It’s hoped that the bluetongue disease will be less severe in Ireland than it has been in other parts of Europe.
Avril Hobson is Senior Superintending Veterinary Inspector of the National Disease Control Centre.
She says that initially, there were significant mortalities reported when the virus first hit the Netherlands, but the impact has been less severe as the virus moved westwards across the UK.
Avril Hobson says while there are unknowns, the evidence is that it should be the same case in Ireland.
Speaking on Radio Kerry's Agritime, she says what we probably will see here is production losses - like milk yield drop or fertility losses in dairy animals and weak calves and lambs.
Meanwhile, there are calls for financial assistance to help farmers with the cost of bluetongue vaccines.
West Kerry sheep farmer John Joe Fitzgerald, who’s the Vice President of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association, says the cost is expensive for farmers who have many animals.
