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Schmallenberg in North East England
Livestock producers alert as SBV spreads

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has revealed that the Smallenberg Virus (SBV) has been discovered on farms in both North Yorkshire and Northumberland.

As a result, livestock producers are on high alert as the disease appears to be spreading across the country.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) in Scotland are also urging its farmers to be vigilant as the disease nears the English/Scottish border.

SBV is a midge-born virus, which first came to the UK from the continent last year. The disease causes serious abnormalities in newborn cattle and sheep.

Farmers were told to be vigilant at the end of summer as the warm, wet weather had provided a breeding ground for the midges. Since then, the disease has appeared in numerous English counties, as well as Wales.

Various organisations have been calling for the speedy development of a vaccination, however little is still known about SBV.

A spokesperson for the National Sheep Association (NSA) said: "NSA continues to push for a vaccine to be developed and licensed for UK use as quickly as possible, as we just do not know what is around the corner with this disease."

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

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News Shorts
New form for online veterinary medicines retailers

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has produced a new online form for retailers wishing to sell veterinary medicines on the internet.

The form replace the previous Word version and is part of the VMD's ongoing commitment to digitise its processes. Anyone retailing prescription medicines online, including POM-V, POM-VPS and NFA-VPS categories, is lawfully required to register with the VMD before trading.

The change only applies to new applicants. Retailers already listed on the VMD's Register of Online Retailers or registered under the Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS) do not need to do anything.