Fertility testing involves inspecting ram semen under a microscope, assessing its viability, external by examining the number, mobility and morphology of the sperm.
Sanders-Carr said he bought rams from his neighbour to breed his ewes and sourced others from Yorkshire and Inverness in Scotland – ones that were “as far away as possible from bluetongue”.
Government figures, external up to 5 October show Devon had the highest number of cases in this year’s outbreak with 1,108 sites with bluetongue, and 316 locations in Cornwall with bluetongue.
Vet Ashley Rubens from the Moorgate Veterinary Group which has practices on the eastern side of Dartmoor has been monitoring the impact of bluetongue on fertility over two days of testing 150 rams.
He said the fertility of all the rams he tested which were vaccinated before this year’s outbreak started was unaffected, with only half of those fertile which were vaccinated during the outbreak and none of those which had contracted the illness fertile.
“It will be at least a few months before they recover,” he said and that would be too late for this year’s tupping, or breeding season.