[Jacob-list] Voluntary Scrapie Program/Scrapie Tests

[Gary Tomas Fay]

Fred,

I saw the articles in the JSC journal, they seemed very good but I have not been
able to sit down and digest them fully yet! I am always impressed with the
quality of those articles!

Gary

Jacobflock at aol.com wrote:

> For more facts on Scrapie go to www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/scrapie or stop before
> the /vs and navigate around.  The site desribes scrapie, the Voluntary
> Scrapie Program, and the Interstate Movement Restrictions for Sheep and Goats.
>
> Before this goes too far, BOTH rams and ewes CAN get scrapie.  WOOL sheep can
> get scrapie.  It is a disease that can be transmitted ... and there seems to
> be a genetic susceptibility to it.
>
> The Voluntary Scrapie Program is not a TEST for scrapie; it is a program to
> monitor a source flock if scrapie is found.
>
> However, there are currently TWO "tests" for scrapie susceptibility: (1) the
> "third eyelid" test in Pullman Washington (Catherine ORourke is the expert on
> third eyelid tests),  I sent her a couple of eyelids and they didn't get
> there in usable condition. (2) DNA tests at codons 136, 154 and 171.
> GeneCheck in Ft.Collins checks codons as well as Genemark and Infogen.  Most
> North Americans check ony codon 171 for at least one R ... the code for the
> amino acid arginine.   The majority of tests are for Suffolk rams... for an R
> at 171... an indicator but not insurance.
>
> There have not been any confirmed tests of scrapie in Jacobs in the US.  The
> Jacob in England were tested at 136,154,171 and only 4 of the 47 tested did
> not carry at least one R at 171.  There is actually an absence of DOCUMENTED
> cases of scrapie in Jacobs in England but vets have "heard stories" of its
> occurance.
>
> Various breeds have varying susceptibility based on their genotype; but not
> all breeds have been DOCUMENTED for scrapie and its associated genotype.
>
> Because the Jacob is in some 'minds' a primitive breed it is thought to be
> disease  resistant and threrefore scrapie resistant.  The Soay genotype  (a
> primitive sheep) are  commonly ARQ/ARQ at codons 136, 154, and 171; and Q's
> (amino acid called glutimine) at codon 171 are supposed to be highly
> genetically susceptible.
>
> Fred Horak
>
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