Wild Deer & Disease

This section of the website provides concise and accessible information on the different diseases which can affect wild deer in Scotland, including up to date information relating to Foot and Mouth Disease and Bluetongue.

BLUETONGUE DISEASE

Scottish Government Implements Bluetongue Vaccination Programme

Given the disease risk to Scotland, the Bluetongue stakeholders group has decided that Scotland will commence a compulsory vaccination programme for Bluetongue susceptible animals. Vaccination will take place during the vector free period. This will start on the 3rd of November 2008, on this date Scotland will be declared a Protection Zone and free movement of bluetongue susceptible animals across Great Britain will be permitted. The vaccination program is expected to last until the end of April. Under EU rules declaring a BTV8 Protection Zone in Scotland allows free movement of cattle and sheep from other Protection Zones, such as those in place in England and Wales

At the present time there should be no impact on deer management activities within Scotland however The Deer Commission for Scotland would encourage deer managers to continue to carry out their regime of animal health checks throughout the their deer management activities. These checks should be carried out to Best Practice standard and practitioners may access specific health check guidance by visiting the DCS best practice guides

Further Information for Those Keeping Park/Farmed Deer

While vaccination of other ruminant and camelid species is not compulsory, it is strongly recommended, to protect your animals from bluetongue disease.

The following documents detail the reasons behind this and action you should take.

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Q & A

What is Bluetongue?

The disease is caused by a virus and spread by biting midges. It is not infectious from animal to animal but depends upon the insect vector to transmit the virus from one animal to another in much the same way as malaria is transmitted from person to person. A wide range of ruminants may be infected by the virus but the response varies considerably from species to species. Of the domestic animals, sheep are the most seriously affected, with severe disease in adult sheep causing high mortality. Signs include swelling of the head, high fever, nasal discharge, lameness, pneumonia and interference with the blood supply to the tongue and lips, which turn blue or even black. In milder outbreaks, clinical signs may be less severe but abortion, stillbirth and weak, fading or deformed lambs occur. Cattle are usually either only very mildly affected, or are not affected at all.

How does Bluetongue affect deer?

The susceptibility of deer depends on the species exposed as well as being dependent on the strain of the disease (there are 24 individual identified serotypes worldwide) Worldwide outbreaks have shown that the subfamily Cervidae, which contains species like the red deer, sika, fallow are only slightly affected by the disease (much like cattle) These species of deer may however act as a reservoir for the disease and when infected multiply the virus without clinical signs. The Odocoilinae sub species includes white tailed deer which have suffered large scale die offs in the US as a result of exposure to Bluetongue strain BTV 17.

The strain of Bluetongue currently present in the UK is BTV8. The most likely source for this strain being brought the UK was by infected midges blown across from the Low Countries in August 2007. BTV8 is now circulating in at least one type of UK midge and it would be sensible to assume that it may also be found in other species of midge in the UK including those found in Scotland.

In Europe where the BTV8 strain has been circulating for some years, monitoring in Germany, Belgium has confirmed that red, roe and fallow have been exposed to the virus. In tests carried out in Northrhine/Westfall region on Germany in 2006/07 6% of the red deer tested were found to be infected with BTV strain 8 however only 1 red deer and 1 fallow deer showed very mild clinical symptoms (mouth lesions). It is expected that wild deer populations in Scotland exposed to BTV8 will show similar low infection rates and very low percentages may show clinical signs.

 

How relevant is the situation in America?

The European situation is very different to the US situation where Bluetongue 17 outbreaks have occurred as well as outbreaks of Epizootic Haemorrhgic Disease [EHD] a disease whose clinical symptoms closely mirror that of Bluetongue. The difference in Bluetongue strain makes it difficult to draw comparisons between the situation in the USA and current UK potential outbreaks.

Are there any restrictions on deer management activities?

At the present time there should be no impact on deer management activities within Scotland. This includes no restrictions on size of party or trophy head retention and export.

Do I need to put disinfection stations on my property?

At the present time here are no plans to combat the spread of Bluetongue virus with any form of on property disinfection.

What do I do if I cull an animal I suspect is infected?

There is no requirement to report suspected disease in a wild deer carcase.  In line with normal food hygiene legislation meat from a diseased carcase cannot be offered for sale.  Other carcasses culled at the same time that do not show signs of the disease may be placed into the food chain.

Can I transport live deer?

Out with protection zones live deer can be transported under a general licence.  The owner or keeper of the deer must complete a report on the movement of the animals. This report must be kept on the premises of departure for a period of six months.

As long as Scotland remains a bluetongue free area only animals vaccinated by a vet and accompanied by a veterinary certificate of vaccination can move to Scotland from a bluetongue Protection Zone. Any movement of an animal that has been within the bluetongue restricted area in the previous 60 days must also be notified to the Scottish Government.  Once Scotland is declared a bluetongue Protection Zone the need for vaccination and veterinary certification ceases.  However, deer managers are urged to exercise caution in sourcing live deer from elsewhere to avoid the accidental introduction of disease in the early days of the winter while there is still a very low risk (that is, unlikely but not impossible) that the virus could be spread by midges if introduced into Scotland.

Further information on Bluetongue

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

Following the outbreaks of Foot and Mouth in 2007, Scottish Government officials are reviewing lessons learnt. When available the results if this review and changes arising will be published in this section.

Symptoms

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute infectious disease, which causes fever, followed by the development of vesicles (blisters) - chiefly in the mouth and on the feet. The disease is caused by a virus of which there are seven 'types', each producing the same symptoms which are distinguishable only in the laboratory.

FMD is probably more infectious than any other disease affecting man or animals and spreads rapidly if uncontrolled. Cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and deer are susceptible. Elephants, hedgehogs, rats and any wild cloven-footed animals can also contract it. FMD is endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America, with sporadic outbreaks in disease-free areas.
The interval between exposure to infection and the appearance of symptoms varies between twenty-four hours and ten days, or even longer. The average time, under natural conditions, is three to six days.

After-Effects

Foot-and-mouth disease is rarely fatal, except in the case of very young animals, which may die without showing any symptoms. In very rare exceptions, a severe form of the disease may cause sudden death in older animal stock.

The after-effects of the disease vary. In addition to treating and nursing a herd or flock of sick animals, a reduction in the milk yield in a dairy herd will certainly be experienced, at least until the next lactation. Mastitis may develop and in some cases chronic heart disease occurs. The raw surfaces left on the foot when the blisters burst are likely to become infected; this may lead to lameness and loss of a hoof.

Infection

The virus is present in great quantity in the fluid from the blisters, and it can also occur in the saliva, milk and dung. Contamination of any objects with any of these discharges is a danger to other stock. At the height of the disease, the virus is present in the blood and all parts of the body. Heat, sunlight and disinfectants will destroy the virus, whereas cold and darkness tend to keep it alive. Under favourable conditions it can survive for long periods.

Airborne spread of the virus can take place and under favourable climatic conditions the disease may be spread several miles by this route. Animals pick up the virus either by direct contact with an infected animal, by contact with foodstuffs or other things which have been contaminated by such an animal, or by eating or coming into contact with some part of an infected carcase.

Foot-and-mouth disease is extremely infectious. A very small quantity of the virus is capable of infecting an animal and it is easy to realise how rapidly the disease could spread throughout the country if no attempt were made to control it.

Trucks, lorries, market places, and loading ramps - in or over which infected animals have travelled - are dangerous until disinfected. Roads may also become contaminated, and the virus may be picked up and carried on the wheels of passing vehicles.

The boots, clothing, and hands of a stockman who has attended diseased animals can spread the disease. Dogs, cats, poultry, wild game and vermin may also carry infection.