Vets can diagnose bluetongue to cut test delays

Vets will now be able to diagnose bluetongue virus in livestock so farmers do not have to wait for confirmed test results under changes announced by the government.

The potentially deadly virus, which affects sheep and cattle as well as other animals, continues to spread with confirmed cases on 1,048 farms , external in the UK - more than half are in Devon and Cornwall.

Farmers previously needed to wait for samples to be sent to a laboratory to confirm bluetongue but the government said vets would now be able to diagnose the disease after examining the animals.

UK deputy chief veterinary officer Ele Brown said: "Bluetongue is widely circulating in England and our approach needs to keep pace."

The deputy chief vet added: "Private vets are well placed to recognise signs of the diseases, and this change will mean farmers can get a diagnosis more quickly.

"Vaccination is the best tool available to help protect susceptible livestock, so I absolutely continue to urge farmers to speak to their vet about vaccinating their herd or flock."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it had set up a new online system allowing vets to report confirmed cases.

It said the changes would "mean fewer straightforward cases need to wait for laboratory results, giving farmers an answer sooner and helping them take quicker action to protect livestock".