Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease

Licensing

A Seasonal Vector Low Period (SVLP) started on Wednesday 15 January 2025, based on the lower temperatures and reduced midge activity. This means that there have been some temporary relaxations to the bluetongue controls placed on animals moving to Scotland for slaughter:

• there is no requirement for slaughterhouses to be designated
• animals arriving from bluetongue zones will no longer be required to be slaughtered within 24 hours of arrival, there are no restrictions on when animals must be slaughtered after arrival at the slaughterhouse or on when non-RZ animals need to be slaughtered  
• there is no requirement for midge control or insecticide use in the transport vehicles or in lairages
• there is no requirement for insecticide use at the slaughterhouse

These measures are likely to be reinstated when the SVLP ends.

BTV-susceptible animals can currently move directly from a Restricted Zone (RZ) or Temporary Control Zone in England into Scotland to live as we have now entered the SVLP. These animals require pre-movement testing and assurance that they do not have any clinical symptoms before they move, but do not require post-movement testing during the SVLP.

Read information on pre-movement testing on gov.uk.

Vaccinated animals testing positive for BTV will be treated as infected and will not be allowed to move directly to Scotland.

Apply for a specific licence to move animals in, out or within in a bluetongue disease control zone.

Designated slaughterhouses

The following slaughterhouses are designated to process movements from a BTV Restricted Zone,however during the SVLP animals from the RZ are not required to go to a designated slaughterhouse:

• GB1560 ABP Bridge of Allan