Reinard Everts, veterinarian and director of the Dutch sheep and goat breeding organization NSFO, estimates that at least 30,000 sheep in the Netherlands have already succumbed to a bluetongue infection. To date, one in eight Dutch sheep farms has had to deal with mortality due to bluetongue. A total of 3,500 to 4,000 sheep farms in the Netherlands have now been infected. The total Dutch sheep population is almost 1 million animals.
At an average value of 150 euros per animal, Everts estimates the damage due to mortality for the sector at 4.5 million euros. In addition, there are the costs of the veterinarian and the costs of Rendac for collecting and processing the carcasses.
The damage could amount to 10 million euros by the end of this year, says Everts. That amount does not include the extra labor that sheep farmers have spent on their animals.
Everts further points out the consequential damage. Many ewes were mated later and the virus probably has an impact on litter size. The amount that can be attributed to this damage is still difficult to determine, according to the chairman of the NSFO.
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2023-11-07 10:34:45
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