Sheep farmers in the Zaan region are in fear after a huge increase in bluetongue. The number of places where the virus has been detected in the region has more than quadrupled in a week. And it’s not just sheep farmers who are concerned, things are already going wrong at petting zoos or they are afraid of being affected. “It is a worrying situation,” says Marieke Demmers of the De Bonte Belevenis petting zoo in Assendelft.
De Veldmuis petting zoo in Zaandam has six sheep, no fewer than five of which have bluetongue. Volunteer Ed Sikkema finds it distressing to see. “They receive a daily injection against the pain and we cannot yet say whether they will make it or not. It is very difficult to predict how it will progress.”
The bluetongue virus, which is transmitted by midges, a type of small mosquito, causes sheep – and other ruminants – to become so ill that they often die from complications or have to be put to sleep. One of the characteristics is that the animals become too weak to eat. “We have that too,” says Sikkema. “There are one or two that we have to hand-feed.”
Dead sheep on the dike
Assendelft appears to be the hardest hit in the Zaan region with 24 places of infection. And although the sheep of the Bonte Belevenis do not yet have the virus, Marieke Demmers is very concerned: “We are here on a dike with a watery, open area. Those midges naturally move around easily. There are also every now and then dead sheep are on the dike to be picked up.”
“We only have a few sheep,” Demmers continues. “I put them in quarantine. With all the mosquito plugs around them that I could find. We also have nine goats. I’m worried about the old goats that are there, so they are also in quarantine.”
The bluetongue already struck hard at the petting zoo in the Darwin Park in Zaandam. Three sheep are dead. “It is a misery to see that,” says Paul Laport, director of the Zaans Nature and Environment Center, which includes the farm.
“It’s a disaster. You don’t want the animals to suffer unnecessarily, which is why we had to put two of the three to sleep. We had more sheep with bluetongue, but fortunately they are doing better now.”
Visitors sympathize
The sheep that are doing better can now slowly go outside again. The children and parents have not seen them for some time. “But we explained that to the visitors and they also sympathize,” says an employee of the farm.
The sick sheep of De Veldmuis are allowed outside. Bluetongue is not contagious, but children must keep their distance. “We have placed signs for that,” says Ed Sikkema. “The sheep need rest to recover. All stress must be avoided. Fortunately, there is a lot of understanding and the parents explain to the children that the sheep are sick.”
2023-10-13 14:59:04
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