Animal Plant Health Agency
There are currently no temporary control zones in force. However, some premises in England remain under bluetongue restriction.
These include:
Holdings where some or all susceptible animals have not yet been sampled and tested by APHA
You should apply for a specific licence if you need to move your animals on to and off the premises before all susceptible animals have been tested or an inventory of all animals on the premises has been taken by APHA.
Holdings with links to premises where positive cases have been confirmed also known as traced premises
An epidemiological investigation will be undertaken and restrictionsappropriate to these specific circumstances will beput in place.If you need to move your animals onto and off these premises, whilst these restrictions are in place, you can apply for a specific licence.
You can also apply for a specific movement licence if theres an urgent and genuine welfare need to move animals, including short moves out of the TCZ.
If a welfare licence is approved, the animals will be placed under restriction. You may be asked by theAPHAlicensing team to organise a visit by your private vet, at your cost, to take samples from the animals after they have moved. The samples will currently be tested free of charge.
Premises that have completed official bluetongue virus testing, and one or more polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or serology positive entire males or pregnant females are still present
Keepers will be issued with a multiple use licence (EXD590). Under this licence any animal may be moved on or off the premisesexcept the animals detailed in the prohibited list of the EXD 590 licence.
This prohibited list will include the following animals found PCR or serology positive through previous official bluetongue virus surveillance testing:
- entire male animals
- female animals of breeding ageand any (not yet tested) offspring born to them. Age categories this applies to are as follows:
- cattle and deer over 12 months
- camelids over 10 months
- sheep, goats and other small ruminants over 6 months
Keepersmay provide a veterinary attestation confirming the femaleanimalswhichare of breeding age are not pregnant, asking APHA to remove them from the list ofprohibitedanimals.
How to apply for a specific licence
Complete the form and email it tooutbreak.licensing@apha.gov.uk.
You should apply as soon as possible for any activity that may require a licence. APHA will aim to turn-round applications as quickly as possible to meet demands.
Please allow at least 5 days for your licence application to be processed where possible. Complex and high-risk movements will need extra time to process.
You must make contingency plans to allow for the time it takes to issue the licence. Consider what steps you will need to take if the licence is refused or cannot be issued in time.
If a licence is issued, it will normally allow for a one-off movement. It will be subject to certain conditions based on disease control risk.
Designated slaughterhouses
List of abattoirs that can slaughter animals from a bluetongue virus restricted premises under licence.
- 5106 Dunbia Cardington (MK44 3SB)
- 5116 Dovecote Park (Skellingthorpe) (LN6 5TX)
- 5207 HG Blake (Costessey) Ltd (NR10 4DU)
- 5280 Fowler Bros (Latchingdon) Ltd (CM0 8NA)
- 5319 Romford Halal Meats Ltd (RM4 1TH)
- 5513 Woodhead Bros, Spalding (PE11 3YY)
- 6238 ABP Guildford (GU1 1RP)
- 6326 J R Farm Meats (CT3 3HN)
- 7176 St Merryn Foods, Merthyr (CF48 2TA)
- 8073 St Merryn Foods (Bodmin) (Pl31 2QB)
- 8285 ABP Langport (TA10 9HG)
Always check with your usual outlet as other abattoirs may also be designated or in the process of applying for designation.
Get help
Contact the APHA customer advice team if you have a general query about bluetongue.
Telephone: 03000 200 301