Scrapie Canada Update April 2008

National Genotyping Survey Extended Until December 16, 2008

April 1, 2008 - GUELPH - Scrapie Canada has received confirmation from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada that the National Survey of Scrapie Genetics in Canadian Purebred Sheep has been extended to December 16, 2008, effective immediately. 

Originally, the project was to be completed by November 30, 2006, however, due to slow producer uptake and other factors such as the continued effects of the BSE crisis, Scrapie Canada applied to AAFC to have the program extended.

Between April 1, 2008 and December 16, 2008, producers who wish to genotype their registered purebred sheep or their unregistered offspring of two registered purebred parents should submit blood samples or DNA ear tags to the following labs:  Vita-Tech (Markham, Ontario), Animal Health Laboratory (Guelph, Ontario), BovaCan Laboratory (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) and TransBIOTech (Levis, Quebec).  Lab contact information can be found on Scrapie Canada’s website at the following link:
http://www.scrapiecanada.ca/genotyping.html

Producers must also fill out the National Genotyping Survey sample submission form, which is to be sent to the lab with the samples.  Producers can obtain this form by contacting Scrapie Canada or by downloading it from the website at:
http://www.scrapiecanada.ca/images/English/genotypesubmissionform.pdf 

Please note: the sample submission form must be sent to the lab with the samples.  If this is not done, producers will be charged the full price of the genotyping test (approximately $30/ sample, depending on the lab). 

Along with the sample submission form, producers must send a cheque or money order made out to the lab for $10.00 (plus tax)/ sample.  A reimbursement of 70% of the cost of sampling, up to $6.00/ sample, plus half of the cost of shipping will be offered to producers under the project.  In order to obtain this reimbursement, producers must send a copy of their veterinarian invoice (and shipping invoice if separate) to Scrapie Canada.  Samples completed after December 16, 2008 will not be eligible for project funding. 

By genotype testing, it is possible to determine which animals are genetically resistant to scrapie and will pass that resistance onto their lambs.  Through the National Genotyping Survey, sheep breeders are offered the opportunity to genotype registered sheep at a discounted rate. Targeting purebred animals will hopefully lead to an eventual increase in scrapie resistance of the entire national flock. 

The National Genotyping Survey is open to all producers of purebred sheep registered with the Canadian Sheep Breeders Association, the Canadian Katahdin Sheep Association, and the Canadian Finnsheep Breeders Association.  Unregistered offspring of two registered purebred parents are also accepted on the project.
Any producer who is interested in the National Genotyping Survey should contact Courtney Denard at Scrapie Canada at 1-866-534-1302 or by e-mail at admin@scrapiecanada.ca.