Farmers on alert as livestock virus may spread to Scotland

NFU Scotland is warning livestock producers north of the Border to be on high alert after Schmallenberg virus (SBV) was found in the north of England.

SBV is a new virus that spread via midges throughout parts of Europe and southern England last year. It causes relatively mild symptoms in cattle and sheep, but if infection takes place during the early stages of pregnancy it can result in deformed lambs and calves, stillbirths and abortions.