Bluetongue vaccination zone extended in North Yorkshire

7:42pm Sunday 20th July 2008

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LIVESTOCK farmers in parts of North Yorkshire will be able to vaccinate against Bluetongue from Monday.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), is extending the Protection Zone to cover Scarborough, Ryedale, Hambleton and Harrogate.

It follows the delivery of a further two million doses of vaccine by Intervet which will also be available for use in parts of Worcestershire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

This week the zone was extended to include the district of Selby; the Unitary Authority of York; and the metropolitan boroughs of Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield in West Yorkshire.

Defra said it would continue to roll out the Protection Zone as vaccine is delivered and urged all livestock farmers to place orders with their vets.

It also confirmed that the Merial BTV-8 vaccine has been awarded a provisional marketing authorisation from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

Defra ordered 13m doses of vaccine from Merial in June, eight million for use in England and five million for Wales.