Concerns after bluetongue case identified in Norfolk

Concerns have been raised following the first case of bluetongue virus confirmed in eastern England this year.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said an incidence of the disease, which is caused by biting midges, was recorded near King's Lynn in Norfolk on 24 August.

So far in the UK in the 2026-27 bluetongue reporting season, 825 cases have been identified in a number of sheep, cattle and alpacas, and one llama.

Norfolk farmer James Runciman has criticised the government for not providing a pre-emptive vaccination programme. The government has said it has been working pro-actively to make vaccine stocks available.

The virus does not affect people or food safety, however outbreaks can result in prolonged animal movement and trade restrictions.

An outbreak in spring 2025 cost Runciman £20,000 after his cattle became infected at his farm in Croxton, near Fakenham.

Speaking to Chris Goreham on BBC Radio Norfolk, prior to the identified case of the virus in the county, he said: "We were seeing a significant drop in fertility in cattle and then calves were born looking normal and then, over the next four, five, six days, they would just regress.

"You've got a lovely healthy calf there and then day by day it just goes backwards until it won't stand up, it won't suck and there's nothing more you can do to help. It just can't function."

Alongside vaccinating the herd, he said his cows would be bulled in the winter and the new calves delivered in May and June, so the risk period during pregnancy was away from the peak midge period.

Runciman, who is also a livestock board member for the National Farmers Union in the region, said: "I do think Defra and the government have been caught out on this one, because in 2008 we had a different bluetongue risk from a different serotype and Defra underwrote doses of vaccine and deployed them through the east and south of the country to create a firewall.

"We didn't see any lasting effects of bluetongue; we managed to stop it in its tracks with a bit of proactive thinking.

"This time, we have been caught sitting and waiting."

He said that this year he had spent £3,000 vaccinating his herd.

Ben Goldsborough, Labour MP for South Norfolk, and Terry Jermy, Labour MP for South West Norfolk, raised concerns during a House of Commons debate on bluetongue on Thursday.

Jermy said the virus was a "huge concern" and, due to low resilience, even one case risked "being the straw that breaks the camel's back".

During the debate, the Farming Minister Stephen Morgan said the government was supporting enhanced testing capacity.

While vaccination remained the most effective measure, he said the government was working proactively to ensure additional vaccine stocks were made available as quickly as possible.

"I encourage all livestock keepers to remain vigilant, to monitor and vaccinate their animals and to report any suspicions of disease immediately," he said.

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