FARMERS across the region are on alert after a virus which can cause stillbirths or birth defects in livestock has been found in two Scottish flocks of Lambs close to the border with England.

Cases of the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) have been diagnosed in the past two weeks by SAC Consulting Veterinary Services.

Diagnosis of the virus follows increasing numbers of affected lambs identified in England and Wales throughout the winter. SBV is spread by midges and is known to cause brain and limb deformities in lambs and calves.

George Caldow, Head of SAC Consulting Veterinary Services said: “It can be difficult to predict how widespread any infection will turn out to have been or to be but there are some important points that give us an indication of the likely impact that SBV infection will have this spring on Scottish livestock.

"In winter 2016-2017 SRUC vets have not diagnosed SBV in either early lambing flocks in Scotland or in all year round calving dairy herds in Scotland.

"It is therefore inferred that at the time of maximum midge activity in 2016 there was unlikely to have been SBV present in the midges in Scotland otherwise we would have seen cases in these two categories of animals.

“The midge population progressively declines as we move in to winter and midge numbers will have been low during the time of maximum vulnerability of the main Scottish spring lambing flock, which is likely to have been December and January.

"Therefore it may be that only small number of ewes will have been infected with few affected lambs being born and these are more likely to be in flocks in the southernmost part of the country.

"The limited information we have to date suggests that the midge population in some parts of southern Scotland became infected in late autumn probably due to the gradual spread north of infected midges.”

George added there may only be a 'very limited spread' of midges occurring in Scotland, as seen in a previous epidemic. 

SAC Consulting expect the higher risk would be to cattle mated in the summer of 2017 and at the edge of the northward progression of infected midges.

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