Bluetongue outbreak forces Royal Welsh Show to ban English livestock

The Royal Welsh Show has decided to ban livestock from England from this year’s event after an outbreak of the bluetongue virus. In a statement, organisers said livestock entries of animals susceptible to the virus, especially cattle and sheep, will not be accepted from exhibitors located within a bluetongue virus-restricted zone. This zone is expected to include all of England from July 1, three weeks before the start of the show in Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells in Powys. Animals that must travel through a restricted zone are also banned, effectively excluding from the show livestock from Scotland. It means that there will be an estimated 40% fewer cattle at the event, but show chief executive Aled Rhys Jones said the move was necessary to protect Welsh farmers from the disease. There are currently pre-movement testing exemptions that the Welsh government should review on June 12.
Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) is mainly spread by midge bites. It does not affect humans, and animals contracting it – cattle, sheep, goats, deer, llamas, and alpacas – generally display mild symptoms and fully recover from it. However, it is contagious, and farmers are required to report potential cases to authorities.