What is Scrapie? Certification Scrapie Genotyping Government Programs Whats New? Associated Links

Scrapie Canada

Throughout the spring of 2005, the Canadian Sheep Breeders' Association, the Canadian Sheep Federation, and the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency laid the foundations for two national scrapie projects (The Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Progam and The National Survey of Scrapie Genetics in Canadian Purebred Sheep). The projects, funded by the Advancing Canadian Agriculture Agri-Food Program, were designed to reduce the prevalence of scrapie in Canada by encouraging indivdual producers to take steps to control this disease in their flocks and herds.

Given the recent focus on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in livestock industries and with scrapie control programs in place in other countries, these projects represent an important step forward in maintaining and developing markets for Canadian sheep and lamb, well as goats.

In May of 2005, financial agreements were made with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to secure funding and by the summer of that same year, both fledging projects were offically underway.

The Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program

Although program information was available and a few producers sent in applications for the program in early 2005, many important aspects of the program were not in development until later spring of that year, including:

-Hiring of a Project Coordinator in April 2005.

-Developing a database for tracking inventories of participating flocks and herds.

-Establishing laboratory services, which initially evolved into an agreement with the Animal Health Laboratory in Guelph, Ontario in June 2005 to analyze brain tissue samples from Ontario flocks and herds. An agreement with the Agri-Food Systems Branch (Food Safety Division) of Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development was signed in October 2005. Also, an agreement with Prairie Diagnostic Services Inc. in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan was met in November of 2005. These agreements are reviewed annually.

-Developing a verification protocol detalining how the industry will manage and document the day-to-day operation of the program. Industry is responsible for program management, including issuing participant certificates. The verification protocol is the blueprint for gathering documentation on the operations of the program, which is reportable to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on an annual basis. The protocol also helps ensure that producers are dealt with in a timely and consistent manner.

With these important aspects of the program completed, or nearing completion, provincial sheep associations and the Canadian National Goat Federation put forward names of producers who were interested in joining the pilot project. In June and July 2005, application packages were mailed to 39 producers across the country.

 

Clinical Signs of Scrapie
One or more of the following clinical signs may be present in affected animals. It is important to note that not all sheep or goats show all the signs of scrapie. Sometimes these signs can be so subtle that they are missed or misdiagnosed until they have progressed.
 

• Weight loss, despite retention of appetite
• Behavioural changes
• Itching and rubbing
• Wool Pulling
• Biting at limbs or side
• Bunny–hop movement of the rear limbs
• Swaying of hips and hind limbs
• Increased sensitivity to noise and movement
• Tremor
• Down, unable to stand

Although the pilot project aspect of this program completed on March 31, 2009, sheep and goat producers can still enroll on the program. Results of the pilot project will be released in the summer of 2009.

For more information on the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification program, please click on the following link:

Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program Information

National Survey of Scrapie Genetics in Canadian Purebred Sheep

Also known as the National Genotyping Survey, this project got underway in early summer 2005. In June 2005, agreements were reached with five laboratories from across the country to analyze blood samples. In late June and July of the same year, invitation letters were mailed to over 900 purebred sheep producers nationwide, informing them of the opportunity to get involved with the project.

By mid-July 2005, blood samples were beginning to be received by the participating laboratories. As samples are received they are forwarded to the national database being developed by the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC), in Truro, Nova Scotia. Scrapie Canada is currently working with NSAC to develop an extension program to interpret genotype results and help producers use the genotype information when making breeding decisions. This database can be accessed by going to https://genenovas.ca/public/index1.html.

Sample collection was ongoing until December 16, 2008 and the project officially came to an end on March 31, 2009. In total, about 9,300 Canadian purebred sheep were genotype tested through this project. These results were added to the national genotyping database established by the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Also in this database are genotyping test results from other various provincial genotyping projects.

As of March 31, 2009, the total number of farms and sheep with genotypes in the database was 18,966 sheep from 496 farms.  This is broken down by:

Alberta: 5,245 sheep on 71 farms
Ontario: 4,302 sheep on 116 farms
British Columbia: 2,728sheep on 110 farms
Nova Scotia: 2,529 sheep on 44 farms
Quebec: 2,430 sheep on 93 farms
Saskatchewan: 864 sheep on 30 farms
Manitoba: 596 sheep on 18 farms
New Brunswick: 166 sheep on 9 farms
Prince Edward Island: 106 sheep on 5 farms. 

The number of sheep whose genotypes were predicted from the above information is 1,311, making the total number of genotyped sheep in the database 20,277.

The numbers and percentages of Canadian sheep by resistance class are currently:

R1 = most resistant = 4,836 sheep (24%)
R2 = resistant = 7,970 sheep (40%)
R3 = have little resistance = 5,300 (26%)
R4 = susceptible = 1,027 (5%)
R5 = highly susceptible = 975 (5%). 

More information on the final results of the National Genotyping Survey will be released in the summer of 2009.

Industry Wide Benefits

Other countries, including the USA and Great Britain, are already working to reduce the incidence of scrapie and eventually eradicate it from their flocks. In order to remain competitive and maintain market access, it is in Canada's best interest to increase resistance to scrapie so that it does not become a trade barrier in the future.

Currently in Canada, flocks and herds which have been exposed to scrapie may be destroyed. This is a devastating situation for a producer which represents much more than just a financial loss. Additionally, this is an animal welfare concern and a cost to the government for compensation programs.

By pro–actively working to increase the resistance of the Canadian flock and herd to scrapie, it will be possible to decrease the negative impacts of this disease.

Contact Information

Scrapie Canada
130 Malcolm Road
Guelph, Ontario
N1K 1B1
Toll-free: 1-866-534-1302
Phone: 519-372-9030
Fax: 519-372-9261
E-mail: admin@scrapiecanada.ca

Partners

Funding Provided by:

 

Scrapie Canada would like to thank the following project partners:

Canadian Sheep Breeders Association

Ontario Sheep
Marketing Agency

Nova Scotia Agricultural College


Canadian Sheep Federation