The Farmers' Union of Wales today urged Welsh farmers to register interest with their vet now so that they will be able to purchase bluetongue vaccine (BTV) when it becomes available.
The union's plea followed a Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) decision to tender for a further supply of five million doses of BTV for Wales in addition to the 2.5m doses already secured.
"We welcome WAG's announcement and remind farmers to take full advantage of the opportunities to protect their own animals and, if they have not already done so, to register interest with their vet now so that they will be able to purchase vaccine as soon as it becomes available," said FUW president Gareth Vaughan.
Vaccination can only be authorised once an area is declared a Protection Zone, as required under EU legislation. It is expected that Wales will be declared a Protection Zone early in the summer, at which point the vaccine will be made available for purchase by livestock keepers through their veterinary surgeon.
Under current EU regulations, the English Protection Zone has to reach the Welsh border before a Protection Zone can be declared in Wales. When that happens a Protection Zone for vaccination covering part or the whole of Wales, taking account of veterinary advice, will be declared.
Further advice and information, including detailed questions and answers, is available on the WAG website: www.wales.gov.uk/bluetongue.
Contact details for the Animal Health Offices are: Cardiff - 029 20 768500; Caernarfon - 01286 674144; and Carmarthen - 01267 245400. The Defra helpline is: 08459 335577.
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