LIVESTOCK Health Scotland is funding SAC Consulting Veterinary Services to monitor bulk milk samples for any signs of Schmallenberg virus over the risk period of midge activity in 2017.

The hope is that this will provide the industry with an ‘early warning’ system, letting both sheep and cattle producers know if and when the virus becomes active in various regions of Scotland, and allowing them to plan accordingly.

Spring calving cows and early lambing ewes may be most at risk of SBV, and producers should seek advice from their farm veterinarian on SBV disease management strategies if the SBV threat is confirmed. Vaccine availability is not guaranteed and manipulating lambing dates may be the best tool to reduce the risks in breeding flocks.

Last year, surveillance of Scottish cattle and sheep carried out by SACCVS and supported by the Scottish Government, found that SBV was active in the midge population of southern Scotland, particularly the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway during the late summer and into early Winter of 2016. There were also two cases of SBV infection identified in the Lothians in the same time frame.

Alongside on-going surveillance for SBV infection using diagnostic information, SACCVS will carry out a bulk tank milk antibody monitoring service on 50 sentinel farms throughout the country, with samples collected monthly and reports made available on the web each month.