New Texas Scrapie Rules

[Ridgetop]

I just received a copy of the Proposed New Scrapie Rules for Texas from American Dorper Sheep Breeders Association. Please read this since if anyone wants to import any breeding ewes (registered or commercial) this will impact you. I know Baymule occasionally gets a new ram from Mike and Theresa, and I bring in sheep to add to my gene pool as well.

I sent in my opposition letter since many breeders outside Texas will not want to go through the economic expense of Codon testing all their breeding stock just to be able to sell/ship into Texas. This is going to mean that the genetic pool of sheep in Texas will be restricted. If anyone is interested in upgrading their sheep by importing from states outside Texas, they will only be able to buy Codon tested ewes or from "Texas Export Certified Flocks" registered with the state of Texas. It will also have an effect on sheep shows in Texas since most of the show animals competing in breeding shows are then sold at auction following placement in the shows.

The last case of scrapie in Texas was in 2016 - 8 years ago and the last case of scrapie in the entire U.S. was in 2019 in Pennsylvania. While Codon testing is a good thing, the incidence of scrapie is so low in the U.S. due to the accelerated scrapie program started in 2000, that this constitutes an unnecessary burden on sheep producers wishing to improve their breeding programs by importing better bloodlines into the state of Texas.

If anyone wants to oppose this, comments should be sent by July 14 to:
comments <comments@tahc.texas.gov>
Subject: Proposed Scrapie Rule change

I know this currently only affects those of us living in Texas that may want to buy ewes from another state, but it will also affect persons relocating into the state with ewes. The new Proposed Rule does not apply to rams at this stage.

Critical Change to Texas' Importation of Breeding Sheep - Please read and comment or contact Karla for additional information. karla@dorpersheep.org.​

Comment NOW​

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has proposed a significant amendment to the entry requirements for sheep, as it pertains to scrapies. There is an open comment timeframe from now until JULY 14, 2024. This change requires that all female breeding sheep and crossbred female breeding sheep originate from an Export Certified Flock or have documentation supporting that the animals are of the genotype RR at codon 171 or AA at codon 136 and QR at codon 171. This ruling affects Texas breeders when importing breeding ewes, but it also affects the ENTIRE SHEEP INDUSTRY as it prevents breeders from outside the state to sell breeding ewes into TX without meeting the requirements stated above. This will require seedstock producers who sell to Texas to become certified free or to perform genetic testing on each animal. The economic impact on the sheep industry will be substantial and this must be stopped before it gains momentum. We know you are all busy, but this is a threat to our livelihood and our industry. Please take a moment to comment before July 14. Comments may be submitted to Amanda Bernhard, Texas Animal Health Commission by mail at 2105 Kramer Lane, Austin, Texas 78758 or by email to comments@tahc.texas.gov. We are asking that ALL members of the American Dorper Sheep Breeders' Society actively challenge this amendment by using the following talking points. The proposed amendment cannot be passed. We have to act now. The following talking points are endorsed by the Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers Association. I have been in communication with the TSGRA and with other sheep registries. This is a coordinated effort. TALKING POINTS Oppose the proposed Scrapie Rule change. An accelerated scrapie eradication was initiated in the early 2000’s at the request of the sheep industry. The program has accomplished its objectives and has for practical purposes been eradicated from the US. The US has not had a classical case of scrapie for 5 years (case in Pennsylvania in 2019) and the last case of scrapie in Texas occurred in 2016. it was in a Southdown in north Texas that this regulation change would not have prevented. The last case of scrapie in Texas was in 2016. The revised rule is not necessary and will impose a significant cost on Texas producers. It will severely restrict the availability of superior breeding stock available to Texas producers. Current Texas import regulations requiring genotype testing on BF sheep are among some of the most restrictive in the Western Sheep states. Wyoming is similar to ours in requiring genotype testing on blackface but not whiteface. However, Wyoming Wool Growers are considering petitioning their animal health division to remove their blackface genotype requirement. Most other states (Montana, Idaho, Utah, Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, California, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Indiana do not require genotype testing. When the program began, a higher prevalence of classical scrapie cases were identified in the blackface breeds. In fact, I believe there has only been a couple of cases of classical scrapie identified in purebred wool whiteface breeds. Initially, these data were used to support additional surveillance and genotype testing requirements for those breeds and their crosses. Because of the higher prevalence of scrapie in blackface breeds of sheep, genotype testing has been a priority for those breeders. The prevalence of classical scrapie has not increased in whiteface wool breeds of sheep but has decreased substantially in blackface breeds and their crosses to the point that the prevalence of scrapie in the US sheep flock is basically too small to measure. These data support the reduction of genotype testing requirements rather than expanding them.

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[secuono]

I'm not seeing any problem at all. Just have breeder test and any RR sheep can go into Texas. Or am I not understanding this?

 

[SageHill]

I just received a copy of the Proposed New Scrapie Rules for Texas from American Dorper Sheep Breeders Association. Please read this since if anyone wants to import any breeding ewes (registered or commercial) this will impact you. I know Baymule occasionally gets a new ram from Mike and Theresa, and I bring in sheep to add to my gene pool as well.

I sent in my opposition letter since many breeders outside Texas will not want to go through the economic expense of Codon testing all their breeding stock just to be able to sell/ship into Texas. This is going to mean that the genetic pool of sheep in Texas will be restricted. If anyone is interested in upgrading their sheep by importing from states outside Texas, they will only be able to buy Codon tested ewes or from "Texas Export Certified Flocks" registered with the state of Texas. It will also have an effect on sheep shows in Texas since most of the show animals competing in breeding shows are then sold at auction following placement in the shows.

The last case of scrapie in Texas was in 2016 - 8 years ago and the last case of scrapie in the entire U.S. was in 2019 in Pennsylvania. While Codon testing is a good thing, the incidence of scrapie is so low in the U.S. due to the accelerated scrapie program started in 2000, that this constitutes an unnecessary burden on sheep producers wishing to improve their breeding programs by importing better bloodlines into the state of Texas.

If anyone wants to oppose this, comments should be sent by July 14 to:
comments <comments@tahc.texas.gov>
Subject: Proposed Scrapie Rule change

I know this currently only affects those of us living in Texas that may want to buy ewes from another state, but it will also affect persons relocating into the state with ewes. The new Proposed Rule does not apply to rams at this stage.

​ Critical Change to Texas' Importation of Breeding Sheep - Please read and comment or contact Karla for additional information. karla@dorpersheep.org.​

​ Comment NOW​

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has proposed a significant amendment to the entry requirements for sheep, as it pertains to scrapies. There is an open comment timeframe from now until JULY 14, 2024. This change requires that all female breeding sheep and crossbred female breeding sheep originate from an Export Certified Flock or have documentation supporting that the animals are of the genotype RR at codon 171 or AA at codon 136 and QR at codon 171. This ruling affects Texas breeders when importing breeding ewes, but it also affects the ENTIRE SHEEP INDUSTRY as it prevents breeders from outside the state to sell breeding ewes into TX without meeting the requirements stated above. This will require seedstock producers who sell to Texas to become certified free or to perform genetic testing on each animal. The economic impact on the sheep industry will be substantial and this must be stopped before it gains momentum. We know you are all busy, but this is a threat to our livelihood and our industry. Please take a moment to comment before July 14. Comments may be submitted to Amanda Bernhard, Texas Animal Health Commission by mail at 2105 Kramer Lane, Austin, Texas 78758 or by email to comments@tahc.texas.gov. We are asking that ALL members of the American Dorper Sheep Breeders' Society actively challenge this amendment by using the following talking points. The proposed amendment cannot be passed. We have to act now. The following talking points are endorsed by the Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers Association. I have been in communication with the TSGRA and with other sheep registries. This is a coordinated effort. TALKING POINTS Oppose the proposed Scrapie Rule change.​ An accelerated scrapie eradication was initiated in the early 2000’s at the request of the sheep industry. The program has accomplished its objectives and has for practical purposes been eradicated from the US. The US has not had a classical case of scrapie for 5 years (case in Pennsylvania in 2019) and the last case of scrapie in Texas occurred in 2016. it was in a Southdown in north Texas that this regulation change would not have prevented. ​ The last case of scrapie in Texas was in 2016. The revised rule is not necessary and will impose a significant cost on Texas producers. It will severely restrict the availability of superior breeding stock available to Texas producers. ​ Current Texas import regulations requiring genotype testing on BF sheep are among some of the most restrictive in the Western Sheep states. Wyoming is similar to ours in requiring genotype testing on blackface but not whiteface. However, Wyoming Wool Growers are considering petitioning their animal health division to remove their blackface genotype requirement. Most other states (Montana, Idaho, Utah, Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, California, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Indiana do not require genotype testing. ​ When the program began, a higher prevalence of classical scrapie cases were identified in the blackface breeds. In fact, I believe there has only been a couple of cases of classical scrapie identified in purebred wool whiteface breeds. Initially, these data were used to support additional surveillance and genotype testing requirements for those breeds and their crosses. Because of the higher prevalence of scrapie in blackface breeds of sheep, genotype testing has been a priority for those breeders. The prevalence of classical scrapie has not increased in whiteface wool breeds of sheep but has decreased substantially in blackface breeds and their crosses to the point that the prevalence of scrapie in the US sheep flock is basically too small to measure. These data support the reduction of genotype testing requirements rather than expanding them.

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Texas will be the state others states watch. I would not be surprised if /when other states follow.

 

[Baymule]

Most Katahdin producers do test Codon 171. I don’t know about other breeds. We don’t need to make it difficult to bring in new genetics.

 

[StandingOakHomestead]

What is the cost per test with the second panel added in the instance of QR sheep? The USDA says $11.50 per test. If you include in your lambing protocol it’s not extra vet fees.

Sadly our state isn’t the best when it comes to anything prion related… Getting ahead early and breeding with increased focus on the Codon 171 isn’t exactly a bad idea.

 

[Skiesblue]

Nanny State strikes again. Gubberment stay out of my business.