Welsh farmers agonised by the prospect of another year's poor trading in the autumn sheep sales have appealed for the whole of Wales to be made a Bluetongue Protection Zone. And Welsh Assembly Government chief vet Christianne Glossop has agreed to balance the likely financial impact on them against the risk of disease.
Dr Glossop was addressing a meeting organised by NSA Cymru at the Royal Welsh Showground on the day Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones announced that south-east Wales would become a Protection Zone from Friday, 27 June, and farmers able to vaccinate. No firm date can be given for the roll-out of the next 6.5 million doses that would further extend the Protection Zone and the news heightened fears that buyers would be unable or unwilling to travel to sale venues still in clean areas in late summer and early autumn.
Responding to a question from Pembrokeshire farmer Dai Morris, she explained her reluctance to further extend the Protection Zone before sufficient vaccine became available. Dr Glossop's concern is that if she declares the whole of Wales a Protection Zone while there isn't enough vaccine to cover the whole area, there is a risk of disease being brought in among unvaccinated livestock.