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Bluetongue England 2026: What Farmers Need to Know

Bluetongue (BTV-3) is still being confirmed in cattle and sheep in England, and the whole of England is a restricted zone. This explainer sets out what GOV.UK and Defra say as of 26 October 2026 about moving stock, vaccination and records, with a checklist for this week.

Blog 26 October 2026 9 min read

Quick answer

As of 26 October 2026, the whole of England is a bluetongue restricted zone, and GOV.UK is still reporting new BTV-3 cases in cattle and sheep. You can move animals within England without a specific licence or pre-movement test, but suspected bluetongue is notifiable and must be reported. The one thing to do this week: ring your vet about vaccination, and record every dose in your Red Tractor medicine book.

What is the bluetongue situation in England on 26 October 2026?

Bluetongue is a notifiable viral disease of ruminants spread mainly by biting midges, and the strain circulating in Britain this season is serotype 3, known as BTV-3. The GOV.UK situation page, last updated 26 October 2026, says the whole of England is a bluetongue restricted zone. It reports 4 new cases confirmed in England between 23 and 25 October 2026, two in sheep and two in cattle, and 2,898 cases in England in the 2026 to 2027 season so far. These figures change with every update.

The same page says the midges that spread the virus became active again on 31 March 2026 and that onward transmission is now occurring. It rates the incursion risk as medium from all routes and low from airborne routes, and says private vets can report suspect cases using an online form.

Key dates

31 March 2026: midges that spread bluetongue became active again, according to the GOV.UK situation page.
11 September 2026: in England, a private vet can confirm BTV-3 from clinical signs without a government laboratory test, according to the NFU.
15 September 2026: the GOV.UK BTV-3 vaccination page was last updated.
16 September 2026: the Defra farming blog set out the funded vet visit and urged farmers to order vaccine.
3 October 2026: an all-Scotland restricted zone was introduced.
26 October 2026: GOV.UK situation page last updated.

What is bluetongue and which animals does it affect?

Bluetongue is a notifiable disease caused by bluetongue virus, and GOV.UK says it affects sheep, cattle, other ruminants such as deer and goats, and camelids such as llamas and alpacas. GOV.UK states that "It does not affect people or food safety", but outbreaks can bring long-lasting movement and trade restrictions.

In sheep, GOV.UK lists sores on the mouth and nose, discharge from the eyes and nose, drooling, swollen lips, tongue, head and neck, reddened skin, fever, lameness, breathing difficulty and pregnancy loss. In cattle it lists lethargy, crusty sores around the nostrils and muzzle, a red mouth, eyes and nose, reddened skin above the hoof, sores on the teats, fever, reduced milk and loss of appetite.

Adult cattle may be infectious for several weeks with few or no visible signs, so a healthy-looking animal does not prove it is clear. This list is GOV.UK's, not a diagnosis. Only a vet can tell bluetongue from other conditions, so talk to yours.

What are the movement rules in England, Wales and Scotland?

Within England, GOV.UK says you do not need a specific bluetongue licence or a pre-movement test, because the whole country is one restricted zone. You only need to meet the conditions of general licence EXD612(E). That covers moves to markets, shows and slaughterhouses inside the zone, but not movement out of it. A specific licence is still needed to move animals on or off premises under a restriction notice, or for urgent welfare reasons.

Moves between nations follow different rules. The Welsh Government says the whole of Wales has been a restricted zone since 10 November 2025 and that movements between the English and Welsh zones are covered by general licence EXD671(EW) if its conditions are met. GOV.UK's guide to moving animals out of bluetongue zones says an all-Scotland restricted zone was introduced on 3 October 2026 and points keepers to Scottish guidance on licences and pre-movement tests. Read the Scottish pages before any move north.

Bluetongue rules sit on top of your normal movement duties. Cattle movements must still reach the database within 3 days, as our cattle 3-day rule guide explains. Sheep arrivals also need reporting within 3 days, as sheep movement reporting shows. In England you also log each move in your holding register within 36 hours.

Is there a bluetongue vaccine, and what support is there?

Three BTV-3 vaccines are authorised in the UK, according to the GOV.UK vaccination page: Bluevac-3, BULTAVO 3 and Syvazul BTV 3. A vet must prescribe them, and keepers can give them to their own animals using safe practice under the code of practice on responsible use of animal medicines. The page, last updated 15 September 2026, does not say who pays or how to order beyond the prescription, so ask your vet.

The Defra blog of 16 September 2026 says vaccination is the best protection, that it is not too late this season, and that farmers should talk to their vet and order vaccine as soon as possible. It says the government is working with manufacturers to increase supply, and to plan for next year because the virus is likely to overwinter. The NFU gives the same advice.

Defra's blog adds that sheep and cattle farmers in England can apply for a government-funded vet visit through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, where a vet checks animals and advises on bluetongue risk. The GOV.UK funding page says you need an Improve Animal Health and Welfare agreement and a Rural Payments login, and that visits must be completed by 19 June 2027. That page dates from 25 September 2025, does not mention bluetongue and gives no payment amount, so ask what the visit covers.

What bluetongue records do I need to keep?

GOV.UK says keepers must keep a record of vaccinated animals, following the relevant general licence or declaration, and keep it for at least 5 years. You must also report vaccine use within 3 days, giving the vaccine used and the number of animals vaccinated; reporting unique animal identifiers is now optional. The wording changed on 15 September 2026, so read it on the page. It also says vaccinated animals should not be tested within 7 days of vaccination, so note the date against each animal or group.

Treat the vaccine like any other medicine. A vaccine or treatment your vet prescribes belongs in the medicine book: product, batch, dose, date, animal or group, and any withdrawal period. Our guides to the Red Tractor medicine book, withdrawal periods and the 5-year medicine record rule cover the fields. Our guide on matching a vet invoice to the medicine book shows how to use the invoice.

FarmHQ is in beta, and it can help here: photograph the vet invoice and Ask Farmer Joe drafts the medicine-book entry and the expense line, which you check and confirm. Joe drafts, you confirm. FarmHQ does not send anything to Defra or APHA, so reporting vaccine use within 3 days, and reporting a suspected case, stays with you and your vet.

What is still unknown about bluetongue in England?

Several points are not settled in the sources we opened. The GOV.UK vaccination page does not say who pays for BTV-3 vaccine, how to order beyond a vet prescription, or whether vaccination changes movement rules. Case numbers change with every GOV.UK update, so we give none beyond the 26 October snapshot.

Rules for Wales and Scotland differ from England's and have changed this year, so check the devolved pages before a cross-border move. The Defra blog expects the virus to overwinter, but nothing we opened sets out the rules for spring 2027, and we make no prediction. The NFU says the shift to private-vet diagnosis should not put a disproportionate share of disease-control costs on veterinary practices, but the sources do not say what a farmer will pay for a confirmation visit.

What should I do this week?

This checklist uses only what GOV.UK and Defra say. It is not veterinary advice, so talk to your vet about your own herd or flock.

Today: look over cattle and sheep for the signs GOV.UK lists, especially the mouth, nose, muzzle, hooves and teats.
If you suspect bluetongue: contact your private vet or call APHA on 03000 200 301 straight away. It is notifiable, and GOV.UK says failing to report it breaks the law. APHA says it will contact you within 4 working hours.
By Friday 30 October 2026: ring your vet about BTV-3 vaccine, price and supply, and plan for 2027. Raise it at your next health plan vet review too.
Decide whether to apply for the funded vet visit, which needs an Improve Animal Health and Welfare agreement first.
Before any move: check whether the holding has a restriction notice, and read the EXD612(E) conditions. For Wales or Scotland, read their licence rules first.
Within 3 days of vaccinating: report the vaccine used and number of animals, and keep the record for at least 5 years.
Within 3 days of a movement: report it. Within 36 hours: log it in the holding register.
Each vet visit: write the medicine-book entry the same day, and check other dates in the livestock deadlines calendar.
Daily: reduce midge exposure at dawn and dusk, as Defra advises.

What do farmers actually ask?

What is bluetongue and is it a risk to people?

Bluetongue is a notifiable viral disease of ruminants and camelids, spread mainly by biting midges. GOV.UK lists sheep, cattle, deer, goats, llamas and alpacas as affected. On the GOV.UK disease page, last updated 21 October 2026, it states the disease does not affect people or food safety, though outbreaks can bring lasting movement and trade restrictions.

Do I have to report suspected bluetongue in England?

Yes. Bluetongue is notifiable in England, and GOV.UK says failing to report it breaks the law. Livestock keepers should contact their private vet or call APHA on 03000 200 301 immediately. As of 26 October 2026, GOV.UK says APHA will contact the vet or keeper within 4 working hours to confirm bluetongue or advise on testing.

Can I move cattle and sheep within England during the bluetongue outbreak?

Yes. As of 26 October 2026 the whole of England is a restricted zone, and GOV.UK says you do not need a specific bluetongue licence or pre-movement test to move animals within it, if you meet general licence EXD612(E). You still need a specific licence for premises under a restriction notice, and normal movement reporting still applies.

Is there a vaccine for BTV-3 and who can give it?

Three BTV-3 vaccines are authorised in the UK: Bluevac-3, BULTAVO 3 and Syvazul BTV 3. GOV.UK says a vet must prescribe them and keepers can give them to their own animals using safe practice. The vaccination page, last updated 15 September 2026, does not say who pays, so ask your vet for the price and supply position.

Do I need to record bluetongue vaccination in my medicine book?

GOV.UK says keepers must keep a record of vaccinated animals for at least 5 years and report vaccine use within 3 days, giving the vaccine and the number of animals. The sensible place for the dose is your medicine book, with product, batch, date, animal or group, and any withdrawal period your vet gives you.

Can a private vet confirm bluetongue in England?

Yes, since 11 September 2026, according to the NFU. In England a private vet can confirm BTV-3 on the farm from clinical assessment, without a government laboratory test, while Wales keeps its existing process. The NFU says stricter testing stays in place where signs could point to another notifiable disease. GOV.UK also says private vets can report suspect cases using an online form.