Appeal as bluetongue hits Ulster

Almost 30,000 livestock have been imported to Northern Ireland from bluetongue-infected areas of Europe since the start of the year, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal today.

This is despite appeals to farmers from Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew to "wise up" and stop risking agriculture as the province's first case of the killer disease was confirmed.

Since the start of January, 4,184 cattle and 20,304 sheep have been imported from bluetongue-infected areas including 26 consignments from the Netherlands, which included the infected animal.

It is understood that dairy cattle in the Netherlands are selling for lower prices than normal because of the country's disease status.

The infected heifer has now been slaughtered and the Department of Agriculture is in the process of tracing associated herds.

Northern Ireland is still regarded as bluetongue-free.

The minister said she has no power to ban imports of animals from bluetongue-infected areas under EU law but appealed to farmers not to put us at risk by bringing them in.

"On the dairy side, prices have been fairly steady and buoyant and there isn't really any excuse to bring in heifers from bluetongue-infected areas," she said.

"I am asking them for the sake of the industry not to import bluetongue from infected areas."

Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister said the detection of the case reminds everyone of extreme vigilance.