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There has been a significant increase in the number of sheep farmers reporting cases of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in the last week.
The problem seems to have been initially identified in early lambing flocks in Fermanagh, but has now also spread into Tyrone. Large numbers of dead lambs suspected as being infected by the virus have been presented to the veterinary lab in Omagh – the outbreak is much greater than anything seen in previous years.
The first indication that SBV might be a problem this year came in late 2017 when the Department of Agriculture in the Republic of Ireland warned that the virus had travelled north. Since then, suspect cases have been found in a number of border counties.
Clinical signs include congenital abnormalities in aborted animals or in animals born alive or dead. Abnormalities include bent limbs or fixed joints, stiff necks, curved spines and a shortened lower jaw. That can make lambing difficult, and in some cases a caesarean is required.
SBV is spread by midges, and with a mild and wet autumn in 2017, this favoured increased problems with the disease.
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