Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease

Bluetongue movement restrictions for animals (licensing)

This page is about movement restrictions for ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats and deer) and camelids (llamas and alpacas).

From 1 July 2025, all of England will be a BTV-3 Restricted Zone (RZ). You'll need a licence to move animals out of the RZ. 

Moving animals to Scotland

If you want to move animals from a BTV-3 Restricted Zone to Scotland, you need a movement licence issued by APHA which confirms the animals have:

• a valid pre-movement test (at your expense), or
• vaccination with the Boehringer Bultavo-3 vaccine (for cattle only)
• have no clinical symptoms

Sheep cannot move to Scotland without a negative BTV-3 pre-movement test from the National Reference Laboratory (Pirbright), even if they're vaccinated. You can apply for a movement licence on gov.uk.

Testing requirements

Your private vet must follow Improve International guidance on collecting and sending samples. Testing is at the expense of the keeper.

Test validity periods:

• before 1 July 2025: tests valid for 10 calendar days after sample collection
• from 1 July 2025: tests valid for 7 calendar days after sample collection

Important information about testing at the Pirbright Institute:

• doesn't test samples during weekends or bank holidays
• limited daily capacity
• needs at least 3 working days to process tests
• samples are tested in order of arrival with no priority service
• make sure all forms are filled in carefully and samples are taken correctly and clearly labelled to avoid delays or potential fees to correct reports
• test results will be sent to APHA, who will complete the licence
• do not phone Pirbright for results, as they will not be able to give them to you
• clearly indicate on the sample form whether you need PCR only, or PCR and ELISA testing

You should complete your licence application in good time and time your testing so that samples are valid on the planned move date.

Vaccination

Vaccination is the best way to protect animals from BTV-3 and is a key part of our disease control strategy along with movement controls. Talk to your private vet about whether vaccination is right for your herd or flock.

Vaccinated cattle that have completed treatment with Boehringer 'Bultavo-3' vaccine and have no clinical symptoms can move from a Restricted Zone to Scotland without a pre-movement test.  Completed treatment means both doses of the vaccine were administered and 21 days elapsed since the second dose.

No vaccine products currently enable the movement of sheep out of the restricted zone, and all sheep must be pre-movement tested to move.

You must apply for a movement licence regardless of whether you're using pre-movement testing or vaccination.

Vaccinated animals may test positive for BTV and will be treated as infected and cannot move to Scotland, unless further investigation determines they are not at risk of spreading BTV.

How to apply for a licence

You can apply for a specific licence to move animals in, out or within a bluetongue disease control zone.

Moving animals to slaughter

You don't need a pre-movement test, but:

• animals must go directly to a designated slaughterhouse after leaving the BTV-3 restricted zone
• animals must be slaughtered within 24 hours of arrival at the slaughterhouse
• you must use appropriate insecticides
• movements must take place after dawn and finish before dusk

Use the general licence for these movements. You don't need to apply to APHA for this type of move.

You must meet the conditions of the EXD603 general licence to move animals kept within a restricted zone to a dedicated slaughter market in England or direct to a slaughterhouse in Scotland for the purpose of immediate slaughter.

Designated slaughterhouses

These slaughterhouses can process animals from a BTV-3 Restricted Zone:

• GB1560 ABP Bridge of Allan
• GB1106 Kepak McIntosh Donald
• GB1160 Millers of Speyside

Moving animals to live in Scotland

You must meet the conditions of the specific EXD597(SW) licence which can be applied for on the portal via gov.uk.

You must complete an EXD645(SW) form and upload it to the licensing portal to submit your application.

Your private vet must follow Improve International guidance on collecting and sending samples for movement testing. Pre-movement or post-movement testing means testing at Pirbright - the national reference laboratory (or an official designated lab) - with negative PCR results (and or ELISA testing where required).

Requirements:

• before 1 July 2025: pre-movement test with samples taken within 10 calendar days of the move
• from 1 July 2025: pre-movement test with samples taken within 7 calendar days of the move
• cattle vaccinated with Boehringer 'Bultavo-3' vaccine can move without pre-movement testing if 21 days have passed since the second dose was administered

Moving to shows or markets

From Scotland to shows/markets in the Restricted Zone and back

When moving from Scotland to and from a show/market in the Restricted Zone:

• no pre-movement test or licence is needed to enter the show/market
• you need a general licence to return to Scotland
• you must notify APHA who will restrict the animals upon return
• a post-movement test at your expense, 6 to10 days after arrival back to Scotland is required
• animals must be isolated until negative post-movement test results are received
• testing may take time due to high demand
• animals with positive results may be culled
• cattle vaccinated with Boehringer 'Bultavo-3' vaccine (with 21 days since completing the full course before entering the RZ) don't need pre or post-movement testing
• animals spending more than 4 days in the Restricted Zone need pre-movement testing before returning to Scotland, unless they were protected by the above vaccine
• animals must meet conditions of the EXD608(SW) general licence to leave the market
• the market operator must endorse this licence

• animals leaving the market to a free area must have an endorsed EXD608(SW)

From Restricted Zone to shows/markets in Scotland

When moving from the Restricted Zone to a show/market in Scotland:

• pre-movement testing is required (see earlier requirements)
• you must apply for a EXD597(SW) movement licence on the portal via gov.uk
• cattle may move without pre-movement testing if properly vaccinated with Boehringer 'Bultavo-3'

Travelling through the Restricted Zone

No testing is needed if moving directly from a Free Area to Scotland through the Restricted Zone without stops.

Scheduled stops are permitted at:

• motorway service stations
• official lay-bys on trunk/main roads
• lorry parks or similar places

In Scotland, these stops must follow conditions in the Disease Control Order General Licence for moving cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.