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Collaborative project: Insecticide-treated nets for controlling vector-borne diseases of veterinary relevance – Subproject 4

Project


Project code: 2813302407
Contract period: 18.03.2009 - 28.02.2011
Budget: 36,776 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development

Insects play an important role as vectors of various diseases, which have become increasingly relevant during recent years. These diseases not only have an important impact on health of man and livestock but also result in considerable economic losses in livestock industries. The infection with the virus of bluetongue (serotype VIII) serves as an example. Bluetongue was for the first time detected during 2006 in vast regions of central and northern Europe, affecting domestic ruminants and leading to serious economic losses. Indigenous biting midges (Culicoides spp.) were considered as putative vectors. At the onset of the BT outbreak no registered vaccines were available within EU. Therefore, the emphasis of how to best deal with a further spread of the disease was put on control measures against the putative vectors. Little was known about biology and ecology of biting midges at the level of all relevant public departments. Recommendations to stall valuable livestock or their repeated treatment with pyrethroids only produced mitigating results. The joint project was launched against this background, based on further development and use of insecticide-treated net fences to protect valuable stud animals and heifers. The project's objective was to assess the efficacy of this approach against biting midges and nuisance insects. The refined net fences, which were developed during this project phase, resulted in an effective and durable (at least 12 months) persistence of the fence. This was also confirmed through quantitative analyses and bio-assays. The reduction of nuisance insects led to significant improvements of productivity in dairy cows. Further analyses of milk, meat, soil, ground water and dung allowed concluding that there was no risk - neither for the environment nor the consumer, when this technique is applied.

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Subjects

Excutive institution

Rökona Textilwerk GmbH

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