Farmers on alert after bluetongue clampdown

Livestock farmers in the Rasen Mail area have narrowly escaped facing tight restrictions after Lincolnshire's first case of the animal disease bluetongue was confirmed.

A protection zone surrounding the farm at Alford, operated by a farmer from Spilsby, skirts roughly the boundary of East Lindsey, cutting through the A631 between Rasen and Louth at Ludford.

Within that zone cattle movement is severely restricted and outside the zone, the surveillance zone, local farmers must still be increasingly vigilant over cattle movement. There can be no transfer of animals between the zones.

Livestock inside the two zones will be a priority for vaccination which is due to be released in May. Once animals are vaccinated they can be moved after two weeks.

The confirmed outbreak of the virus is unlikely to affect the Lincolnshire Show in June, say organisers, as they monitor the situation closely.

The Lincolnshire Agricultural Society is confident that this year's event will be largely unaffected. The showground itself is outside the protection zone but within the surveillance zone.