[Jacob-list] certified scrapie free

[ARTHUR PARTRIDGE]

Sometimes when I have to go to WSU Vet Teaching Hospital with a sheep I ask
them to prepare a blood sample to send to get analyzed for scrapie
resistance.  They draw the blood sample and prepare the vial for shipping. 
They give me the sample and mailing box and tell me that it is easier and
cheaper to mail it myself.  The sample is sent to a lab in Colorado.  They
send back a paper that gives the results.  All sheep tested so far have the
resistant codons. I don't remember the exact information.  It is handy to
have the papers if someone asks me about the sheep.  I don't remember the
lab name in Colorado, maybe there are other places to send the samples.  I
don't use the ear tags because they get caught on the brush and rip out,
splitting the sheep ears.  I just keep the paper work handy to show people
that some have been tested.  Maybe having the paper work on hand will
prevent my entire herd from being rounded up and then slaughtered out of an
unfounded fear of scrapie. 

Cathy
Moscow, Idaho