[HappyHippy]

Posting for info folks - here's the link to the article in Farmers Guardian
http://www.farmersguardian.com/breaking-schmallenberg-virus-detected-in-eastern-england/44343.article#.Tx1BPs_nElU.twitter
Karen

[kanisha]

thank you for posting the link i'm just begining to wonder if my odd problem with a ewe earlier in the year may have  been connected to this hope not just got a feeling something is very wrong with her pregnancy

[feldar]

NSA have posted a warning too

[jaykay]

Oh bloody hell, more trouble!
So what can we do about this one?

[Hazelwood Flock]

It's not currently notifiable, so could be more widespread and confused with other conditions?

[feldar]

As if sheep haven't got enough to cope with! just being a sheep and staying alive is a challenge for them

[jaykay]

Isn't it just   

[zwartbles]

A vet friend of mine alerted me to this  problem -- nothing we can do though just hope and cross fingers.


http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla/2012/01/12/schmallenberg-virus/

[Laurieston]

We live in Germany, so this is a real issue for us.  The sheep on our fields have given birth to deformed lambs, just like the Schmallenberg descriptions.  Luckily for me they just live here.  However, our sheep live here too so I have to assume that they may have also been bitten by the same mosquitoes.  We had planned to have more lambs next year 2013, but are now less sure.  Does anyone know...

1. The virus damages the umborn lambs, but does it only do it if the ewe gets it while she is pregnant, or would it do the same if she gets pregnant next year too?

2. Are the lambs now 'carriers' and therefore not suitable to be bred from in the future?

Any knowledge would help with our planning.

Thanks,

Laurieston

[kanisha]

all good questions although from what I udnerstand there is nothing that anyone has to go on this is a novel ( new)  virus strain and as such its development and likely outcome for affected sheep ( and owners) is as yet unknown.

It has now been confrmed in france too.

I know that with  the BTV which we had here even vacciantion has not prevented there being continued problems in affected flocks and I would have concerns that it may be that there are longer term effects such as reduced fertility if nothing else.

[kanisha]

I Looked up a link for viruses related to the new outbreak. it makes grim reading for any ewes affected during this outbreak who are not able to develop an immunity either shortly before conception or during pregnancy however longer term its looks to be self limiting by acquired immunity and only sporadically breaking out when immunity wanes. I hope no one is affected by this but I fear it will get worse looking at the damage it is already produings within the rest of the EU

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/akabane.pdf

Lauriston I really hope your lambing goes OK

[kanisha]

[feldar]

lets hope this virus doesn't morph too much or we could have trouble for many years to come

[kanisha]

it was only announced in France for the first time around the 20th of Jan and that map is still out of date published the 14th there have been more cases and more departments affected since! scary!!

comming soon to a farm near you

[BadgerFace]

comming soon to a farm near you

It's already here. Interviewed in this video is a friend of mine, on a local farm less than 15 miles away. I am dreading lambing this year, we start in six weeks.

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/02/02/2012/131253/First-video-of-suspected-Schmallenberg-cases-in-UK.htm