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From 1 July 2025, the RZ (restricted zone) was extended to cover all of England. Keepers can move cattle, sheep, all ruminants and camelids within England without a bluetongue licence or testing.

The RZ has been extended following recognition between industry and scientists that 鈥榯he area of England where disease has been found is now too large for movement restrictions to remain an effective and proportionate way of controlling the disease鈥�.

搁别补诲:听

BTV control policy in Wales

Following a Bluetongue roundtable meeting and discussions with industry representatives at the Royal Welsh Show, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies MS has written to stakeholders to advise of changes to the current restrictions:

From Monday 18 August the trading of BTV3 vaccinated Welsh livestock will be permitted at 鈥榃ales only鈥� markets in England, within 20 kilometres of the border.

Cross-border movements of vaccinated Welsh livestock attending these specific sales will not require pre-movement testing, subject to the conditions of the general licence which will stipulate a 鈥榮ame day鈥� movement requirement.

In addition, following further discussions with NFU Cymru and industry, the CVO for Wales has confirmed that BTV3 restrictions will be relaxed in September for vaccinated animals moving from the Restricted Zone into Wales. The policy outlined below replaces the previously announced 鈥淕reen markets鈥�.

• From 21 September 2025, animals (ruminants and camelids) that have completed a primary vaccination scheme with any BTV3 vaccine and show no signs of illness can move into Wales without a pre-movement test, under the conditions of a general licence.
  • Vaccination for animals moving under authority of this licence must have been reported on gov.uk.
  • The general licence will permit any vaccinated animal to move from the RZ to Wales to live, this includes farm-to-farm, via markets, and from shows or collection centres.听
• A primary vaccination scheme of a bluetongue virus serotype 3 vaccination means:
  • For sheep 鈥� one injection of Syvazul or Bultavo, or two injections of Bluevac 3 weeks apart, and the onset of immunity period has passed.
  • For cattle 鈥� two injections of any vaccine 3 weeks apart, and the onset of immunity period has passed. 听
  • For Bluevac-3 and Bultavo-3 the onset of immunity is 3 weeks (21 days) after completion of the primary vaccination scheme for sheep and cattle.
    For Syvazul the onset of immunity is 4 weeks (28 days) after completion of the primary vaccination scheme for sheep, and 3 weeks for cattle.
• Non-vaccinated animals will still need a negative pre-movement test, and a specific licence from APHA to enable movements to live in Wales from the RZ.
• The Welsh Government website will be updated on Friday 5 September with full details on how to move animals under these new rules, and the general licence will be published ahead of these changes.

More information can be found at:

Red markets

From Monday 14 July, animals can be moved from the RZ in England to a bluetongue approved red market in Wales, for direct onward movement to a designated slaughterhouse in Wales or one within the restricted zone.

The decision follows a Bluetongue Roundtable meeting hosted by the Deputy First Minister on Tuesday 8 July.

Key points:

• Movements of animals from a premises located within the bluetongue restricted zone are subject to the conditions of the .
• The movement of animals from a Bluetongue Approved Red Market in Wales for onward movement direct to a designated slaughterhouse in Wales or a slaughterhouse within the听restricted zone of England are subject to the conditions of the .
• Animals brought to these markets would not require vaccination or pre-movement testing so long as they are taken direct to a designated slaughterhouse in Wales or a slaughterhouse in the Restricted Zone in England.

More information can be found at:

Prior to this latest announcement, and from 20 June, cattle fully vaccinated with Boehringer Ingelheim鈥檚 Bultavo-3 vaccine have been allowed to move under licence from a RZ to Wales without a pre-movement test. This still applies for cattle moving from the RZ into Wales to live.

Sheep must all be pre-movement tested and require a licence to move into Wales to live from the RZ in England. Welsh Government has stated that this is because 鈥榥o vaccine products currently meet the requirements for protecting sheep from BTV-3 to allow them to move out of the RZ.鈥櫶�

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BTV control policy in Scotland

From 21 September, Scottish government reduced certain controls for the movement of bluetongue susceptible animals out of the restricted zone into Scotland. This is due to Scotland's low temperatures preventing midges transmission.听

Animals used for breeding will still remain a risk, and so some controls are still applicable.听

Stores, fattening stock and non-pregnant females of any species:

• It is recommended that animals are fully vaccinated in accordance with the vaccine manufacturer鈥檚 instructions
• From 21 September, testing is not required to move non-breeding animals or females that are not pregnant from the restricted zone to Scotland

Pregnant animals:

Cattle

• It is recommended that animals are fully vaccinated in accordance with the vaccine manufacturer鈥檚 instructions.
• Pregnant cattle must be pre-movement tested within 7 calendar days of the movement from the restricted zone to Scotland.
• Pregnant cattle that have completed a full primary course of vaccination with Bultavo-3, in accordance with manufacturer鈥檚 instructions, where 21 days have elapsed since administration of second dose (and boosted where required), will not require a pre-movement test to move from the restricted zone to Scotland

Sheep and goats

• It is recommended that sheep are fully vaccinated in accordance with the vaccine manufacturer鈥檚 instructions. Keepers should consult their vets for advice in relation to the vaccination of goats.
• From 21 September, a pre-movement test is not required to move a pregnant sheep or goat from the restricted zone to Scotland

Deer and camelids

• Keepers should consult their vets for advice in relation to the vaccination of deer and camelids.
• All pregnant deer and camelids must be pre-movement tested within 7 calendar days of a movement from the restricted zone to Scotland.

Breeding males:

Cattle

• It is recommended that animals are fully vaccinated in accordance with the vaccine manufacturer鈥檚 instructions.
• Breeding male bovines must be pre-movement tested within 7 calendar days of a movement from the restricted zone to Scotland.
• Bovines that have completed a full primary course of vaccination with Bultavo-3 in accordance to the vaccine manufacturer鈥檚 instructions, and where 21 days have elapsed since administration of second dose (and boosted where required), will not require a pre-movement test to move from the restricted zone to Scotland.
• It is recommended that a pre-breeding test be undertaken in Scotland to establish the disease status of the animal, before that animal is involved in breeding activity.

Sheep

• It is recommended that animals are fully vaccinated in accordance with the vaccine manufacturer鈥檚 instructions.
• For movements from the restricted zone to Scotland, male breeding sheep must, prior to any involvement in breeding activity in Scotland, undertake a pre-movement test within 7 calendar days ahead of the movement, or a post-movement test following the movement, with a negative result obtained.

Goats

• Keepers should consult their vets for advice in relation to the vaccination of goats.
• For movements from the restricted zone to Scotland, male breeding goats must, prior to any involvement in breeding activity in Scotland, undertake a pre-movement test within 7 calendar days ahead of the movement, or a post-movement test following the movement, with a negative result obtained

Deer and camelids

• Keepers should consult their vets for advice on the vaccination of deer and camelid.
• Male deer and camelids must be pre-movement tested within 7 calendar days of the movement from restricted zone to Scotland.

Moving animals to slaughter

• Abattoirs will no longer need to be designated. Animals may move without the need for BTV3 vaccination or BTV3 testing.
• Get information on licensing at:听

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Key dates

	England	Wales	Scotland
From 1 July	You will be able to move animals within England without a bluetongue licence or testing. You will need to have a specific licence to freeze germinal products within the restricted zone and testing will be required. Keepers will be responsible for the cost of sampling, postage and testing.	Cattle fully vaccinated with Boehringer Ingelheim鈥檚 Bultavo-3 vaccine will be allowed to move under licence from a RZ (Restricted Zone) to Wales without a pre-movement test. The pre-movement test must be arranged and paid for privately. Once Defra moves England to become a whole country RZ, the free testing that is currently available will end.	The current pre-movement testing requirements remain the same. This means animals moving from a BTV-3 RZ to Scotland to live will require a valid pre-movement test at the keeper鈥檚 expense, or vaccination with the Boehringer Bultavo-3 vaccine for cattle. Keepers can . On or after 1 July 2025 a test will be valid for 7 calendar days after the day when the sample is taken.
From 14 July	听	Animals can be moved from the RZ in England to a Bluetongue approved red market in Wales, for direct onward movement to a designated slaughterhouse in Wales or one within the restricted zone.	听
From 18 August	听	The trading of BTV3 vaccinated Welsh livestock will be permitted at 鈥榃ales only鈥� markets in England, within 20 kilometres of the border. Cross-border movements of vaccinated Welsh livestock attending these specific sales will not require pre-movement testing, subject to the conditions of the general licence which stipulates a 鈥榮ame day鈥� movement requirement.	听
From 21 September	听	Animals that have completed a primary vaccination scheme with any BTV3 vaccine and show no signs of illness can move into Wales without a pre-movement test, under the conditions of a general licence.	Reduction in certain controls. See details in BTV control policy in Scotland.

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Vaccinating your herd

If you haven鈥檛 yet vaccinated your livestock, you should speak to your private vet to determine if BTV3 vaccination is right for your animals. 听This is particularly important if you are not currently in the RZ.听

Vaccination remains the most effective long-term approach for disease controls.听

If you keep animals in England and routinely move animals into Wales or Scotland you need to check for updates at and . on what licences you will need and whether or not you will need to organise and pay for a pre-movement test.

Read: BTV3 vaccination update and usage reminder

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General licences

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