Sheep farms are suffering heavily from the new bluetongue virus. There is uncertainty about the nature of the virus and it will take until May next year before there is a new vaccine. “We just don’t know what to do,” says Jos de Kroes of FlevoLamb in Biddinghuizen.
FlevoLamb sheep farm in Biddinghuizen has been badly affected by bluetongue. More than fifty of the three hundred and fifty sheep have now been infected with the virus. “Nine sheep have already died from the bluetongue virus,” says De Kroes. About fifty sick sheep have been put aside in a stable and are being kept under control.
Light food and antibiotics
The sheep that have bluetongue are weakened, lethargic and exhausted. The Kroes. “They have blisters around their mouths, they walk lame, their mouths are inflamed so they have difficulty eating and they no longer drink.” They get extra food in the separate stable. “Mainly easily digestible stuff to strengthen them,” says De Kroes. “We also seek the help of the vet.” The sick animals are given homeopathic remedies, antibiotics and painkillers to ease the suffering. But whether it helps remains to be seen.
Sheep outside in the wind
All forty sheep are still alive at the sheep farm of Aeres University of Applied Sciences in Dronten. “One sheep is infected with bluetongue,” says Ankie Hofman, an Aeres student. But luckily that sheep has recovered. The animals cannot infect each other. The disease is transmitted by midges, very small mosquitoes. “We keep the sheep outside,” says Hofman. It’s windy outside and “Middoes don’t like flying into the headwind.”
For FlevoLamb, the infection of the sheep means great uncertainty for the future of the farm. Sheep farmer De Kroes: “We were just about to add the ram to the ewes and then this happened.” One of the consequences of bluetongue can also be that a ram is not fertile for six weeks. In addition, infected ewes may produce lambs that are deformed during pregnancy. The chance of miscarriage also increases.
Hoping for cold
A vaccine would be the solution, but that will probably not be available until next May. One bright spot is that the midges cannot tolerate the cold. The animal will not survive below six degrees. “A low temperature does not make a midge very happy,” says Matthijn de Boer, from the Wageningen research institute in Lelystad. “Then the spread will also stop.” De Kroes also hopes that the virus will recede with winter approaching. “Fortunately, we have the prospect that it will be a bit colder next week. So hopefully that will also kill the midge.”
2023-10-13 04:18:50
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