Scrapie

paddysdream

Anyone get a letter re. the "new" scrapie targeted flock idea from the Dept?

Got one here last week stating as that I have to mark my next casualty(over 18 months of age) and tell the knackery its from a targeted flock.According to the letter they are picking out a certain percentage of flocks with more than 100 ewes and testing them for scrapie.
I actually bring "most" of my dead ewes to the knackery.Know its an avoidable expense but the few dockets are essential for inspections(Dept. and Bord Bia) and the cost involved is far outweighed by the risk to SFP Bord Bia status etc.
Reckon I am one of the few fools who actually goes with any number of sheep.

Assumed the scrapie monitoring was on going as actually brought a ewe to the knacker about a month ago and all the sheep there had heads removed .Asked and was told all were going for scrapie testing.
Between this,fallen animal charges and the deduction on ewes in the factor is scrapie turning into an ovine version of TB testing?.
Dept. aint too slow in thinking up new ways to justify their existence and their grasp of the reality of sheep farming is rather slim to say the least and that's from practical experience.

Know that the latest scrapie programme aint anything like the original one so its prob. best to avoid bringing a ewe that might actually test positive ie avoid older black ewes that show any of the signs.

ganmo

No letter here
I would of thought the dept would do more than a single letter to inform ya

Nekarsulm

Got that letter last Thursday.
As far as I know, scrape cannot be tested for in a live animal, only on Post Mortem?
Although, many years ago, Dept. arrived one day and took blood samples from a % of the ewes, can't remember now what it was for....

Arrow in the Knee

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Although, many years ago, Dept. arrived one day and took blood samples from a % of the ewes, can't remember now what it was for....

Probably Scrapie Genotyping
seeing if the animal was ARR, ARQ, ARH.

rangler1

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

Probably Scrapie Genotyping
seeing if the animal was ARR, ARQ, ARH.

The department do blood tests on a few flocks every year testing for brucella ovis and borders disease.....the country is free of those diseases but with the level of imports they have to keep it checked.
I also have to scrapie test some dead sheep here too....it's no hassle

sheepfarmer92

Got the letter here too, I don't think there will be much hassle with it, we'l just bring a ewe that got tetany or something obvious, a fella down the road got locked up with scrapie from the local knackery 4 or 5 years ago, he had just over 200 ewes and newborn lambs out that spring so they came one day and culled 70 ewes and lambs, don't think I could cope with losing a third of my flock like that to be honest, no matter what money they pay you

tabby aspreme

There testing from flocks of over 100 breeding ewes, brought in a ewe a few weeks back, was told it would be tested as the department were looking for ewes, still got the letter today so I doubt there cross checking there records much, did anyone get grey tags with a similar letter a few years back.

ganmo

Got the letter this mornin
Gonna be some crac if the knacker refuses to come and collect again

paddysdream

rangler1 wrote: »

The department do blood tests on a few flocks every year testing for brucella ovis and borders disease.....the country is free of those diseases but with the level of imports they have to keep it checked.
I also have to scrapie test some dead sheep here too....it's no hassle

Had a Dept. vet out here a few years ago doing blood tests for what he called "exotic" diseases.Done about 40 or 50 I think.All he was concerned about was that they were all tagged.Never seen a more useless article to take blood.Seemed like someone who had very little if any practical experience of animals.
As regards the scrapie testing;would have assumed that a percentage of fallen animals are tested although think its only at certain times of the year.Is not a certain percentage of ewes killed in factories not tested as well?
Would assume that its either an admission that not enough ewes are delivered to knackeries or the Dept are afraid of being pulled up on a vet inspection.Either way it looks very like an ass covering exercise.
Having one ewe tested ain't any hassle but thats hardly the point when I have paid for some to be tested in factory deductions plus definitely had one sent from the knackery last year as the guy working there told that all ewes delivered that particular week were being sent for testing.
Its more the worry of finding a positive one.Better keep a good eye on anything that looks like popping its clogs cause sending an elderly black ewe that has been failing for a while might not be the best idea.
Wouldn't have thought that scrapie was a major issue at the moment but I suppose any food scare ,however illogical it might be,would affect our export trade.

Lano Lynn

actually the older the ewe the less likely she has scrapie

Green farmer

+1
Got letter here as well. They seem to be focusing on flocks of 100 ewes or more

razor8

paddysdream wrote: »

Anyone get a letter re. the "new" scrapie targeted flock idea from the Dept?

Got one here last week stating as that I have to mark my next casualty(over 18 months of age) and tell the knackery its from a targeted flock.According to the letter they are picking out a certain percentage of flocks with more than 100 ewes and testing them for scrapie.
I actually bring "most" of my dead ewes to the knackery.Know its an avoidable expense but the few dockets are essential for inspections(Dept. and Bord Bia) and the cost involved is far outweighed by the risk to SFP Bord Bia status etc.
Reckon I am one of the few fools who actually goes with any number of sheep.

Assumed the scrapie monitoring was on going as actually brought a ewe to the knacker about a month ago and all the sheep there had heads removed .Asked and was told all were going for scrapie testing.
Between this,fallen animal charges and the deduction on ewes in the factor is scrapie turning into an ovine version of TB testing?.
Dept. aint too slow in thinking up new ways to justify their existence and their grasp of the reality of sheep farming is rather slim to say the least and that's from practical experience.

Know that the latest scrapie programme aint anything like the original one so its prob. best to avoid bringing a ewe that might actually test positive ie avoid older black ewes that show any of the signs.

I must of had the same guy about 10 years ago, never seen anything as bad, we had to stand the ewes on there back legs because he had a bad back. It took him 15mins to find the vein on some

Was tested again last year by a woman who was great at it, she did 20 in a few minutes

I got the same letter as the rest of ye and I got it last year as well

Jack180570

Got the letter a week ago and sent a ewe to the kanckery this morning...
What happens if she tests positive?