Blue Tongue

bjreroberts · Post by **bjreroberts** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:01 am

Just when you think things are calming down the weather gets warmer and BTV1 found in sheep imported from France http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7748997.stm

I still find it hard to understand the need to transport live animals hundred of miles. Whilst normally I am all for free markets I can't help feeling that if the situation was reversed France would have banned imports months ago!

davidw · Post by **davidw** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:16 am

A cousin used to export sheep to France in years gone by. They had to be inspected twice during a 28 day quarantine period before travelling. Someone needs to ask why this isn't being done. EU free trade regulations are fine when dealing with video's and cheap booze, but hopeless when dealing with livestock.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:50 am

Sometimes sheep are exported for special reasons. We export Shropshire sheep to France and elsewhere every year. They don't eat trees, so are bought by Christmas Tree growers, Vineyards and Orchards to graze between the trees, keep the weeds down, fertilise the ground naturally and produce meat all in one go, and wool I suppose! I think they were nearly extinct years ago, or certainly very low in numbers, and are an excellent example of why genes that you didn't know were even there and apparently had no use at the time, need to be maintained. There are more Shropshire's now in Europe, by many times, than in the UK.

Edited By Broomcroft on 1227693077

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:30 pm

Well the photo certainly looks like a sheep. But the imported animals were cattle.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh....dex.htm

Colin

davidw · Post by **davidw** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:38 pm

I have a copy of an EU agricultural policy statement that says cattle can only be exported from France to Spain if they are vaccinated twice against bluetongue and then pass a virology test 25 days after their second vaccination. So why, oh why is the UK apparently allowing unrestricted imports?

Even worse news is that an new strain of Bluetongue has been found in two herds of goats in Switzerland. This was picked up in pre-export tests.

Edited By davidw on 1227803976