Comments on: The Bluetongue Virus http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-bluetongue-virus Food - Photography & More Mon, 21 May 2012 19:54:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-bluetongue-virus#comment-7581 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:53:01 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-bluetongue-virus#comment-7581 Laura, You're quite right and you make some very interesting observations. What concerns me is that given our (England's) history with BSE, Foot and Mouth etc that both the government and the farming industry as a whole would be united in wanting to stamp this out before it spirals out of control. Who would want to see those huge bonfires of burning cattle carcasses again? Not me. Thanks Laura, a very worthwhile comment. Miles Laura,
You’re quite right and you make some very interesting observations. What concerns me is that given our (England’s) history with BSE, Foot and Mouth etc that both the government and the farming industry as a whole would be united in wanting to stamp this out before it spirals out of control. Who would want to see those huge bonfires of burning cattle carcasses again? Not me.

Thanks Laura, a very worthwhile comment.

Miles

]]> by: Laura Kelley http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-bluetongue-virus#comment-7578 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:59:49 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-bluetongue-virus#comment-7578 Worse than that Miles, is that it seems the virus is adapting nicely to colder climes by finding a new Northern host and being able to overwinter in fetal animals. I'm not a veterinarian, but I wonder if there's more farmers can't do (in addition to getting the latest BTv8 vaccine) while waiting for the new generation of broader-based vaccines to be approved - like better insect control and possibly raising the acid content of feed (citric acid) to make their animals less homey to the virus. Since it just hit the UK in 2007, the problem is still potentially containable. Worse than that Miles, is that it seems the virus is adapting nicely to colder climes by finding a new Northern host and being able to overwinter in fetal animals.

I’m not a veterinarian, but I wonder if there’s more farmers can’t do (in addition to getting the latest BTv8 vaccine) while waiting for the new generation of broader-based vaccines to be approved - like better insect control and possibly raising the acid content of feed (citric acid) to make their animals less homey to the virus.

Since it just hit the UK in 2007, the problem is still potentially containable.

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