Record Bluetongue Outbreak Hits British Livestock

The 2026-27 bluetongue season—running from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027—has become the worst on record in the United Kingdom. Defra has logged 2,201 premises with at least one infected animal, including 1,103 cases reported in September. The outbreak, caused by serotype 3 (BTV-3) first identified in England in 2023, has spread to Scotland for the first time, reaching as far north as Aberdeenshire. Bluetongue, transmitted by biting midges, produces fever, ulcers, swollen heads, lameness, and in severe instances a blue-tinged tongue that may protrude, sometimes leading to death. The disease does not affect humans or food safety.

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The virus originated in Africa and has expanded across Europe over the past two decades. The World Organisation for Animal Health attributes this northward spread to climate breakdown, noting that hotter ambient temperatures enable the midges that carry the virus to survive and reproduce further north. Academics cited in the report emphasize that rising temperatures—driven by the climate crisis—are directly linked to the increased incidence of bluetongue in the UK.

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Robyn Munt, vice-president of the National Farmers’ Union, says farmers must maintain “constant vigilance” and repeatedly inspect livestock for symptoms. She describes the vaccine supply as a “demand-led process” that has been “really challenging” to secure, adding that the disease compounds labor pressure and stress on farm businesses already coping with climate-related drought costs. Vaccination remains the primary preventive tool, but supply constraints limit its effectiveness.

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• 2,201 premises with confirmed bluetongue (Defra)

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• 1,103 of those reported in September alone

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• Cases exceed the combined totals of the previous three seasons, despite the season being only three months old.

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• “Adequate preparation for these pests and pathogens is necessary, including vaccinations for farm animals. But, ultimately, we cannot vaccinate against the kinds of climate that encourage these outbreaks. They will only get more likely until we reduce our emissions to net zero and stop warming altogether.” — Tom Cantillon, a senior analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit

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