JULY 2008: Farmers in south-east Wales have begun to vaccinate their livestock against bluetongue.
Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones declared a Protection Zone in thearea with effect from midday last Friday to comply with EU law onvaccination.She said her department was working closely with Defra and vaccinesuppliers Intervet to ensure that the serum reached farmers in Wales assoon as possible.“Vaccine has been developed and is being delivered within an unusuallytight timescale and some delays are to be expected with a new vaccine,which has to be and is subject to the highest levels of qualitycontrol,” she said. Wales Chief Vet Christianne Glossop urged farmers in the zone tocontact their vets to make arrangements for vaccination to begin.The announcement that 850,000 doses of the vaccine are now available in Wales was welcomed by the farm unions.
