The livestock industry has united to launch a survey aimed at understanding the impact of bluetongue variant 3 (BTV-3) on UK farms.

The survey, led by the Ruminant Health and Welfare bluetongue working group in collaboration with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the University of Nottingham, is being led by Fiona Lovatt of Flock Health Limited.

“We know farmers across the country, in and out of the restricted zone, are at the coal face, dealing with daily challenges and disruption due to the BTV-3 outbreak.

“We want to make sure their experiences and the impact on their animals are captured,” said Lovatt.

The primary goal of the survey is to gather data on morbidity and mortality rates on UK farms where BTV-3 has been diagnosed after August 2024. This data will help provide a clearer picture of the situation and inform future support strategies for those affected.

The survey, available online through Ruminant Health and Welfare’s website, can be completed in under five minutes. It is open to all livestock farmers, whether or not they have experienced a confirmed case of the virus.

Particular attention is being given to gauging interest in vaccination programs to estimate potential participation rates.

Lovatt said: “We need to find out what level of clinical signs farmers are seeing in their animals, whether they are experiencing mortality with BTV-3 cases, and what their appetite is to vaccinate in future for bluetongue serotype-3.

“It’s important to note this survey is fully anonymous, so hopefully farmers feel they can share everything they have seen that might be relevant.

“It’s crucial we listen to our farmers and learn from their experiences. Currently a lot of our learnings about the impact of BTV-3 are from our friends in the Netherlands who have had more cases so far, so it’s vital we understand if the UK situation differs at all.

“The data collected through this survey will be shared to help inform how the whole industry can best support those dealing with bluetongue, as well as informing preparations for next year’s midge season.”

The survey will remain open for several weeks, after which the data will be analysed, and the results published in due course.

These findings will help industry stakeholders develop a comprehensive plan to combat the virus in the UK.