Farmers across the North were put on alert on Friday 19 December after Defra confirmed fresh bluetongue BTV-3 cases: a newborn calf in Cumbria showing neurological signs, and a bovine in Greater Manchester with lethargy, fever and a swollen muzzle. The updates land as winter yards fill up and breeding plans are being finalised.

Across the 2025 vector season, counted from July, Great Britain has recorded 264 cases, according to Defra. England accounts for 243 (235 BTV-3 only, one BTV-8 only and seven with both BTV-3 and BTV-8), while Wales has 21 BTV-3 cases. Scotland has none. Defra’s online case map shows premises that have tested positive by PCR.

Also on 19 December, private testing in Buckinghamshire confirmed three cows following fertility issues across the herd. Routine surveillance the same day detected two cattle in Kent, one in Somerset and two in Hampshire. Wales logged a further surveillance case on 9 December in Wrexham.

On 18 December, a Derbyshire cow was confirmed after widespread fertility problems and abortions on the holding, alongside a routine surveillance case in Cornwall. The day before, surveillance identified 12 cattle in Kent and one bovine in Powys.

On 16 December, one Cheshire dairy cow tested positive after fever, milk drop, abortion and lameness. Surveillance on the same date confirmed additional cattle in Kent and Cornwall. Two days earlier, on 13 December, Wrexham reported two cattle through routine checks.

On 12 December, two Cheshire dairy cows were confirmed after fever, milk drop and reduced appetite, and a Somerset dairy cow tested positive following a run of abortions. A day earlier, an aborted foetus in Cheshire tested positive, while routine surveillance found two cattle in Hampshire. On 10 December, Kent recorded 13 cattle and Welsh surveillance detected four in Powys and two in Wrexham. On 9 December, two Derbyshire cows were tested after abortions and crusting around the muzzle; surveillance then confirmed five cattle in Cornwall and three in Wrexham.

With temperatures dropping, government vets judge the risk of onward spread by biting midges to be negligible in the south-east, East Anglia, the south-west and the north-east. There remains a risk from midges already carrying the virus and from infected germinal products. Defra rates the overall risk of incursion from all routes as medium, while airborne incursion is now negligible.

The whole of England remains inside a bluetongue restricted zone. Livestock can move within England without a bluetongue licence or pre-movement testing. Freezing germinal products such as semen, ova or embryos requires a specific licence and testing; keepers meet sampling, postage and laboratory costs under Defra’s declaration.

Wales moved to a country-wide restricted zone at 00:01 on 10 November. That change ended the temporary control zone and premises-level restrictions, and restored free movement of livestock between England and Wales without bluetongue vaccination or mitigation measures. Testing of donor animals for germinal products continues as a quality assurance step set out by the Welsh Government.

Guidance is available for movements within the restricted zone and for general licences covering moves to Scotland or Wales, alongside rules for moving, freezing and storing germinal products. DAERA has permitted certain animal movements from Northern Ireland to Great Britain under licence. Farmers planning winter market entries or breeding work should check conditions before loading.

Defra has published advice on BTV-3 vaccination, plus practical steps to slow spread on farm. APHA and Defra are running webinars and provide leaflets and posters for farm offices and auction marts. Suspect signs must be reported to APHA without delay.

This season’s first BTV-3 case was confirmed on 11 July 2025. Prior to this season, Defra recorded 163 cases between 26 August 2024 and 31 May 2025, including one BTV-12 case on 7 February 2025. Between November 2023 and March 2024 there were 126 BTV-3 cases across 73 premises in England - 119 cattle and seven sheep - the first UK bluetongue incursions for more than 15 years. The last confirmed outbreak before that was BTV-8 in 2007–2008.

Northern Ireland has one confirmed BTV-3 case, as DAERA has set out. Scotland remains free of cases. For now, holdings in Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Derbyshire and across North and Mid Wales are asked to keep an eye on fever, milk drop, abortions, lameness, lethargy, swollen muzzles and, in calves, neurological changes, and to discuss semen handling and testing with vets.