Fatal livestock diseases on rise in Europe, farmers warned

Farmers are being reminded of the disease risks associated with importing live animals from overseas, as numerous disease continue to spread in Europe.

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has called on farmers to know the risks of importing livestock following reports of fatal livestock diseases spreading at a rapid rate.

A new strain of bluetongue virus (BTV-3) has recently emerged in the Netherlands, where it is spreading rapidly.

As of early October, the virus has been reported on more than 700 farms in the Netherlands.