Second case of bluetongue found

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Government vets have found bluetongue disease in a second cow on a Suffolk farm, Defra has said.

The midge-borne bluetongue virus was found in a Highland cow at the Baylham House Rare Breeds Farm, near Ipswich.

The strain of the disease is the same as one that has devastated cattle and sheep herds across northern Europe.

The infected cow's carcass has been removed and further tests are being carried out to see if it has spread to other livestock on the farm.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it would not be classed as an outbreak unless other cases were confirmed.

'Unwelcome development'

LOCATION OF BLUETONGUE CASE <a class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7009288.stm">The rise of bluetongue</a>

A 20km (12 mile) control zone will be placed around the farm if bluetongue appears to have infected other animals and insects.

Defra said tests were ongoing and it was unlikely any results would be announced in the next few hours.

Chief Vet Debby Reynolds said the discovery of bluetongue was an "unwelcome but not unforeseen" development.

"The aim is to get farming back to normal when the risk is acceptable to do so," she said.

Ben Woolf, a neighbouring farmer, said the discovery of bluetongue disease was worrying.

"In the short term, foot-and-mouth is clearly a more devastating disease because it wipes out whole herds," he said.

"It's the unknown with bluetongue. How long is it going to last? What's the long-term economic impact going to be - that's the real concern."

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said he understood the arrival of bluetongue was "unwelcome news" for farmers at a difficult time.

Spread north

Bluetongue disease is transmitted by the <i>Culicoides imicola</i> midge. It is passed from animal to midge, and from midge to animal, but is not transmitted from animal to animal.

The virus, which affects cattle, sheep, goats and deer, has long blighted Africa, but in recent years has begun to spread northwards into Europe.

There have been nearly 3,000 cases of bluetongue in Northern Europe - including the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany - since July, which had fuelled fears of its arrival in the UK.

Some scientists believe that climate change could be behind its spread, as warmer temperatures have seen the biting insects gradually move north.

Frosty winter

Deputy chief veterinary officer Fred Landeg said that a frosty winter could help wipe out Britain's midge population.

But the president of the British Veterinary Association, David Catlow, said Britain may have to "learn to live" with bluetongue by restricting movements of infected animals until a vaccine is made available.

Animals with the disease experience discomfort, with flu-like symptoms, and swelling and haemorrhaging in and around the mouth and nose. They can also go lame and have difficulty eating.