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Three cases of Schmallenberg have been confirmed by the Omagh Veterinary Lab, Co Tyrone, following an examination on newborn lambs brought into the facility.
A spokesperson for Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) said: “There have been three confirmed cases in the last two weeks and we’re getting a lot more cases in the last few weeks where we suspect Schmallenberg.”
The virus can include signs of congenital abnormalities in aborted animals, or in animals born alive or dead.
The latest outbreak in Omagh is the first of it’s kind in western counties of Northern Ireland, and will be of particular concern as spring calving is about to commence.
“We’ve had cases reported in the lab in Stormont, but never from western counties like Fermanagh or west Tyrone.
“It’s certainly an issue of concern for farmers that it seems to have spread and I’d imagine it’s got to do with the level of infection in the midges in the area,” the spokesperson concluded.
Schmallenberg in ROI
Regional veterinary labs (RVLs) in the Republic of Ireland are reporting an increase in the number of suspected Schmallenberg virus (SBV) cases in the last month.
The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that a number of submissions have been made to labs with deformities suggestive of the virus.
Labs in Sligo, Cavan and Leitrim are awaiting test results to confirm that the deformities were caused by SBV.
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