By DAVID COULTER

Published at 09:51, Friday, 20 March 2009

DUTCH farmer Jakob Pustjens met with local farmers at Hexham Mart last Friday to share his personal experience of the devastating bluetongue virus in his home country.

Virus voice: Jakob Pustjens, left, is pictured with the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association chairman Alastair Sneddon.

Hearing Mr Pustjens talk openly about the impact of the disease in the Netherlands since it was first discovered there during 2006 left farmers with a much clearer understanding of the symptoms of bluetongue and the realities of dealing with it.

Robert Whitelock, of Hexham Mart, said: “There was great interest in what Jakob said during his visit. Farmers just hadn’t realised the true risk and severity of bluetongue disease.

“Talking to Jakob about his first-hand experience really brought things home, and showed that there is a real need for vaccination.”

Mr Pustjens realised that many of the questions about bluetongue currently voiced by UK livestock farmers were the same as those which were originally raised by Dutch farmers two years ago.

He hoped that by sharing his experiences he had helped to increase their knowledge and enable them to arrive at informed decisions concerning disease control and vaccination.

He said: “As a farmer you never think that bluetongue will affect you, until it does.

“Unfortunately, by the time that livestock show visible signs of the disease it’s already too late to prevent it.

“I knew many farmers in the North of the Netherlands who thought that the disease would be confined to the south and would not reach them. It did and they were left counting the cost.”

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk