13 veterinary practices have applied for bluetongue vaccine licences, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said.

In December, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon announced that the use of bluetongue vaccination will be permitted in cattle and sheep in Ireland in 2026.

This followed the recent detection of outbreaks of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) in Northern Ireland.

Use of vaccine

In order to obtain and use BTV-3 vaccines, a licence is required from the department.

The licence granted by the department is required to import, possess, store, sell/supply and administer a bluetongue vaccine, so wholesalers and private veterinary practitioners require one.

A spokesperson for DAFM told Agriland that the department "continues to ensure that licencing for use of BTV-3 vaccines continues in line with the Control on Animal Vaccine Regulations 2014 (S.I. 193 of 2014)".

The spokesperson said that four wholesalers have applied for licences, and all four licences have issued.

The department also confirmed that a total of 13 veterinary practices have applied for licences.

Risk of bluetongue

The department said it is advising cattle and sheep farmers "concerned about the risk of bluetongue to have a conversation with their veterinary practitioner about whether the use of BTV-3 vaccines is the right choice for their circumstances, in advance of the high-risk summer 2026 season".

There are three BTV-3 vaccines approved for use in the EU, and widely used in BTV-3-affected countries.

The three BTV-3 vaccines can be used in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

These are: SYVAZUL BTV 3; Bluevac-3; and Bultavo 3.

DAFM said that the pricing and supply of BTV-3 vaccines is a "commercial matter and the department has no role in setting or controlling prices".