If a sheep stands apart from the herd, appears feverish and has foam coming from its mouth, farmers are currently on alert. The so-called bluetongue disease is currently spreading in Germany. It is harmless to humans, but can have serious consequences for sheep and cows. High fever, inflamed teats and mucous membranes, mucus in front of the mouth, and in rare cases even death. There is a vaccination against the virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes and gnats, but many farmers are afraid of the effort and expense.
In recent days, bluetongue has been detected in more and more federal states: Hamburg, Saarland, Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein and Bavaria. But there is also some good news. The disease is not passed on directly from animal to animal within a herd. Instead, it is transmitted by a mosquito, or more precisely by a midge. This sucks up the blood of an infected animal and transmits the virus to another cow or sheep when it bites. However, the warm, humid summer air in the mornings and evenings currently makes it easier for the virus to spread. For farmers, the outbreak of the disease means additional requirements and costs. Among other things, the animals can no longer be transported to another region without further ado. Miscarriages are also a common consequence.
Several animal diseases are spreading in Germany
In Germany, R+V Insurance offers many farmers protection – including against epidemics. The costs of such damage can be considerable. In addition to the costs of veterinary treatment and, in the worst case, the emergency slaughter of animals, the costs of disinfecting and cleaning stables must also be covered. In addition, there may be quarantine measures and costs for business interruptions or loss of income if the business cannot operate as usual due to the epidemic. In addition, liability claims may be threatened if the farmer has not complied with hygiene regulations and the epidemic therefore spreads further.
In a recent press release, the insurer expressed concern. “We receive new claims reports every day. The warm, humid weather this summer is fueling the mosquito population and thus the spread of bluetongue disease,” explains Carsten Reimer, agricultural expert at R+V Versicherung. “We expect the extent of the outbreak to be as bad as the epidemic in 2007/2008.” At that time, around 26,000 infected ruminants were registered in Germany, but the number of unreported cases is likely to have been much higher. R+V recorded total losses of around 14 million euros for its customers in its yield loss insurance. Among cattle, dairy cows in particular become seriously ill after calving. “The cows then produce less or no milk at all,” reports Reimer. “For farmers, this means massive losses.”
Swine fever: severe economic consequences
The problem: Bluetongue is not the only disease currently making the rounds in Germany. African swine fever (ASF) is also spreading, especially in Hesse and now also in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. Here the effects are even more serious: if a sow or boar is infected, the other poor pigs are also affected. “In Hesse there are comparatively few farmers who specialise in pigs. If one of the animals becomes infected, the entire herd on the farm has to be killed,” reports Reimer.
In contrast to bluetongue, the state also pays compensation to affected farmers after an outbreak of swine fever. And yet the costs for private insurers are high. The reason: if an outbreak is detected, the responsible authority sets up a restricted area of at least three kilometers: this is stipulated in paragraph 11 of the swine fever regulations. For the remaining pig farmers in the restricted area, the proceeds from slaughter animals are almost zero and the farmers have to bear the additional costs for blood samples and transport. But the state does not help them financially: private yield loss insurance pays for this.
An outbreak of African swine fever has other serious consequences that can also affect arable farming. In the affected exclusion zones, strict government regulations apply that severely restrict everyday farming. “Sowing, fertilizing, harvesting – all of these can be restricted or even banned there,” explains Carsten Reimer. The reason for these measures: the pathogens of the animal disease can survive for a long time in the environment, and spreading to other regions must be prevented at all costs. Wild boars must therefore not be scared away – neither by walkers, dogs nor agricultural machinery.
This hits farmers and winegrowers particularly hard during the main harvest season. A special permit is required to work in the restricted zones, and the fields often have to be monitored by drone beforehand. Even a small delay can affect the quality of the harvest. There is state compensation, but the payout often takes a long time. This is where R+V’s ASF crop insurance comes in: It offers support for losses due to swine fever outbreaks and thus secures farmers’ liquidity. There is no state compensation for the reduction in the value of the harvest in the affected areas. “That’s why we pay up to ten percent of the market price for the harvest,” says Reimer. The extent of the damage in Hesse is currently difficult to estimate. Despite all the precautionary measures in the restricted zones, there is concern that African swine fever could spread to other regions in Germany, warns Reimer.
There is a sigh of relief when it comes to bird flu: R+V is currently recording hardly any losses among poultry farmers, and this for the first time in years. “Since October 2020, we have reported almost continuous cases of avian influenza, with total losses of 36 million euros for our policyholders,” explains Carsten Reimer. Avian influenza is usually concentrated in the winter months, when migratory birds bring the disease to Germany. The season usually ends with the birds’ spring migration in April/May. R+V has already reported over six million euros in yield losses for the 2023/2024 season. “We expect bird flu to flare up again in Germany this autumn,” says Reimer.
