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Publication - Advice and guidance

Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease

Last updated
2 September 2026 - see all updates
Directorate
Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate
Topic
Farming and rural

Advice on what to do if you suspect there is an outbreak of this infectious disease.

Part of

View supporting documents Supporting documents

How to control the disease

You can help prevent bluetongue disease in your livestock by: 

  • vaccinating your animals with an appropriate authorised vaccine 
  • sourcing livestock responsibly 
  • practising good biosecurity on your premises 
  • staying alert to potential signs of the disease 

Importing animals 

Consult your vet before importing livestock. Animals from England may have been exposed to bluetongue virus, so check the disease status of animals before using them for breeding.  

Response to confirmed bluetongue cases 

If bluetongue is confirmed and actively spreading, Scottish Ministers will place movement restrictions in designated zones around the infected premises. You can find information about outbreak response measures in the contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases and the  GB bluetongue Virus Disease Control Strategy. 

Biosecurity measures 

Effective biosecurity is about understanding how diseases can spread and taking practical measures to reduce this risk. The advice explains actions you can take on your farm or premises to help prevent bluetongue from reaching your animals and to stop it spreading if it does occur. Find out more about how to practice effective biosecurity on your premises. 

Vaccination against bluetongue 

Vaccination is the best way to protect animals from all types of bluetongue virus. 

BTV-3 vaccination

Vaccines for bluetongue virus type 3 (BTV-3) have been authorised for emergency use in Scotland. 

If you use a BTV-3 vaccine on your premises, you must keep records: 

  • for cattle, sheep and goats: record and log on ScotEID 
  • for other animals like deer: use the online service to report BTV vaccine use 

You can also read the guidance for vets prescribing BTV-3 vaccine in Scotland (PDF) 

Vaccination timeline and requirements 

If you want to vaccinate animals outside a restricted zone for bluetongue, you must follow the declaration rules. 

All BTV vaccines (types 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8) can take up to six weeks to fully protect your animals. Animals need time to build immunity after vaccination and might need two injections three weeks apart. 

Vets can ask the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for a Special Import Certificate (SIC). This lets keepers import safe bluetongue vaccines directly from the EU to vaccinate their stock. 

Contact

If you suspect signs of any notifiable diseases, you must immediately notify your Scotland: field service local office at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Failure to do so is an offence.

First published
29 October 2018
Last updated
2 September 2026 - show all updates

  1. Time changed regarding pre-movement tests from 00:01 on September 9 to 23:59.

  2. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

  3. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

  4. Updated latest situations and movement controls pages due to changes from 10 September.

  5. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

  6. Addition of abattoir 1160 and EXD677 in placed in both moves to live and slaughter section

  7. Updated made to movement restrictions section.

  8. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

  9. Minor update to 'how to complete an EXD645 pro forma' section on movement restrictions page.

  10. Updated movement controls to include controls in place from 10 September.

  11. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

  12. Updated total cases and changes made to movement restrictions for animals.

  13. Updates made to movement conditions within a temporary control zone, total number of cases and movement controls.

  14. Update made to movement conditions within a temporary control zone.

  15. Updated made to movement restrictions section.

  16. Latest situation updated with current cases and TCZ information.

  17. Several updates made to include latest situation section, update on movement restrictions and controls in place.

  18. Current situation updated.

  19. Current situation updated.

  20. Current situation and overview updated.

  21. Current situation updated following single positive case detected in Scotland.

  22. Update to the Bluetongue movement restrictions for animals and germinal products (licensing) page.

  23. Updates to overview and movement restrictions pages.

  24. Updated movement restriction and importing from affected countries pages.

  25. Revised layout of the movement controls page to make it clearer to follow.

  26. Licensing section updated on Bluetongue movement restrictions for animals and germinal products (licensing) page.

  27. Updated movement restrictions page and archived movement restrictions from 1 June page.

  28. Updates to movement restrictions page from 1 June 2026 to include license information and links.

  29. Changes made to movement restrictions page from 1 June 2026 to include information about adjustments for new licensing process under general license.

  30. Created new page for movement restrictions from 1 June 2026.

  31. Updates to overview and movement restrictions sections to include movement restrictions from 1 June 2026 to 9 September 2026.

  32. Minor text updates to overview and movement restrictions sections.

  33. Minor text updates to overview and movement restrictions sections.

  34. Update to overview and movement restrictions section to reflect current situation.

  35. Licence details and links updated on overview and movement restrictions pages.

  36. Minor text update made to bluetongue movement restrictions section.

  37. Updates to overview and bluetongue movement restrictions sections.

  38. Updates to overview page.

  39. Bluetongue movement restrictions section updated.

  40. Guide updated to reflect rule changes.

  41. Update to germinal products on Bluetongue movement restrictions page.

  42. Text on specified sales in the restricted zone added to Bluetongue movement restrictions for animals (licensing).

  43. Updates to movement restrictions page.

  44. Added non-compliance info.

  45. Update to germinal products on Bluetongue movement restrictions page.

  46. Added further details on germinal products and Restricted Zones.

  47. Added further details to the movement restrictions page.

  48. Updates to movement restrictions page.

  49. Additional regions added to designated slaughterhouses.

  50. Added links to licensing forms on gov.uk.

  51. Various updates to licensing page, now Bluetongue movement restrictions for animals page.

  52. Updates made to licensing page.

  53. Updates made to the licensing section.

  54. Updates made to licensing page.

  55. Updated information relating to current situation and licensing.

  56. Added advisory note for veterinarians prescribing BTV-3 inactivated vaccine.

  57. Updates made to licensing page.

  58. Current situation updated.

  59. Current situation updated.

  60. Updated to explain that BTV serotype 3 vaccines have been permitted for emergency use in Scotland.

  61. Updated section in how to control disease.

  62. Added link to clinical signs page.

  63. Updates made to licensing page.

  64. Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease

  65. Added link to Bluetongue webinar.

  66. Update to licensing section.

  67. Licensing page updated to include designated slaughterhouses section and minor text amend.

  68. Text updated to reflect latest situation and put into chaptered html pages.

  69. Clinical signs posters added as supporting documents and minor text updates.

  70. Page content updated to reflect latest situation.

  71. Leaflet removed pending update.

  72. Updated throughout with current situation.

  73. Current situation information updated.

  74. Leaflet added as supporting document.

  75. Updated with current situation.

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