I just checked for Oklahoma and they are not doing it. Would like for us to do an official genetics testing to help them with the state records. That would be through your vet who gets forms from the state only. I may do that after I get more details. The Vet was very helpful. Thanks for you info. I
-----Original Message----- From: Carol J. Elkins [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 11:45 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [blackbelly] free or low-cost genetic testing for scrapie resistance Several states have been awarded USDA grants to subsidize genetic testing for scrapie resistance. I know Colorado is one of the states because I just had three of my rams tested. I believe Nevada, Washington, and California have also been awarded monies, but you need to check with your State Veterinarian's office to find out. If your state has been funded for this program, it means that you only have to pay a minimal fee to have blood drawn from your rams and tested for Codon 171. This is the test to determine if your ram is resistant to scrapie. Here in Colorado the test will cost me $3.00 per ram and in all likelihood that fee will be waived. There is no known case of scrapie in hair sheep. It would seem silly to test for something that we already know our sheep carry the resistance for. However, we are beginning to see a strong market preference for sheep that can be shown (by testing) to carry the resistance. This is because one of the most effective ways to eradicate scrapie is to select for animals who carry the resistance. Since I'm pretty sure that all hair sheep are genetically resistant, and now I will be able to prove it with results from a test, my sheep will be more sought after by woolie sheep breeders looking for hair sheep to cross with their flock. I should be able to command a higher price in the breeding market for these animals. In addition, there may be opportunities to market your sheep to places such as Hawaii that are regulating the importation of sheep to only those animals who have been tested. Finally, the more hair sheep we add to the USDA genotype database, the stronger case we have to support our belief that all hair sheep are genetically resistant to scrapie. This program will run through the end of August. You can learn more about scrapie at http://www.animalagriculture.org/scrapie/Scrapie.htm and watch a very informative video at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/video/videofiles/goats.ram that will help you learn to identify the clinical symptoms of scrapie. Why should you bother learning how to identify a disease that your sheep don't carry? Here's why: if you purchase stock off a farm, or buy stock at an auction, your hair sheep may be housed with other breeds of woolie sheep that DO carry the disease. (Most prevalent are the black-faced sheep breeds.) You need to be able to identify the clinical signs of scrapie so that you know NOT to purchase sheep from that flock. Once the clinical signs of scrapie are evident, that sheep is guaranteed to die and in all likelihood, the flock it came from is infected, too. Finally, you all know that I am a long-time opponent to the scrapie tagging program and to the upcoming animal identification program. Nevertheless, the scrapie program is now the law and all sheep breeders are required to comply. If for no other reason, you need to obtain a flock ID and tag your animals for YOUR OWN PROTECTION. Under the law, if a scrapie-infected sheep is found in your flock and does not have a scrapie tag, you are considered to be the flock of origin for that sheep and will bear responsibility for the consequences. Therefore, it is very important that you REQUIRE the person who sells a sheep to you to affix THEIR flock ID tag in the animal's ear. That way, you can always point to someone else as being the actual flock of origin if that animal is ever diagnosed with scrapie. =============================================== This message is from the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep mailing list (http://www.awrittenword.com/listserv/index.html). To respond to this message, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly To search the archives, go to http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ =============================================== This message is from the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep mailing list (http://www.awrittenword.com/listserv/index.html). To respond to this message, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly To search the archives, go to http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
