Farmers across Cheshire, Lancashire and the wider North woke up on 30 January to confirmation from Defra that the bluetongue tally for this season has reached 282 cases across Great Britain since July 2025. Officials also note the page was updated on 30 January 2026, reflecting fresh lab confirmations. (gov.uk)

Recent confirmations underline the mixed picture. Between 27 and 29 January, five cases were logged in East Sussex, West Sussex, Greater London and Shropshire. Earlier in the month, cases were recorded in Kent as well as Northern areas including Cheshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Lancashire, with reports of milk drop and abortions on affected holdings. (gov.uk)

The season’s breakdown shows 261 cases in England, the vast majority BTV‑3, alongside 21 cases in Wales. Scotland has no confirmed cases to date, and Defra also notes four confirmed BTV‑3 cases in Northern Ireland. These totals reflect testing across cattle and, to a far lesser extent, sheep. (gov.uk)

Winter has taken the edge off midge activity. Government scientists judge the risk of onward spread by vectors to be negligible in the north‑east, south‑east, south‑west and East Anglia for now. Even so, the overall risk of new incursions from all routes remains at medium, and infection can still occur via already infected midges or through germinal products. (gov.uk)

England remains a single bluetongue restricted zone. Movements within England do not require a specific bluetongue licence or pre‑movement tests, as long as keepers meet the conditions of the general licence covering moves inside the zone. For day‑to‑day trading, that means markets, shows and slaughter movements can continue within the zone under those conditions. (gov.uk)

Wales has been under a country‑wide restricted zone since 10 November 2025. Crucially for cross‑border trade, livestock can move between England and Wales without mandatory bluetongue vaccination or mitigation measures, simplifying routine sales and grazing agreements on either side of the border. (gov.uk)

Where stock needs to leave England’s restricted zone for Scotland or to premises outside any restricted zone, dedicated general licences apply. Keepers should download the latest versions, check conditions carefully and carry the correct paperwork for any journey. (gov.uk)

There are ongoing rules for semen, embryos and ova. Freezing germinal products requires a specific licence and testing, with keepers covering sampling and lab costs; vaccinated animals remain subject to trade restrictions and should not be tested within seven days of vaccination to avoid interference with monitoring. Plan AI and embryo transfer schedules with your vet to avoid delays. (gov.uk)

Defra’s case notes this month list signs including milk drop, abortions, ulcers on the nose, swollen muzzles, lameness and congenital problems in calves. Keepers are urged to stay alert, house susceptible animals at peak midge times where possible, and speak to their vet about vaccination options now available in Great Britain. Report suspected disease to APHA immediately. (gov.uk)

For those wanting to see where positives have been confirmed, Defra maintains a live case map showing premises with PCR‑confirmed BTV‑3, BTV‑8 or BTV‑12. Looking back, this season’s first BTV‑3 case was confirmed on 11 July 2025; prior to that there were 163 cases between August 2024 and May 2025 (including a single BTV‑12), and 126 BTV‑3 cases in the 2023–24 period - the first UK incursions in over 15 years, following the 2007–08 BTV‑8 outbreak. (defra.maps.arcgis.com)