These are the experiences of a dairy farmer whose animals contracted Bluetongue – not in France or Belgium but right here in England in 2007.
And according to the NFU, North East farmers are potentially at greater risk from this devastating diseas
e than other parts of the country because of a low take-up of vaccine.
Statistics suggest that vaccine use could be as low as 20% and government vets are now concerned that farmers are either relying on other people's vaccination to protect them or have become a little complacent because there was no evidence of any 'home-grown' cases last year.
Risk continues from disease being blown in again or through trade in animals. Last year there were 24,000 cases in France alone and the BTV8 zone is moving northwards. Disease was found as far north as Denmark during 2008 (this is as far north as Newcastle in the UK) and has now emerged in Norway.
This is not a "southern" problem and there are no reliable biological or climatic barriers to stop it moving rapidly north if the conditions are right. Disease could circulate again in 2009.
"With vaccine uptake much higher elsewhere in England and a compulsory vaccination programme ongoing in Scotland, we have been warned the North East risks becoming 'the unprotected filling in the sandwich'," said senior food and farming adviser, Louise White.
"Another reason put forward for not vaccinating is that farmers are waiting for a multi-strain vaccine to become available. But it is highly unlikely that any such vaccine will be on the market until after this summer, when the midges that spread this disease are most active."
For those farmers who have yet to vaccinate their stock, the NFU is urging action now as immunity takes 3 weeks to develop after vaccination.
"You need to involve your vet in any discussions on how best to fit bluetongue into your routine vaccination programme and order your vaccine now," added Louise.
"With cattle, remember that if this is the first course of vaccination, two doses are needed and these should be completed before turnout. With sheep, only one dose is needed but this obviously needs to fit in with individual lambing schedules and routine vaccination."
One farmer who did vaccinate last year in difficult circumstances and who is using the greater flexibility this year to schedule it into his routine vaccination programme is Will Terry, who farms at Ravenscar near Scarborough.
"Because of the risk posed by Bluetongue, we felt we had to vaccinate as soon as vaccine was available last year," he said. "But to be honest it was a difficult time of year for us with many of our sheep in the early stages of pregnancy.
"With so many rumours going around, I did wonder if we would have problems, but despite vaccinating all 1,000 animals on the farm, we didn't see any of the side effects, for example higher temperatures and general malaise, we had been warned to expect.
"This year I am much more confident about the vaccination and of course I now have the flexibility to work with our vet and schedule it to fit in with our overall flock health plan. As a result we are looking to get lambing out of the way and then begin the process of protecting our flock, which includes 500 breeding ewes.
"If we then have the better summer we are all hoping for - that will bring with it a higher bluetongue risk - I can be sure we've taken every precaution."
Livestock owners have the tools at their disposal to protect their stock, both in terms of available vaccine for BTV-8 and in being able to ascertain the health and vaccination status of animals before they are purchased.
The message remains clear-Don't hesitate-vaccinate.
