Farm show bans livestock over bluetongue fears

A Cornish agricultural show has banned livestock at this year's event because of fears over a virus outbreak affecting some farm animals in the south-east, east and north-east of England.

The Liskeard Prime Stock Show said no animals would be present at its 103rd show on Saturday, and it had cancelled its sheep and cattle classes because of fears over the bluetongue virus (BTV-3).

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the disease, which is spread by midges, could prove fatal for infected animals "in the most severe cases".

The show's organisers encouraged people to "continue to come along and support our farmers" and said non-animal competitions such as handicrafts, pumpkin carving and baking competitions, would still go ahead as planned.

Cornwall councillor Jane Pascoe said the restrictions were "a big disappointment" for farmers.

"It's an important event on the agricultural calendar," Pascoe said, adding: "Farmers look forward to the prime stock shows."

She added: "Because it's a good social event we're going to continue and have the exhibits and demonstrations and people talking - there's all sorts going on."

A restriction zone because of the virus was put in place in part of Norfolk in December 2023 and has since been extended to cover most of eastern England.

The virus affects cloven-footed animals including sheep, goats, cattle, deer and camels.

It can cause infertility and breathing problems in sheep, cattle and goats, but is not harmful to humans.

The zone now covers Bedfordshire, Berkshire (part), Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, City of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Sussex, Essex, Greater London, Hampshire (part), Hertfordshire, Kent, Leicestershire (part), Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, Surrey and West Sussex.

Defra said 12 cases of the virus had been reported outside of the restriction zone, including in Cornwall.

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