New movement restrictions and testing regime come into force from June 20

PEMBROKESHIRE livestock keepers are being urged to prepare for imminent changes to Bluetongue virus (BTV) control measures as Welsh Government updates its policy to prevent further spread of the disease.

From Thursday, June 20, any cattle, sheep, goats, deer, llamas or alpacas being moved into Wales from a Bluetongue Restricted Zone will require:

A specific movement licence (available on gov.uk)

A valid pre-movement test, at the owner’s expense

Animals showing clinical signs of illness on the day of travel must not be moved into Wales.

To allow time for preparation, exemptions to pre-movement testing have been extended until Wednesday, June 19. After that date, the new rules will be strictly enforced.

Additional temporary measures introduced during the low vector season remain in place until July 1, including:

No requirement to use insecticides at approved markets, abattoirs, or in livestock transport

No requirement for slaughterhouses to be designated for Restricted Zone intake

However, from July 1, the Bluetongue Restricted Zone will expand to cover all of England, significantly increasing the number of animals subject to movement controls.

What is Bluetongue?

Bluetongue is a viral disease primarily affecting ruminants and camelids. It is spread by certain types of biting midges (Culicoides species), which are active in the UK from April to November.

Animals may be infected and contagious without showing symptoms — particularly adult cattle, which can carry the virus for weeks.

Clinical signs in sheep may include:

• Mouth and nose ulcers
• Eye and nasal discharge
• Drooling
• Swelling of lips, tongue, head, neck, and hooves
• Lameness, breathing issues, fever, and sometimes death

In cattle, signs include:

• Fatigue and loss of appetite
• Crusting and redness around the muzzle and nostrils
• Reduced milk yield and abortions
• Nasal discharge and erosions on teats

In pregnant animals, BTV can cause miscarriage, deformities, blindness, or death of newborn calves.

Controlling the spread

The Bluetongue virus can be transmitted through:

• Infected midges
• Infected animals (including imports)
• Contaminated biological materials (blood, semen, embryos)

Livestock keepers are advised to:

• Source animals responsibly
• Monitor livestock closely
• Use insect-proof housing, particularly at dawn and dusk
• Maintain high standards of biosecurity and hygiene

Vaccination

Three BTV-3 vaccines are permitted for use in the UK. Two are authorised by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate; a third may only be used under licence. All vaccination must comply with current licensing rules.

More information is available at: Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccination – gov.uk

Tracing and licensing

All livestock must be registered and traceable. If you’re planning to move animals into or out of a Bluetongue-affected area, you must check if a movement licence is required.

Animal keepers should consult their vet before importing animals or biological products from any country with a known or suspected Bluetongue risk.

Report suspected cases

If you suspect Bluetongue:

📞 Call APHA immediately on 0300 303 8268

An APHA vet will investigate and confirm suspected cases.

For local advice, contact Pembrokeshire County Council’s Animal Welfare Team at:
📧 [email protected]

Plans by a Pembrokeshire council officer and senior college member of staff to expand a holiday operation which was voted as the best of its type in the UK by the Caravan Club in its very first year of operation have been submitted to the national park.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Dean and Sharon Philpin seek permission to expand the existing holiday operation at Woody Kiln Farm, Herbrandston Village, Herbrandston by converting a former agricultural barn to four short-term holiday lets.

A supporting statement through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd says: “Woody Kiln Farm is located to the east of Herbrandston village, to the south easterly side of Havens Park residential estate. It is a registered agricultural holding and the land is used mainly for the raising and grazing of sheep covering 12 / 13 acres.

“The farm complex comprises of a number of traditional outbuildings and the applicants main dwelling surrounding a surfaced courtyard. Immediately to the south is a caravan site registered with the Caravan & Motorhome Club as a Certificated Location for up to five touring caravans and motorhomes.

“This Certificated Location has been in operation for 10 years and was the first ever site to be voted the best site in UK on its first year of operating by its members. In recent years it was voted best site in Wales.”

The site has won many similar Certificated Location awards.

It adds: “The farm is in the ownership of the applicants with Mr Dean Philpin having inherited it from his father in 2017 who has semi-retired from agriculture. With Mr Philpin Senior’s guidance, Mr Philpin Junior and Mrs Philpin manage the farm on a part time basis.

“Mr Philpin works full time as the ‘Finance Manager for Education and Schools’ in Pembrokeshire County Council, whilst Mrs Philpin is the Section Lead for Heath, Childcare and Commercial Enterprise at Pembrokeshire College. Mrs Philpin has over 25 years’ experience in running a commercial enterprise.

“This led to conversion of another stone barn to ‘The Retreat Hair & Beauty’ salon.  This was approved in 2018 and has been operating since 2019, and has been a very successful live / work premises utilising a redundant farm building.”

It went on to say: “The application proposal relates to a total of three barns that integrate into one building footprint. It is intended to reuse the barns and provide four short term holiday let units that will be run in conjunction with our client’s current Caravan Club site, situated immediately to the east of the barns.”

It was described as: “A sympathetic design that incorporates no change to the footprint or roof design and little change to the fenestration is the main theme of the design strategy.”

The scheme will be considered by park planners at a later date.

THE UK’s most widely grown oat, bred at Aberystwyth University, has scooped one of the industry’s most prestigious accolades.

The National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) has awarded its coveted Variety Cup to the winter oat Mascani describing it as an “exceptional variety” and praising “its unmatched quality and reliability”. 

Mascani was bred by researchers at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) and is marketed across the UK by Senova Ltd. 

The variety is extremely popular in the milling industry and is known for its consistent grain quality along with reliability in the field and resistance to crop disease.

The 2025 NIAB Variety Cup for Mascani was presented to Dr Catherine Howarth from IBERS and Alison Barrow from Senova Ltd at an awards ceremony at the 2025 Cereals event in Lincolnshire.

The Variety Cup acknowledges exceptional varieties that have made a major contribution to crop productivity through improved quality, disease resistance, grower return or commercial success, and can be drawn from the entire spectrum of horticultural, ornamental and agricultural crops.

Clare Leaman, Niab’s cereal specialist, said: “Despite the emergence of newer oat varieties boasting improved yield and agronomic traits, Mascani has maintained dominance in the industry due to its exceptional quality characteristics, which continue to meet the exacting standards of millers. Its success is testament to the unique dynamics of UK oat breeding programmes which often lead to varieties with remarkable longevity. Mascani’s sustained relevance highlights its unmatched quality and reliability, even in a competitive landscape, making it a prime contender for the Niab Variety Cup.”

Research on developing the Mascani oat began at IBERS thirty years ago and the variety was added to the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board’s (AHDB) list of recommended seeds in 2004.

Dr Catherine Howarth, oat breeding and research lead at IBERS in Aberystwyth University, said: “As a research team, we are incredibly proud to accept the Niab Variety Cup for Mascani. It’s a huge honour for all those who have been involved in the development of the variety – from the original cross in 1995 and subsequent years of selection to its release onto the market as a game changing variety. Its superb quality, yield and excellent milling consistency has made Mascani a favourite across the UK for growers, merchants and millers alike. Its continuing success is evidenced by its share of the UK winter oat market, which has been over 70% for the past 6 years. Oats offer clear benefits to human health, including lowering cholesterol as well as contributing to a more sustainable environment.”

Alison Barrow, Technical Marketing Manager at Senova Ltd, highlighted that, after 21 years on the AHDB Recommended List, the variety continues to stand the test of time and remains the top-selling winter oat variety, with over 70% of the UK winter oat market.

“We’re delighted with the recognition of Mascani’s status and reputation within the marketplace by Niab. Mascani’s success can be attributed to its combination of superior grain quality and performance in the mill, along with its reliability in the field and suitability for sustainable rotations. Appealing to both end users and farmers alike, the variety has spearheaded the increase in UK-wide oat plantings and boosted development work into alternative oat markets, as the health and nutritional benefits of oats have been recognised. As a result, we now see oats being eaten at different times of day to just the traditional breakfast occasion.”

Speaking at the Cereal awards ceremony, Niab Chief Executive Professor Mario Caccamo, said: “It takes an exceptional variety to win the Niab Variety Cup, or its sister Cereals Cup, with candidates reviewed annually by our crop specialists and agronomists. This year, we had several strong contenders for the Variety Cup, and it is incredibly rewarding to acknowledge Mascani’s long-standing contribution to the industry. Its success exemplifies the impact that superior crop varieties can have on productivity and grower returns.

“As Mascani’s legacy continues to inspire innovation in crop breeding, Niab reaffirms its commitment to recognising and fostering excellence in agriculture. The Niab Variety Cup remains a symbol of achievement and dedication, inspiring breeders to push the boundaries of plant breeding.”

Established in 1986, the Niab Variety Cup is not awarded annually and is only presented when the organisers decide there is an exceptional variety which deserves recognition. It has been won twice before by plant breeders at Aberystwyth – for the perennial ryegrasses Aberdart in 2003 and Abergreen in 2015.