What is Bluetongue?

Bluetongue is a disease that can affect ruminant animals, such as cattle, sheep and goats. It is spread by midges; if a midge bites an infected animal, it can then spread the disease to other animals by biting them.

Bluetongue has been present in the UK in the past, but a new strain of the virus, BTV3, was first detected in Europe in 2023, and was transmitted to some areas of the UK later that year. The disease is now spreading and along with many other areas, Lancashire has been placed within the Bluetongue Restricted Zone which means that there are some limits on where and how we can move our livestock, but as of today (20 May 2025) there are no suspected cases of Bluetongue within our livestock.

You can find out more about Bluetongue Restricted Zones along with live updates here.

What steps are we taking to prepare for and manage Bluetongue?

Our conservation grazing animals are an important part of our habitat management work. Whether it is the English longhorn cattle at Brockholes, the Hebridean sheep at Mere Sands Wood or the Golden Guernsey and Bagot goats at Freshfield Dune Heath, these animals play a vital role in helping us to care for our amazing nature reserves. Not only that, we are extremely fond of these wonderful creatures with their own individual personalities and characteristics.

As a result, we always aim to give our wonderful four-legged conservation team members the very best of care, which is why we will be rolling out a Bluetongue vaccination programme to all of our animals.

How can Bluetongue affect livestock?

Thankfully the vaccination lessens the symptoms of Bluetongue and reduces mortality rate. With the vaccination any symptoms should pass within a couple of weeks, and many animals, even if infected, could show no symptoms at all. Symptoms tend to be more visible in sheep than cows. You can find out more about the symptoms of Bluetongue here.

We will closely monitor our animal's welfare and health, treating with further medications if this is advised by our vets. Our staff and specially trained livestock volunteers will be checking each and every one of our animals daily to monitor for any signs of Bluetongue, and if any symptoms are present, to ensure that the animals aren’t in any distress. If symptoms are spotted, as much as possible we will endeavour to leave the animals out on site with their herds as this is where they feel happy and safe, and these locations are already part of our daily checking routines.

We will continue to conform with Government advice surrounding the virus, to allow its spread to be monitored and any necessary movement bans imposed to help contain outbreaks.

What should you do if you see any signs of Bluetongue

Please rest assured that we are keeping a very close eye on all of our livestock, with at least once daily checks of each and every animal. Any symptoms will be closely monitored with animal welfare being our number one priority.

If you do spot any symptoms, the best thing to do is to leave the animal in peace and know that we are taking care of it. If you want to get in touch for any reason, please contact info@lancswt.org.uk