Cattle which tested positive for bluetongue on a farm near Tiverton, Devon, are being re-tested to confirm that they do actually have the virus.
The virus was detected in eight dairy cattle - part of a consignment of 20 heifers imported from within the BTV8 Restricted Zone in Germany - as a result of post-import testing carried out by Defra on all bluetongue susceptible animals arriving from Continental Europe.
However, the farmer who imported the animals told farming press that he suspects that DEFRA's test may have picked up on antibodies generated as a result of vaccination in Germany. The animals are being re-tested to confirm that the virus is present, and the results should be available within a week.