SheepGirl's Journal - Photos of the sheep 4/25

[Bridgemoof]

How do you become eligible for a scrapies premise sight ID SheepGirl? Do they have to do an inspection or something? Is that now part of the number you put on their ear tag or something?

As you can see I know nothing about those ear tags except for to use them as names when I have no name...as in "Hey Number 26, when are you going to have your baby?"

 

[SheepGirl]

lol. I registered for the Mandatory Scrapie Eradication Program. Basically scrapie is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (I hope I spelled that right lol), and it's the sheep form of mad cow disease. The U.S. wants to eradicate it from our flocks so the U.S. can be a scrapie-free flock. I think Australia and NZ are the only countries that are scrapie free...though there may be others.

To register (scrapie tags are different than flock/farm tags), you can all 866-USDA-TAG and they will get your name, address, phone number, ask you what species you have (sheep and/or goat), and how many you have. Then they will send you the amount of tags you need for free. (Or you can order from a tag supplier, but it costs money.) Whenever you move a sheep off their farm of origin, they are required to have a scrapie tag in their ear so they can be traced back to their breeder. That way if they are diagnosed with scrapie on the rail or on the hoof, they can be traced back to their breeder, who likely will have scrapie in their flock. I believe all those animals are tested for scrapie (if the live test is available now) and/or genotyped for scrapie resistance...and then all genetically susceptible animals are destroyed.

I believe you only need an inspection (by your state vet) if you are in the Voluntary Scrapie Eradication Program.

 

[Bridgemoof]

ok thanks Sheep girl. So in essence, the id number does not prove your flock is scrapies free, it just gives a form of tracing back to you in case scrapies shows up, did I get that right? If i got my sheep from someplace else and they do not have tags, then the scrapies trace would stop at me if I put the ear tags on, right?

So can a vet do a test to make sure your sheep don't have scrapies?

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

ok thanks Sheep girl. So in essence, the id number does not prove your flock is scrapies free, it just gives a form of tracing back to you in case scrapies shows up, did I get that right? If i got my sheep from someplace else and they do not have tags, then the scrapies trace would stop at me if I put the ear tags on, right?

So can a vet do a test to make sure your sheep don't have scrapies?

You do not need to be tested for Scrapie. If it ever shows up then they will trace it back to the origin by the Scrapie number. Then they will test your sheep or goats for Scrapie and if positive then they will be destroyed. If after a few years of producing Scrapie free animals then you are declared Scrapie free.

They put the Scrapie program in because there were many many sheep and goats with Scrapie and they wanted to get rid of it so that's where it came about.

If you are selling goats or sheep from your farm you must have a Scrapie ear tag with your farm ID, if not you are breaking the law. It is required by law.

 

[SheepGirl]

Yes, it is essentially a way to trace back to the farm of origin. If you got your sheep and they do not have a scrapie ear tag, then tag the sheep with one of your tags and write down the date, the seller's information, and the breed, and you can prove that the animal didn't originate at your place if it develops scrapie.

I don't think a vet can (unless it's your state vet and/or the live test is available now)....they can diagnose a scrapie-suspect animal based on its symptoms and they will probably advise to destroy the animal and have its head/brain sent off to your state lab.

 

[Bridgemoof]

All makes sense now, thanks to both of you! I definitely will tag my sheep. We have gotten a lot that don't have tags, but I think I could track them down. Maybe not to whomever bred them, but to the last owners. Although, Tim did take some animals to the livestock auction and he said they just put a tag on their ear there. I guess that identified that they came from us so they could track scrapies back to us if it came up.

I'm going to call the USDA like you did Sheepgirl and get FREE ones

 

[SheepGirl]

Mine are coming in the mail

 

[Southern by choice]

Just got off the phone with my state livestock agent that's with the USDA!!! My tags are on order too!
Probably sounds ridiculous, but I feel like I accomplished something.

Yep, I'm a dork!
Glad for the people on this forum!

 

[SheepGirl]

 

[Bridgemoof]

I just got off the phone TOO! I now have a Flock ID number and will have the tags in about 10 days.

Isn't it great SheepGirl that you got 2 more clueless shepherdesses converted to the Scrapies Eradication Program.