Will the Cabinet Secretary confirm if ruminant animals can be moved from the free area into and then out of a restricted zone within a 24 hour period without a license following the bluetongue policy in Wales?
When moving between Bluetongue free areas like Scotland and Wales, ruminants and camelids are allowed to transit a restricted zone without a licence.
Only ruminants and camelids within a holding that crosses the border, or where part of the holding is within 10 miles of the border, do not require a licence or testing to move into the restricted zone and back within 24 hours. All other ruminant and camelid movements require a licence.
Currently, only cattle fully vaccinated with Boehringer Ingelheim’s Bultavo-3 vaccine and have no clinical symptoms can move under licence, from a Restricted Zone to Wales without a pre-movement test. Fully vaccinated means both doses of the vaccine were administered and at least 21 days have elapsed since the second dose. This is based on the latest information from vaccine manufacturers regarding the prevention of viraemia by available vaccine products.
Fresh or frozen germinal products from the free area can move into a Bluetongue zone without a licence. Frozen germinal product produced from animals that have completed all testing requirements with negative results as per the conditions of the licence, can move to any premises outside of the Bluetongue zone. Fresh germinal product can only move under licence to a designated premises approved for the collection and processing of germinal products where it must be frozen. Fresh germinal product collected inside the zone cannot be moved to premises outside the zone for use.
For further guidance on the restrictions on germinal products please visit Restrictions on germinal product from bluetongue-susceptible animals - GOV.UK