Preventing Scrapie

Have you ever or are you likely to send sheep or goats aboard? Foreign countries are wary of importing animals that might introduce scrapie to their native flocks. From the 1^st January 2015 new stricter rules will be introduced that replace the old scrapie monitoring scheme. In the past most pedigree flocks were blood tested and a bolus containing a microchip for identification was administered to adult sheep to determine their resistance to scrapie. By the time the scheme ended abruptly most flocks had scrapie resistant ewes carrying the ARR/ARR prion protein genotype and most rams of lesser status had been slaughtered or stopped breeding. Now the Scottish Agricultural College runs the Scrapie Monitoring Scheme and  owners are able to maintain their health status as long as they only buy in sheep that are monitored and have any suspect cases of scrapie fully investigated.

Monitoring Heads

There is an obligation to have a head of a sheep examined at a AHVLA Laboratory each year from an animal that has died on the farm if you are scrapie monitored. This has got more expensive over the years and for accurate results it needs to be done soon after the animal has died. Laboratories with post mortem facilities are few and far between now and do not open at week ends and Bank Holidays. Goats in the scrapie monitoring schemes are exempt from submitting a post mortem sample for monitoring as so few were ever sent in.

Different Categories

There are now two categories for flocks in the Scrapie Monitoring Scheme. Negligible Risk is for flocks that have complied with the Scheme rules for at least seven years.

Austria, Denmark Finland Sweden and some South American Countries will only take animals from farms that have been monitored for seven years or more. The other category is Controlled Risk farms that have been in the scheme for at least three years.

The new rules state that all fallen stock over eighteen months of age that die on the farm must be sent for a post mortem of their head to ensure they are free from scrapie. This requirement does not apply for animals that go into the food chain. It is by no means clear how this new requirement will be monitored.

Plan Ahead

Exporting breeding stock sounds complicated but it can be done without too many problems as long as you plan things well in advance. Many farms that are in the Scrapie monitoring Scheme never export animals but it is important that they retain their high health status as they could well sell breeding animals to farms that might like to export at some stage.

Were you flooded?

Hopefully things will start to dry up now as the growing season starts. We will remember this winter for the wet and the wind. The lack of frost means that worm and fluke larvae have been active for some time now and you can assume fields that were grazed last year will still be contaminated. AHLVA would like to contact farms that have had livestock affected by the floods, especially if there have been health problems or you have had problems with contaminated water. As far as I am aware nobody here has been affected in this way. Let me know if I am wrong about this.

Fluke and the Tuberculin Test

The University of Liverpool are undertaking a study concerning Tuberculosis and Fluke in Dairy Herds. Apparently initial studies have shown that herds will a significant fluke problem are less likely to react to the skin test when they have reactors in the herd. They would like to come and blood sample animals over eighteen months of age on the first day of the skin test and funding is available to compensate you for your time. Fortunately we are unable to help with the study at the moment as we do not have many farms with active tuberculosis. I can see why there might be a connection between fluke and the tuberculin test, but it would not be wise to leave fluke untreated to reduce your risk of having reactors.

Resistant Stock

Cattle with Tuberculosis have been a problem for some years now, but it is only recently that scientists in Scotland have started to identify that certain genetic traits can leave cattle resistant to the infection. This is by no means a solution to our Tuberculosis problem but it might help and it makes sense to stock farms in the higher risk areas with animals that are able to keep clear of the infection for as long as possible. This is probably only accelerating the natural tendency to breed from TB resistant cattle as on badly affected farms the susceptible ones will have succumbed to the disease and not had the opportunity to produce many heifer calves for future replacements.

Cull Results now Published

The first badger cull finished months ago so why it has taken so long for a panel of experts to decide that there were short comings on both the numbers killed and the humanity of the process is difficult to understand. Indications are that 58% of the expected numbers were shot in Somerset and just 30% in Gloucester. Presumably with the cost of the process said to be £4,200 for each badger dispatched, they used only the best marks men with the best equipment for the task so it casts shadows over what will happen this year and whether culling will be allowed in other areas. DEFRA have already asked for potential proposals to be drawn up for this year as the process takes such a long time there is a danger that the benefits from the reduction in badger numbers will be missed.

Missing Horse.

There have been renewed calls for the micro chipping of all horses to be made compulsory following the death of a horse in a road traffic accident in Surrey. At the moment all horses born after 1^st July 2009 have to be micro chipped but there is no compulsion on owners of older horses. Horses are not routinely scanned at the scene of road traffic accidents and some animals can be disposed of without the knowledge of their owners.

I can see no reason why anybody would not want to have their horse micro chipped as even older horses are stolen from fields sometimes. 

The New Vet

Fiona has now left to continue her career in companion animal practice which she is particularly interested in. We are very grateful for all the work that Fiona has done for us over the past five years. We have a new vet starting this month. Natalie Morris is a graduate of Liverpool University who has been working in a mixed practice in Lancashire. Natalie was brought up on a farm with Suckler cows and sheep near Clun. Her parents keep free range poultry as well now. We are pleased to be able to welcome her back to Shropshire and I am sure you will meet her soon

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