Livestock sectors face rising threats from bluetongue and Shamonda viruses

Livestock farmers in Northern Ireland are on high alert as bluetongue virus (BTV-3) cases rise across Great Britain. Official figures show 593 cases in the UK during the 2026–27 season, with the disease recorded in England, Wales, and Scotland. While Northern Ireland currently has no cases, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) warned that the spread poses a significant threat to the local livestock sector, potentially leading to tighter movement controls and financial losses.

Simultaneously, a new midge-borne virus, Shamonda, has been detected in cattle across Europe, including Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. The virus, an orthobunyavirus previously found in Africa and Japan, causes symptoms such as fever, reduced milk yield, and diarrhea. It can also lead to abortions in pregnant females and musculoskeletal or central nervous system malformations in offspring. The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is monitoring the situation to assess the potential impact on the UK livestock industry.