Bluetongue vaccine cost concerns

Bluetongue vaccination is now compulsory in cattle and sheep

Scottish farmers have raised concerns over a compulsory vaccination programme for bluetongue disease.

The scheme, which has just come into force, has been funded in part by the Scottish Government for the first year.

However, farmers have hit out over the costs involved and also claimed they could potentially lose millions of pounds in export revenue.

Farmers north of the border said the disease could still hit them because the vaccine was voluntary in England.

The vaccination scheme means Scotland has changed from being a bluetongue-free zone to a protection zone.

Wiped out

Philip Sleigh, from the National Farmers Union, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that could mean Ireland would impose a ban on livestock being imported from Scotland.

He said: "At the moment the expectation is that we will not be able to export to Ireland.

"Northern Ireland, being part of the UK, should still be open to take livestock direct to slaughter, but it's up to those abattoirs to still want to buy our product."

The virus has caused devastation to farmers on the continent with entire herds being wiped out.

The compulsory vaccination programme was agreed by industry stakeholders in September.

Vaccination is now compulsory in cattle and sheep and "strongly encouraged" in other bluetongue-susceptible species.

The initial vaccination window will last until 30 April, 2009.