Beginning of mandatory vaccination against Bluetongue disease
- Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food
Vaccination is a most effective measure to prevent the spread of disease and to decrease the losses ensuing from circulation of the virus. Mandatory vaccination will be conducted to protect the sector of bovine, ovine and caprine animals.
Decision on mandatory vaccination lays down the vaccination against the BTV 3, 4 and 8 serotypes, which are most disseminated around Europe. The selected vaccines (vaccine against the BTV 3 serotype, and the combined vaccine against the BTV 4 and 8 serotypes) have a marketing authorisation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which is a warranty that they are safe for use, and they are used in the other EU Member States as well.
For the immunity to set in before the vectors (blood-sucking midges) transmitting the BT virus (BTV) become active, the vaccination shall be completed no later than by 24 April 2026. Based on climate conditions and entomological monitoring results, vector inactivity began on 25 December 2025.
Each animal keeper is responsible for the timely vaccination of his/her own animals. All information on vaccination procedure shall be obtained from the veterinarian to conduct the vaccination.
Any issues concerning the vaccination against BTV may by animal keepers be addressed to the Government Call Centre number 114 on workdays between 8:00 and 16:00 hours.
Key information for animal keepers:
- for implementation of vaccination, animal keepers shall contact their appointed veterinarian, or a veterinary organisation;
- prior to vaccination, animals shall be individually identified;
- in line with the vaccine manufacturer’s instructions, also animals in gestation and lactating animals may be vaccinated;
- ovines shall be vaccinated once, whilst bovines and caprines shall be vaccinated twice in a 2-week interval;
- the two vaccines provide for the appropriate protection of the animals during the vector activity period, also where the animals are vaccinated already in January;
- any possible side effects of vaccination shall be reported to the veterinary organisation that conducts the vaccination;
- vaccine costs shall be covered from the budget of the Republic of Slovenia, whilst the costs of vaccination shall be covered by animal keepers.
Timely vaccination only may protect the animals against the disease, thus avoiding the unnecessary suffering of the infected and diseased animals, and animal deaths.
The Administration is calling on animal keepers to provide for a prompt vaccination of the bovine, ovine and caprine animals.