to DAERA’s deputy chief veterinary officer, David Kyle.
Kyle suggested on Tuesday evening that the virus has likely spread further than the zones currently in place, even though it hasn’t been detected beyond them yet. DAERA’s modelling estimates that between 16,000 and 30,000 cattle could have moved outside the existing TCZ from the moment the virus arrived until it was identified. He cautioned against assuming the issue is limited to a small area and warned that a wider spread could already be occurring, potentially reaching the south of Ireland without being picked up yet.
During an online briefing hosted by the Ulster Farmers’ Union, Kyle noted that 5,500 livestock samples have been tested from more than 50 farms within the TCZ to date. So far, four suspected outbreaks of the BTV-3 strain have been located in County Down, the latest involving two cattle on a farm near Greyabbey.
Kyle emphasized that the infection burden within the zone is not fully captured by current findings: our modelling suggests roughly 10% of herds in the zone show some evidence of infection.
The department is weighing changes to TCZ restrictions, including the possibility of permitting some movements of livestock out of the zone. He hinted that an announcement could come in the next few days. If cross-zone movements resume, certain high-risk animals would need to be tested beforehand, such as breeding bulls and rams, as well as pregnant cows and ewes. “If we allow them to move, they would have to test negative,” Kyle explained.
Lessons from England’s BTV-3 experiences
A Defra survey of 68 farmers affected by bluetongue in England found that while the overall severity was comparatively low, some farms faced serious clinical signs and mortality linked to bluetongue. Gordon Hickman of Defra shared these insights during UFU member discussions: sheep often showed dullness, lameness, and reluctance to move, while cattle exhibited dullness, nasal discharge, and muzzle crusting. Most animals recovered within about a week, but there were weight and production losses. Fertility impacts were particularly notable, with higher empty rates, abortions, stillbirths, and weak calves recorded on cattle.
Death toll data were modest in comparison to the Netherlands, with 61 known deaths and about half euthanised for welfare reasons. UK figures for 2025 show 249 bluetongue outbreaks on British farms and 576 positive animals, but Hickman stressed that the true number of infected animals was higher than reported because surveillance often involves sampling only a small subset of animals on a premises.
Coastal surveillance revealed widespread infection: 68% of tested farms along England’s south coast had at least one positive animal. On a Kent farm, for example, 13 of 14 tested cattle were positive, illustrating how quickly and intensely an outbreak can appear on a single site.
Trade restrictions remain in place
The new bluetongue cases in NI do not unlock livestock trade with Britain. Since bluetongue was detected in southeast England in November 2023, Britain–NI livestock movements have been banned. DAERA’s Julian Henderson explained that bans hinge on specific Bluetongue virus strains rather than bluetongue itself. While NI has confirmed BTV-3, the UK has also detected BTV-8 and BTV-12. EU import regulations govern moves from Great Britain to NI, and the presence of BTV-12, in particular, is expected to block imports.
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