The deputy chief vet added: “Private vets are well placed to recognise signs of the diseases, and this change will mean farmers can get a diagnosis more quickly.
“Vaccination is the best tool available to help protect susceptible livestock, so I absolutely continue to urge farmers to speak to their vet about vaccinating their herd or flock.”
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it had set up a new online system allowing vets to report confirmed cases.
It said the changes would “mean fewer straightforward cases need to wait for laboratory results, giving farmers an answer sooner and helping them take quicker action to protect livestock”.
National Farmers Union vice-president Robyn Munt said the changes should help farmers get answers “more quickly”.
“However, as private vets take on greater responsibility for diagnosing and reporting bluetongue cases, it’s vital that the burden of disease control is not disproportionately shifted on to veterinary practices,” she said.
“It is also essential that rapid escalation and testing processes remain in place where clinical signs could indicate another notifiable disease, so that any emerging threats are identified and dealt with quickly.”
