- Government Body: Funding Allocation for Bluetongue Vaccination Program
Individuals who own livestock like cows, sheep, and goats and want to shield them from the bluetongue illness** can benefit from a monetary incentive provided by the state and the livestock disease fund in Thuringia. For every vaccination administered to a cow, the farmer receives a buck for each shot, while sheep and goats receive 60 cents per jab, as per the Health Ministry's proclamation. Farmers can request this aid from the livestock disease fund. Currently, three vaccines are available to combat the bluetongue virus. As per the Health Ministry, vaccinations can lessen the serious symptoms in infected animals, such as fever and swelling of the lips and tongue.
The bluetongue disease poses a significant threat to sheep and cows. Goats and wild boars can also contract the disease. The disease is spread through midges, a type of biting fly, which acts as the transmitter. In Thuringia, the virus has been identified in seven sheep and four cows since early August. The affected areas are the Eichsfeld district with six cases, the Wartburg district (4), and the Nordhausen district (1).
The bluetongue disease, particularly the BTV-3 serotype, has been propagating across Europe since October 2023, spreading from the Netherlands and Belgium to Germany, towards Thuringia. Humans are not affected by the disease.
Protecting animals from animal diseases like bluetongue is crucial, as it poses a threat to sheep, cows, and even goats and wild boars. In Thuringia, farmers can receive incentives for vaccinating their livestock against bluetongue, as the bluetongue virus has been detected in several animals in the Eichsfeld, Wartburg, and Nordhausen districts since early August.
