Animal diseases

This is a notifiable disease and you must stay vigilant. Contact your vet if you have any concerns over the health and welfare of your animals.

This disease affects:

• ruminants, such as cattle, sheep, goats and deer;
• and camelids, such as alpacas and llamas.

It is caused by a virus that is spread by biting midges. It does not affect people or food safety. Meat and milk are safe to eat and drink.

The first case of a new bluetongue virus serotype (BTV-3) was confirmed in England on the 10th November 2023.

The total number of BTV-3 cases in Great Britain for the 2025 to 2026 vector season (since July 2025) is 70. All cases have been in England.

Risk level

Temperatures have continued to reduce in recent weeks and experts consider the risk of onward spread by vectors to be:

• High in the south-east and East Anglia. (Event occurs very often.)
• Medium in the south-west and north-east to be medium. (Event occurs often.)
• Low in eastern counties in Scotland. (Event is rare, but does occur.)

The risk of incursion of this virus from all routes remains at medium (occurs often). This includes serotypes that are not currently in England.

Clinical signs to look out for

BTV can cause fever, crusting and ulcers around muzzle area, swollen head, salivating and lameness.

In the most severe cases, it can cause abortions, malformations and death in animals. Clinical signs are not always present despite infection.

Controlling the spread

• Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccination.
• Keepers of ruminants and camelids can help minimise the potential spread by checking the health of their animals. Any suspicious clinical signs must be reported.
• All livestock must be registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). To do this online, visit: Contact APHA (GOV.UK).
• You must register all land and buildings used to keep livestock, which includes short term lets. This is so the location of susceptible animals can be traced to help prevent and control disease.
• Animals on a bluetongue restricted premises and animals in certain disease control zones can only move with an appropriate licence.
• APHA carries out surveillance to check for disease. This may include blood sampling on holdings with susceptible animals in high-risk areas and in disease control zones.

Useful links

• To keep up to date, visit: Bluetongue: latest situation(GOV.UK).
• To find out about (BTV-3) vaccination, visit: Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccination (GOV.UK).
• To view a map, visit: Interactive Bluetongue Virus Map (APHA).

Also known as Bird Flu or Avian Flu, this is a viral disease that affects birds.

• All birds can get it and the virus can rapidly cause significant mortality in flocks.
• Some species of bird show more severe clinical signs than others.

The current risk to human health remains low.

Birds in this context relate to:

• Poultry;
• and other captive birds means a bird kept in captivity that is not poultry. (Includes pet birds and a bird kept for shows, races, exhibitions, competitions, breeding or for sale.)

As a poultry keeper, you must make sure you are aware of the latest measures. For the latest updates, please visit: Bird flu (avian influenza): latest situation in England.

It is a legal requirement that everyone who keeps birds registers with the Animal and Plant Health Agency. To find out more, visit: New mandatory bird registration: what do keepers need to know (GOV.UK).

Latest Update

There has been an increase in the number of cases of avian flu in kept and wild birds. Due to this:

A Mandatory Housing Order will come in to force for England on Thursday 6th November 2025 at from 00.01am

These measures mean bird keepers must house all poultry and captive birds, if they keep:

• More than 50 (except in specific cases, such as some zoo birds).
• Less than 50 poultry, but sell or give eggs away.

Please note: This does not apply if you have less than 50 birds and keep the eggs for yourself.

A UK wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) is also in place. This requires all keepers to undertake enhanced biosecurity measures to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of the disease, if:

• they have pet birds;
• commercial flocks;
• or just a few birds in a backyard flock.

These enhanced biosecurity measures include:

• reporting of changes in egg production;
• mandatory record keeping;
• disinfecting footwear;
• cleansing/disinfecting housing and concrete walkways on a continuous basis.

The housing order and Avian Influenza Prevention Zone will be in place until further notice.

If you suspect a case of Avian Flu, please report it via the Defra Rural Services Helpline: 03000 200 301.

This advice from Defra, applies at all times where members of the public may come across dead birds.

Members of the public are asked to report incidents where they find:

• Five or more dead birds;
• in the same place;
• and at the same time.

Please contact the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) helpline: 03000 200 301. (This is due to the UK's programme for surveillance for avian influenza in wild birds.)

If you find less than five dead birds, including garden birds, you do not need to call Defra. You should leave the bodies alone or follow the guidelines for disposal given by Defra.

For advice for keepers of birds/animals and for members of the public, visit: Biosecurity (GOV.UK).

TB is a serious disease of warm-blooded mammals arising from infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex. It is part of a group of closely related bacteria that includes those that cause TB in animals and humans.

BTB is one of the most complex animal health problems currently facing the farming industry in Britain. It is a notifiable disease. If you suspect the disease is present, report it to your local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) office.

• For more about bTB, which includes Parish testing, visit: Bovine TB (GOV.UK).
• For answers about routine TB testing intervals, visit: Animal Health (GOV.UK).

Foot and Mouth Disease is an infectious disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, in particular cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and deer.

If you keep animals and suspect signs of notifiable disease, you must tell your local APHA Office straight away.