Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccination
Information on BTV-3 vaccines for keepers and vets, including rules for reporting vaccinations and keeping records.
You must report your use of the BTV-3 vaccine. It is against the law to use the vaccine without reporting it.
There are 3 bluetongue serotype (BTV-3) vaccines authorised for use in the UK:
- Bluevac-3
- BULTAVO 3
- Syvazul BTV 3
Guidance for keepers
Deciding whether to vaccinate
Work with your vet to determine if bluetongue vaccination is right for your animals.
You can also check the Battle Bluetongue campaign for more information on deciding whether to vaccinate your animals.
Administering vaccines
A vet must prescribe BTV-3 vaccines.
As the animal keeper, you can administer the vaccine to your animals.
You should use safe practice, based on the code of practice on the responsible use of animal medicines on the farm.
Reporting vaccinations and keeping records
In England, Wales and Scotland you must:
- keep a record of every animal you vaccinate – the information you need to record is on the general licence for England, general licence for Wales or declaration for Scotland
- keep these records for at least 5 years
- report vaccinations within 48 hours – providing details including the individual animal IDs and vaccine you use
In Northern Ireland you must:
- apply for a specific licence to obtain Bluetongue vaccines (DAERA)
- report vaccinations to DAERA within 5 working days of vaccinating
Guidance for vets
The UK, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland Chief Veterinary Officers ask all vets to record BTV-3 vaccine use and inform relevant authorities of any adverse effects.
Veterinarians should read the relevant advisory note for their country before prescribing any BTV-3 vaccine.
Read the:
- advisory note for England
- advisory note for Wales
- advisory note for Scotland
- advisory note for Northern Ireland
Vets in England, Scotland and Wales should notify Defra within 7 days of prescribing the vaccine using the prescription of the BTV-3 vaccine reporting form.
Vets in Northern Ireland should record BTV-3 vaccine use each month and return the completed record to their local DAERA Direct Office.
Market authorisation
Marketing authorisations for BTV-3 vaccines (Bluevac-3, BULTAVO 3 and Syvazul) have been granted for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Transition period for unauthorised vaccines
Unauthorised vaccines that were imported under permit before October 2025 into Great Britain (31 December 2025 for Northern Ireland) can continue to be used, providing:
a) the licence or declaration conditions are met
b) the vaccine has not exceeded its expiry date
c) the vaccine was purchased on the Great Britain or Northern Ireland markets
Bluevac-3 suspension for injection for sheep and cattle
The marketing authorisation for the Bluevac-3 vaccine is held by CZ Veterinaria S.A. It has marketing authorisations for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
This vaccine is for the active immunisation of:
- sheep - to reduce the viraemia, mortality and clinical signs caused by the serotype 3 of the bluetongue virus
- cattle - to reduce the viraemia against the serotype 3 of the bluetongue virus
Find the summary of product characteristics (SPC) for the authorised Bluevac-3 product:
- for Great Britain - on the VMD’s Product Information Database (PID)
- for Northern Ireland - on the European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s Union Product database
Find information on unauthorised Bluevac-3 vaccine that was imported under permit before October 2025 into Great Britain (31 December 2025 for Northern Ireland):
- summary of product characteristics for Bluevac-3 BTV-3 vaccine in the UK
- permit for use of Bluevac-3 bluetongue serotype 3 vaccine in the UK
BULTAVO 3 suspension for injection for sheep and cattle
The marketing authorisation for the BULTAVO 3 vaccine is held by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Limited. It has marketing authorisations for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
This vaccine is for the active immunisation of:
- sheep - to reduce viraemia and to prevent clinical signs caused by BTV-3
- cattle - to prevent viraemia and to prevent clinical signs caused by BTV-3
Find the summary of product characteristics (SPC) for the authorised BULTAVO 3 product on the VMD’s Product Information Database (PID).
Find information on unauthorised BULTAVO 3 vaccine that was imported under permit before October 2025 into Great Britain (31 December 2025 for Northern Ireland):
- summary of product characteristics for BULTAVO 3 vaccine in the UK
- permit for use of BULTAVO 3 vaccine vaccine in the UK
Syvazul - BTV 3 suspension for injection for sheep and cattle
The marketing authorisation for the Syvazul vaccine is held by Laboratorios SYVA S.A.U. It has marketing authorisations for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
This vaccine is for the active immunisation of:
- sheep - to reduce viraemia, mortality, clinical signs and lesions caused by bluetongue serotype 3
- cattle - to reduce viraemia caused by bluetongue virus serotype 3
Find the summary of product characteristics (SPC) for the authorised Syvazul BTV 3 product:
- for Great Britain - on the VMD’s Product Information Database
- for Northern Ireland - on the European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s Union Product database
Find information on unauthorised Syvazul BTV 3 vaccine that was imported under permit before October 2025 into Great Britain (31 December 2025 for Northern Ireland):
- summary of product characteristics for Syvazul BTV 3 vaccine in the UK
- permit for use of Syvazul BTV 3 bluetongue serotype 3 vaccine in the UK
Bluetongue testing
You should not test vaccinated animals within 7 days of vaccination. Any sample taken less than 7 days after vaccination could lead to false positive results.
Read more about bluetongue testing.
Updates to this page
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We've moved some guidance from other GOV.UK pages onto this page.
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You can use these vaccines in Northern Ireland: updated guidance to include the rules you must follow.
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Information has been updated about the transition period for permitted vaccines. Unauthorised BTV-3 vaccines permitted for use subject to licence or declaration can be imported in Northern Ireland under a permit until 31 December 2025. They can continue to be used under permit until they reach their expiry date, as long as they were purchased on the Great Britain and Northern Ireland markets.
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First published.