The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has urged farmers to be vigilant as the risk of bluetongue virus (BTV) has increased.
Ireland is currently deemed to be free of the exotic animal disease which is found in many European countries.
However, with winds currently coming from continental Europe there is a risk that biting midges, which may be carrying the disease, could arrive here from infected areas.
Any potential outbreak could have a very negative impact on the Irish livestock sector and animal welfare.
A confirmed case would result in the establishment of disease control zones of 150km radius being introduced with movement and export restrictions applied to animals originating from within these zones.
Bluetongue
BTV can affect all types of ruminant animals including cattle; sheep; goats; and deer, and camelids such as llamas and alpacas.
The disease does not affect humans nor does it impact on food safety.
The virus is transmitted by certain types of biting midges (Culicoides species), many of which are found throughout the island of Ireland.
Transmission occurs primarily when midges feed off the blood of an infected animal and then spread the virus to subsequent animals they bite.
In order to prevent infected midges entering the country, transport vehicles must have an insecticide applied to them before moving susceptible animals from bluetongue restricted regions.
The virus can also be spread through biological products such as blood, or germinal products such as semen or embryos.
Infected pregnant animals can potentially pass the virus onto their offspring in the womb, making these animals a particularly high-risk group for introducing the virus to Ireland.
Bluetongue is a notifiable disease, which means that any suspected cases must be reported without delay.
Farmers who suspect a case should contact their local regional veterinary office (RVO) or the national disease emergency hotline on 01 492-8026.