Livestock breeding: Tarn-et-Garonne affected by a new variant of bluetongue, the whole of Occitanie placed in a regulated zone

He was feared, he is now in our regions. A new serotype of bluetongue (BFT) appeared in Tarn-et-Garonne this week. After serotype 8, which has already caused great damage to the herds of this department, this time it is serotype 3 which was detected during a health check on a farm in the north-west of the territory.

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It was the Ministry of Agriculture itself which communicated to this effect, on October 31, 2024. This is the southernmost case ever recorded by the authorities since the start of the epidemic. Because even if the department was in a regulated zone since the discovery of a case in Corrèze, no breeder here had until then sounded the alarm.

Only one herd affected

“FCO serotype 3 is present in a single herd of calves dedicated to export,” indicates Jean-Philippe Viguié, president of the Association for the Fight against Animal Diseases (Alma) and himself a breeder in Caylus. The case has just been confirmed by Anses after analysis at the departmental laboratory”, continues the man who is also involved with the FDSEA.

While there is never a good time to discover a new disease, this is a big blow to juvenile cattle producers. “This is in fact the period when we export animals to Italy for example. However, if we want to be able to do this, we need to vaccinate them against FCO-3, FCO-8 and hemorrhagic disease epizootic (MHE) Which represents a huge cost since the vaccines, which we could have free, are for some not reimbursed or out of stock”, worries the breeder based in Caylus.

“The situation is becoming very difficult”

The man has done his math. “I myself was personally affected by FCO-8. If I have to vaccinate against all diseases, this represents a necessary cash flow of 6,000 to 7,000 euros. The situation becomes very difficult,” specifies Jean-Philippe Viguié .

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This new serotype is also particularly vigorous, both in sheep and cattle. “In cows, this leads to abortions and large losses of milk. We can have up to 30% animal losses in these species,” says Mr. Viguié. Especially since, as the agricultural manager indicates, the compensation funds ran until the end of August. “But now we don’t know how it’s going to happen…”

Almost the entire region in a regulated zone

Tarn-et-Garonne, already almost entirely in the regulated zone before this discovery, switches completely there. There was only one point in the far south that was not included. It also has the consequence of including almost all the departments of Occitanie, except the Pyrénées-Orientales, in this famous vigilance zone. As soon as the contamination of a herd with FCO-8 was verified, the agricultural unions expressed their concern.

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“These successive waves will end up being fatal for our farms, react the FDSEA and the Young Farmers in a press release. Our department has been excluded from taking charge of the blockages linked to MHE in 2023, the compensation programs for mortalities linked to diseases are still not open this year and the department is excluded from free vaccination for cattle herds, despite its integration for several weeks in the FCO 3 regulated zone, note the two unions. Real lasting measures must be put in place. in place in the face of the multiplication of health crises. A vaccination tax credit would allow breeders to protect their livestock and would be a real public health and prevention measure,” they conclude. Remember that FCO is not transmissible to humans, regardless of the serotype.