Blackface Sheep Breeders' Association

21/08/2026

Due to the current restrictions and daily updates of bluetongue, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel our show.

Look forward to seeing you all in 2027!

21/08/2026

New BTV restrictions simplified by H & H. Well done!! 👏

‼𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲‼️ 📣

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭𝟭.𝟰𝟱𝗽𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟭 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

There are now three areas:
◾️𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 (𝗥𝗭):England and Wales
◾️𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 (𝗧𝗖𝗭): the designated area of south-west Scotland
◾️𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲: the rest of Scotland outside the TCZ

𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱’𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗭 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗖𝗭

🐑Sheep
◾️Must have a negative PCR test
◾️The sample must be taken within seven days before movement

🐂Cattle
Cattle must meet one of the following requirements:
◾️Fully vaccinated with Bultavo-3, with at least 21 days having passed since the final dose – no PCR test required; or
◾️Unvaccinated or vaccinated with another vaccine – a negative PCR test within seven days before movement is required.

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗭 𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗖𝗭

Scottish cattle and sheep can travel from the Free Zone to a market in either:
◾️The Restricted Zone; or
◾️The Scottish Temporary Control Zone
No pre-movement test is required, provided:
◾️The animals travel to the market and return to the Free Zone on the same day
◾️The visit takes place during daylight hours only
◾️Animals are unloaded after sunrise and loaded before sunset
When the animals return to the Free Zone:
◾️Isolation is strongly advised
◾️A post-movement PCR test is recommended
If the animals remain in the Restricted Zone or Scottish Temporary Control Zone for longer than one day:
◾️A negative PCR test must be completed before they can return to the Free Zone
◾️Cattle fully vaccinated with Bultavo-3 are exempt from the testing requirement
Movement licences

The correct licence must accompany the movement, and all conditions within it must be followed:

🔷𝗘𝗫𝗗𝟲𝟳𝟳(𝗦): 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗖𝗭 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/regulation-directive-order/2026/08/bluetongue-general-licence-to-move-animals-from-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone-tcz-to-a-restricted-zone-rz/documents/bluetongue-general-licence-to-move-animals-from-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone-tcz-to-a-restricted-zone-rz/bluetongue-general-licence-to-move-animals-from-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone-tcz-to-a-restricted-zone-rz/govscot%3Adocument/Bluetongue%2BVirus%2B%2528BTV%2529%2B-%2BLicensing%2B-%2BGeneral%2Blicence%2Bto%2Bmove%2Banimals%2Bfrom%2Ba%2Bbluetongue%2Btemporary%2Bcontrol%2Bzone%2Bto%2Ba%2Brestricted%2Bzone%2B210826.pdf
🔷𝗘𝗫𝗗𝟲𝟳𝟱(𝗦): 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗖𝗭
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/regulation-directive-order/2026/08/bluetongue-general-licence-for-movements-of-animals-between-premises-inside-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone/documents/bluetongue-general-licence-for-movements-of-animals-between-premises-inside-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone/bluetongue-general-licence-for-movements-of-animals-between-premises-inside-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone/govscot%3Adocument/Bluetongue%2BVirus%2B%2528BTV%2529%2B-%2BLicensing%2B-%2BGeneral%2Blicence%2Bto%2Bmove%2Banimals%2Bwithin%2Ba%2Bbluetongue%2Btemporary%2Bcontrol%2Bzone%2B.pdf
🔷𝗘𝗫𝗗𝟲𝟰𝟱: 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a0c4c8afcae986635db91c3/Bluetongue__BTV__-_Licensing_-_2026_controls_-_EXD645__EW__Scotland.pdf

Customers should check the location of both the departure holding and the destination before arranging any movement.

The latest information is available on the Scottish Government Bluetongue movement restrictions page.

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀.

𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 🌎➡https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/4867f4e1f680415898482df7aabb703d/page/Page?fbclid=IwY2xjawT1VSJwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMW5kcGVqbXhVYzhhZ3V4cXRzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEenrj4juAU2KVnos-YOnXY35fJN3N_mUOACy33cQ1E5hX8TMtFjyv2Poy8iGU_aem_VtWdtyh1z4iEcJNt2iBByw

20/08/2026

Following confirmation of the first case of Bluetongue Virus 3 (BTV-3) in Scotland, testing has now identified positive cases on a second premises close to

19/08/2026

Stock under stress this summer?

High temperatures, dry grazing conditions can all affect livestock performance. When forage quality declines, providing the right nutritional support becomes even more important.

Don't let summer stress hold your stock back. Give your livestock the nutritional support they need to maintain condition and performance throughout the grazing season.

Learn more: https://www.crystalyx.co.uk/product/crystalyx-extra-high-energy/

19/08/2026

🤩WANTED🤩

150 south type regular age ewes from one farm to restock a hill, preferably proper hill ewes and tick acclimatised.
Please share this post and get in touch if you know of any ewes suitable.
Photo for illustration purposes only.

19/08/2026

🚨 Free post-mortem examinations available for Scottish Blackface lambs with suspected Lymph Node Aplasia

As flocks are gathered off the hill for weaning, farmers may encounter lambs born without lymph nodes, often presenting with severe, untreatable orf infections.

Livestock Health Scotland is funding free examinations at SRUC postmortem sites on a first come, first served basis. We encourage vets and farmers to submit suspect cases for investigation.

A new PhD project, part-funded by the Scottish Blackface Sheep Breeders Association, is now underway to help improve understanding of this condition. The more samples collected, the greater the opportunity to support future research and flock health.

📩 Please spread the word and encourage submissions of affected lambs.

18/08/2026

🌟𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞🌟

🐑𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞🐑

📒𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞⬇️
https://www.ballymenalivestockmarket.com/auctionpdfs/Sheddings%20Sale%202026.pdf

17/08/2026

Bluetongue Virus (BTV-3) confirmed in Dumfries & Galloway

BTV-3 has been confirmed on four farms near Newton Stewart, with five animals affected (four sheep and one bovine). Investigations suggest these are very recent infections and there is currently no evidence that the disease is circulating more widely in Scotland. Movement restrictions are in place on the affected farms while further surveillance continues.

Bluetongue is spread by biting midges and can affect sheep, cattle, goats and deer, but it does not affect humans or food safety.

Livestock keepers are strongly encouraged to speak to their vet about vaccination and remain vigilant for signs of disease. Any suspected cases must be reported immediately to APHA. To help ensure adequate supplies are available, it is important that producers place orders with their veterinary practices as soon as possible. Doing so will help demonstrate current demand and support efforts to secure additional vaccine for Scotland.

The situation remains under close review, but no bluetongue control zones have been introduced in Scotland at this time.