Scotland hit by potentially deadly livestock virus for the first time
Scotland was the last UK country to remain bluetongue free until now.
Scotland has recorded its first case of bluetongue virus, making it the last country in the UK have the disease confirmed.
The strain of the infection, BTV-3, a potentially fatal disease affecting livestock, was confirmed in a single lamb at the Johnson family's Kirkmabreck Farm near Creetown in Dumfries and Galloway on Saturday after the animal showed suspicious clinical signs.
The animal was subsequently euthanised on welfare grounds.
The Johnson family, who said they moved to Scotland from England four months ago, confirmed in a post on Facebook that all their animals had been moved indoors to reduce the risk of spread.
The post said: "I just want to clarify that all the stock we have was purchased locally, within 20 miles of where we live. Nothing came up with us from England apart from dogs and of course our children.
"I literally can not believe that we have only been here four months and this is what we are faced with. This is not at all how we wanted to introduce ourselves to the locals but like the vet said, we haven't done anything wrong and it is all a case of rather bad luck."
The development comes amid a sharp increase in bluetongue cases elsewhere in Britain. There have been 289 confirmed cases of BTV-3 during the 2026-27 bluetongue season, including 283 in England, with the majority recorded in the south-west.
The virus primarily affects sheep, cattle and goats. It is spread by biting midges, meaning a single insect can transmit the virus from one animal to another.
It means risk has been particularly high for farms in the south of Scotland, and to animals that travel cross-border for show or trade purposes.
Symptoms can include nasal discharge, swelling and redness around the mouth and muzzle, lameness, reluctance to stand, reduced milk production and, in cattle, diarrhoea.
Bluetongue does not infect people and poses no food-safety risk, authorities confirmed.
Sheila Voas, Scotland’s chief veterinary officer, said: “At this stage it is not possible to know if bluetongue is circulating in Scotland, or whether this is an individual case.”
She added that the farm would remain under restriction while investigations continued, and urged farmers to discuss vaccination with their vets.
BTV-3 is a notifiable disease, meaning that any suspicion of infection must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Scotland.
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