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Publication - Advice and guidance

Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease

Last updated
15 October 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

Legislation

Powers for the control of bluetongue are laid out in:

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
15 October 2026 - show all updates

  1. Case numbers updated.

  2. Case numbers updated.

  3. Case numbers updated.

  4. Updated latest situation numbers and locations.

  5. Update following Restricted Zone expansion to include all of Scotland.

  6. Updated latest situation numbers and locations.

  7. Updated latest situation numbers and locations.

  8. Updated latest situation numbers and locations.

  9. Updated latest situation numbers and locations.

  10. Updated number of cases under latest situation.

  11. Updated latest situation with case numbers and various updated made to movement restrictions section.

  12. Updated number of cases and additional minor updates under latest situation.

  13. Updated number of cases and additional minor updates under latest situation.

  14. Updated number of cases under latest situation.

  15. Updated number of cases under latest situation.

  16. Updated number of cases under latest situation.

  17. Updated number of cases under latest situation.

  18. Updates to movement rules from 10 September.

  19. Additional minor updates to latest situation and current movement restrictions pages.

  20. Updates to latest situation and current movement restrictions pages.

  21. Updates to latest situation and current movement restrictions pages.

  22. Updated latest situation and current movement restrictions pages.

  23. Case numbers updated and new affected holding announced.

  24. Current case numbers updated.

  25. Reviewed and TCZ licences updated.

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

  27. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

  28. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

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

  30. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

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

  32. Updated made to movement restrictions section.

  33. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

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

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

  36. Updated total cases and list of affected holdings.

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

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

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

  40. Updated made to movement restrictions section.

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

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

  43. Current situation updated.

  44. Current situation updated.

  45. Current situation and overview updated.

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

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

  48. Updates to overview and movement restrictions pages.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  62. Updates to overview and bluetongue movement restrictions sections.

  63. Updates to overview page.

  64. Bluetongue movement restrictions section updated.

  65. Guide updated to reflect rule changes.

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

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

  68. Updates to movement restrictions page.

  69. Added non-compliance info.

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

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

  72. Added further details to the movement restrictions page.

  73. Updates to movement restrictions page.

  74. Additional regions added to designated slaughterhouses.

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

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

  77. Updates made to licensing page.

  78. Updates made to the licensing section.

  79. Updates made to licensing page.

  80. Updated information relating to current situation and licensing.

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

  82. Updates made to licensing page.

  83. Current situation updated.

  84. Current situation updated.

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

  86. Updated section in how to control disease.

  87. Added link to clinical signs page.

  88. Updates made to licensing page.

  89. Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease

  90. Added link to Bluetongue webinar.

  91. Update to licensing section.

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

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

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

  95. Page content updated to reflect latest situation.

  96. Leaflet removed pending update.

  97. Updated throughout with current situation.

  98. Current situation information updated.

  99. Leaflet added as supporting document.

  100. Updated with current situation.

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