From Monday, Danish farmers will have the opportunity to order vaccines against the contagious Bluetongue virus through their veterinarians. The Ministry of Food has announced that 5,000 doses of the vaccine are ready for use in Danish cattle, goats, and sheep. A total of 200,000 doses have been reserved for Denmark.
The disease has particularly affected several Danish herds in recent weeks, including a flock of 14 sheep and 6 cattle in Varde, a town in Jutland, Denmark. Food Minister Jacob Jensen has expressed satisfaction that a vaccine is now available, which is expected to protect livestock from severe symptoms, although it does not completely prevent infection.
The Bluetongue virus primarily impacts ruminants such as sheep, goats, and cattle, but it poses no threat to human health. Symptoms in infected animals may include fluid accumulation in the head, sores in the mouth, lameness, abortions, and a characteristic blue discoloration of the tongue in sheep. The disease is long-lasting and painful, often resulting in the need for euthanasia, as this is seen as the only humane solution.
The virus is spread by small insects known as midges, but it can also be transmitted from an infected cow to her calf or via semen. Control measures against midges can include the use of spray pesticides.
Bluetongue virus is not only a threat to animal welfare but can also have significant economic repercussions for affected farmers, as no compensation is offered for operational losses or euthanized animals. Earlier this year, the Danish Veterinary Consortium (Dansk Veterinær Konsortium) warned that the disease had the potential to reach Denmark following reports in several European countries.