FARMERS in the region were dealt another blow last night when Government scientists confirmed an outbreak of bluetongue disease.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the virus had been detected in 18 cattle on a farm near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, during routine veterinary checks.

It is believed that the outbreak originates from a batch of 35 animals legally imported from a restricted zone in Germany last month.

An investigation has been launched and the infected cattle will be quarantined at the farm until next month.

Farming leaders said last night that the latest outbreak, coming after the summer’s poor weather, which has wrecked crops, was further “dreadful news”.

Country Land and Business Association’s (CLA) regional director Dorothy Fairburn said: “This will be a blow to the whole industry.

“I would urge farmers to contact the National Farmers’ Union and the CLA for further information. It won’t have the same sort of serious effects as foot-and-mouth, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time of year for the sales of sheep and store cattle.

“It is absolutely dreadful news.”

Despite the threat from bluetongue – which has ravaged livestock across Europe – only one in five farmers have vaccinated their animals.

The disease is spread by midges that thrive in late summer weather. There are no cases of it being transferred to humans, but the illness can be fatal for cows and sheep.

The outbreak prompted warnings about importing cattle from the Continent where the NFU says the virus is virulent.

More than 30,000 cases were confirmed in France in one week last month.

NFU president Peter Kendall said: “Farmers need to be confident that either the animals have been correctly vaccinated and met all the appropriate conditions of the vaccine or they must be sure that the animals are not carrying the bluetongue virus through thorough testing.

“The industry must help itself.

It has the opportunity to take control of this virus itself through vaccination and through a very cautious and sensible approach to the sourcing of animals from areas where the virus is circulating.

“However, there are still farmers that have to vaccinate – and in some counties in the North of England as few as one in five have done so far.

“The message is clear – don’t hesitate, vaccinate.”

Farmers have expressed their anger at Government policy that allows livestock into the country without vaccination certificates.

Greg Dalton, who runs a farm in Upper Weardale, County Durham, said the outbreak had already disrupted the sale of lambs to Scottish farmers, since England and Wales became part of a restricted zone on September 1.

He said: “The disease is ravaging across France, Germany and the whole of the Continent.

“I start to wonder what the hell these farmers were thinking, buying from European farmers in the present climate.

“We have a glimmer of hope in that the weather has not exactly been encouraging the midges.”

George Richardson, a Durham county councillor and Teesdale district councillor, who owns a farm in Hamsterley, near Bishop Auckland, said: “I blame Defra for this. The cattle coming from Germany is very worrying.

This open-door policy is just crazy because they are bringing the disease into the country with them. There was a case of bluetongue down south recently, and that should have acted as kick up the backside for Defra – unless, of course, these animals arrived in the country before this first case.”

The latest outbreak is this year’s fourth.

Animals in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, and Devon tested positive last month.

Officials at Stanhope Agricultural Society said its 167th annual show will still be held at Unthank Park, in Stanhope, Weardale, this weekend.

Bowes show, on Saturday, does not include livestock and is expected to go ahead, as is Eggleston show, in County Durham, on September 20.

Farmers warned of symptoms

● Bluetongue is a virus spread only by a species of biting midge called culicoides. It is most severe in sheep, but also affects cattle, goats, deer and other ruminants.

● It can take 20 days for any of the symptoms to show. These include swelling of the head and neck, high fever, drooling, lameness, internal bleeding and ulcers.

● The animal’s tongue may turn blue under pressure from swelling.

● In some susceptible breeds of sheep, up to 70 per cent of a flock can die from the virus, according to Defra.

● Originating in Africa, bluetongue found its way across the straits of Gibraltar and across to Holland, Belgium, France and Germany.

● There is no treatment for bluetongue.