[Jacob-list] certified scrapie free

[Betty Berlenbach]

Thanks, Karen, that makes great sense!  
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: BIDEWEE at aol.com 
  To: lambfarm at tds.net ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 1:05 PM
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] certified scrapie free


  Hi Betty,
  In theory, the longest it would take for signs/symptoms of scrape to appear in live animals is 5 years.  The current theory for transmission is that scrapie is passed from mother to lambs via birth fluids.  Apparently it's also possible for other animals housed in the same area to be infected from the birth fluids.  

  When you're enrolled In the voluntary scrapie program, a state vet comes out once a year to inspect your flock for signs of scrapie.  Enrolled flocks must provide the USDA with annual records (complete with names and contact info) of all incoming and outgoing sheep.  In addition, all farm born animals over 18 months must be tagged and added to the flock 'inventory' and cause of death must be provided for all deceased animals.  

  To be certified in the voluntary program, a flock must go 5 years without signs/symptoms of scrapie appearing in the flock and without adding any non-certified, unknown or suspect animals.  Rams don't affect status since scrapie isn't apparently transmitted through semen.  Ewes can be added from certified flocks without affecting status, but if they're added from un-enrolled or enrolled (but not yet certified) flocks, the flock will revert back to the status of the flock the ewe came from.  Example, we enrolled in the voluntary program in 2001 then bought our Huntsberger sheep in 2003 so our status reverted back to year 1 since the Huntsberger sheep weren't on the voluntary program.  Our flock was certified in 2008 because we hadn't added any ewes from non-certified flocks in the ensuing 5 years.  

  Obviously a live animal test would be more precise but until an affordable, effective live animal test becomes widely available, this is the system the USDA uses to consider a flock to be scrapie free.

  Hope that makes sense,
  Karen Lobb
  bide a wee farm
  www.bideaweefarm.com


  In a message dated 7/20/2010 9:15:14 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, jacob-list-request at jacobsheep.com writes:
    If the only way you can tell if a sheep has scrapie is through examing its brain when it's dead, how can a flock be certified scrapie free?  I'm just curious as to the process.  I know that the mandatory scrapie program simply has people record who got sold to whom and keep records, in case, when randomly checking for scrapie, they come across a sheep that has it and can then, track it back.  But I'm not entirely sure how the voluntary program works in such a way that it can certify a flock scrapie-free?  All explanations welcome
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