Bluetongue Disease in Sheep: Emerging Welfare Threat
Bluetongue disease caused by bluetongue virus transmitted by Culicoides midges causes severe welfare suffering in sheep, with the UK facing increasing risk from climate-driven midge range expansion.
Key Facts
- Bluetongue virus causes severe disease in sheep with high mortality in susceptible populations
- Signs include fever, facial swelling, tongue discoloration and ulceration, and respiratory distress
- Transmitted by Culicoides midges whose range expands northward with climate warming
- Vaccination is available and critical for protection in at-risk areas
- Bluetongue is an OIE-listed disease with movement restrictions affecting farm welfare management
Welfare Considerations
Bluetongue welfare suffering is severe in acutely affected sheep. The combination of high fever, painful oral and facial inflammation, respiratory distress, and lameness from coronary band inflammation creates multiple simultaneous welfare insults. Mortality can be high in naive sheep populations without prior immunity or vaccination. The movement restrictions imposed during outbreaks create additional welfare challenges for farms unable to move animals when normal management would require it. Vaccination programs protect individual sheep welfare and reduce the outbreak risk that triggers disruptive movement controls.
What You Can Do
- Vaccinate sheep against bluetongue in at-risk areas as directed by your vet and APHA
- Monitor for midge activity and disease signs during warm seasons
- Follow movement restrictions during bluetongue outbreaks to prevent disease spread
- Report suspected bluetongue to APHA immediately — it is a notifiable disease
- Support research into bluetongue control and midge vector management