Suspected bluetongue cases must be reported amid fears that infections are going undetected
Farmers have been warned that selling or passing on leftover bluetongue vaccines is illegal, as the disease reaches more than 3,300 premises across the UK and concerns grow over unreported infections.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has issued a warning after receiving reports of animal keepers buying, selling and exchanging bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccines through social media and private arrangements.
The warning comes as the National Sheep Association (NSA) urges farmers to continue reporting suspected infections, amid fears that declining daily case numbers may not reflect the true extent of the outbreak.
Latest Defra figures, updated on Tuesday 13 October, show 3,370 premises have been confirmed with bluetongue across the UK during the 2026-27 season.
Of these, 2,840 are in England, 481 in Wales and 49 in Scotland, with no confirmed cases in Northern Ireland.
Although a reduction in daily confirmed cases would be welcome, the NSA is concerned that some suspected infections are going unreported, making it difficult to establish whether the virus is genuinely slowing down.
NSA chief executive Phil Stocker warned that accurate reporting was essential to understanding the disease and planning future control measures.
He said: “Every report submitted tells us where bluetongue is, how fast it is moving and whether the measures in place are working.”
He added: “Without that information we are working blind, and decisions about control next season will only be as good as the evidence gathered now.”
Meanwhile, the VMD has raised concerns about surplus BTV-3 vaccines being sold or exchanged outside authorised veterinary supply chains.
The regulator warned that vaccines obtained through unofficial sources may not have been stored, handled or transported correctly, potentially compromising their quality, safety and effectiveness.
BTV-3 vaccines are prescription-only veterinary medicines and are subject to strict legal controls.
Animal keepers cannot legally sell, exchange or supply vaccines to another owner, even where the recipient has been prescribed the medicine by a veterinary surgeon.
Farmers are being encouraged to continue vaccinating where appropriate, but should discuss their animals' requirements with a vet before obtaining supplies.
Anyone purchasing vaccines online must have a valid veterinary prescription and use a registered retailer authorised to supply prescription-only veterinary medicines.
The VMD has also clarified the rules surrounding the splitting of vaccine bottles between different holdings.
Veterinary surgeons may administer doses from a single bottle to animals belonging to different owners, provided the vaccine is stored correctly and used within the permitted period.
For BTV-3 vaccines, this is 10 hours after the bottle is first opened.
Vets may also decant prescribed quantities for administration by animal keepers, although strict requirements apply to labelling, written instructions, record-keeping and the time allowed for use.
The VMD has urged caution because opening or decanting vaccines can increase the risk of