Guidance

Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccination

Information on BTV-3 vaccines including permits and licences.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Published
4 September 2024
Last updated
31 July 2025 — See all updates

There are 3 bluetongue serotype (BTV-3) vaccines that can be used in Great Britain. These are:

  • Bluevac-3
  • Bultavo 3
  • SYVAZUL BTV 3

Where you can use BTV-3 vaccines

In England, you can use the Bluevac-3, Bultavo 3 or SYVAZUL BTV 3 vaccines, as long as you comply with the conditions of the general licence for England including reporting vaccination activity.

In Scotland, you can use the Bluevac-3, Bultavo 3 or SYVAZUL BTV 3 vaccines, as long as you comply with the declaration including reporting vaccination activity.

In Wales, you can use the Bluevac-3, Bultavo 3 or SYVAZUL BTV 3 vaccines, as long as you comply with the conditions of the general licence for Wales including reporting vaccination activity.

In Northern Ireland, you can use the Bluevac-3, Bultavo 3 or SYVAZUL BTV 3 vaccines, as long as you apply for a specific licence for Northern Ireland and report vaccination activity.

Advisory note 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:

Market authorisation 

These vaccines were authorised under exceptional circumstances and therefore assessments were based on customised requirements for documentation.

Transition period for permitted vaccines

Marketing authorisations for BTV-3 vaccines have been granted for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Unauthorised BTV-3 vaccines permitted for use subject to licence or declaration can:

  • be imported into Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) under a permit until October 2025

  • be imported into Northern Ireland under a permit until 31 December 2025

  • 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

You can use authorised vaccines as soon as they are available.

Bluevac-3 suspension for injection for sheep and cattle

Permitted Bluevac-3 product information

For the permitted Bluevac-3 product for use during the transition period, you can view the:

Authorised Bluevac-3 product information

The marketing authorisation for this vaccine is held by CZ Veterinaria S.A.

This vaccine has marketing authorisations for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and 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

The summary of product characteristics (SPC) for the authorised Bluevac-3 product is available on the VMD’s Product Information Database (PID).

Bultavo 3 suspension for injection for sheep and cattle

Permitted Bultavo 3 product information

For the permitted Bultavo 3 product for use during the transition period, you can view the:

Authorised Bultavo 3 product information

The marketing authorisation for this vaccine is held by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Limited.

This vaccine has marketing authorisations for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and 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

The summary of product characteristics (SPC) for the authorised Bultavo 3 product is available on the VMD’s Product Information Database (PID) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s Union Product database.

SYVAZUL BTV 3 suspension for injection for sheep and cattle

Permitted Syvazul product information 

For the permitted Syvazul product for use during the transition period, you can view the:  

Authorised Syvazul product information

The marketing authorisation for this vaccine is held by Laboratorios SYVA S.A.U.

This vaccine has marketing authorisations for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Great Britain authorised product 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

The summary of product characteristics (SPC) for the GB-authorised SYVAZUL BTV 3 is available on the VMD’s Product Information Database.

SYVAZUL BTV 3 is authorised throughout the EU and according to the Windsor Framework could be marketed in Northern Ireland, for the active immunisation of sheep to reduce viraemia, mortality, clinical signs and lesions caused by bluetongue serotype 3.

The summary of product characteristics (SPC) for the EU-authorised SYVAZUL BTV 3 is available on the VMD’s Product Information Database and the European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s Union Product database.

Movement controls and trade restrictions

All trade restrictions still apply to vaccinated animals. You should not test vaccinated animals as part of a pre-movement test in bluetongue zones until 7 days after their vaccination. This will prevent interference with BTV-3 monitoring.

Updates to this page

Published 4 September 2024
Last updated 31 July 2025 show all updates

  1. You can use these vaccines in Northern Ireland: updated guidance to include the rules you must follow.

  2. 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.

  3. First published.

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