Livestock owners in the UK today (Tuesday, October 13) were warned against buying, selling or swapping leftover bluetongue vaccines through social media platforms.

Enforcement officers from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) have urged livestock owners not to trade second-hand doses through "online marketplaces, social media platforms or private arrangements".

The government agency has also cautioned that the sale or transfer of surplus vaccine "presents significant risks to animal health".

"Once a product leaves the authorised supply chain, there can be no guarantee that it has been stored, handled or transported correctly, potentially affecting its quality, safety and effectiveness," officials said today.

Latest government figures show that there have been 3,338 cases of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) or unspecified serotype in the UK in the 2026 to 2027 bluetongue season.

Bluetongue vaccines

According to the VMD livestock owners have been taking action to vaccinate their animals against bluetongue and it is encouraging them to continue to do this.

But officials said that bluetongue vaccines are prescription-only veterinary medicines and are subject to strict legal controls.

"Animal owners cannot legally supply a veterinary medicine to another animal owner, even if that medicine has been prescribed by a veterinary surgeon for the recipient," they warned.

The VMD today said that livestock owners should in the first instance always discuss with their vet if bluetongue vaccination is the right option for their animals.

"If animal keepers are buying vaccines online, they should ensure they have a valid prescription from a vet and only purchase from a registered online retailer authorised to sell prescription-only veterinary medicines," officials stated.

The VMD has advised that further information on bluetongue vaccines is available on its website.