The Scottish Region of the National Sheep Association (NSA) is urging industry to follow the Scottish national control strategy to maintain Scotland’s bluetongue (BTV) free status and discuss flock risk and the value of vaccination.

Attempting to remain BTV-free for as long as possible is a commendable aim, says NSA Policy Manager Michael Priestley. However, the decision is challenging, and the route taken is set to have an impact on cross border trade.

“The raft of health challenges BTV-3 presents, including fertility issues and mortality, have been stated as key reasons behind the strategy to keep BTV out of Scotland. NSA would like to thank the Scottish Government for engaging with the livestock sector and taking a difficult decision while being open about the trade-offs.

“Sheep farmers concerned by the threat of BTV should discuss vaccination strategies with their vet. There are two strains of the virus in the UK, serotype 3, which is present in the rest of the UK but not in Scotland, and serotype 8 which has been confined to south west England. Vaccines exist for both strains, but currently it is BTV-3 that represents the greatest threat to Scottish flocks.”

NSA Scottish Region Policy Officer Faye Bryce adds: “There is an industry vaccine calculator tool available online to help make decisions around vaccination.”

NSA and the wider UK livestock sector share this advice following the Scottish Government’s announcement of its updated BTV strategy last week that will come into effect from 1st June, lasting until 9th September 2026. Details of this can be found on the Scottish Government website.