| Scrapie Canada Updates
January 2006
A Look Back on the Year that was
for Scrapie Canada:
Where are we now?
As the New Year is upon us many
take time to reflect and look back on the year that
was. And in regards to the year that was for
Scrapie Canada, there is certainly a lot to look back
and reflect on.
Since January 2005, a mere three
hundred or so days ago, Scrapie Canada has officially
launched two new national programs- the Voluntary
Scrapie Flock Certification Program and the National
Survey of Scrapie Genetics in Canadian Purebred Sheep.
Although separate programs with differing objectives,
both are working towards the maintenance and eradication
of one of the most dangerous diseases impacting sheep
and goat producers world wide.
As for an update on the two programs
there is some good news and some bad. Let’s
start with the bad because it’s always nice
to finish off with a positive thought.
There has been a very low uptake
on behalf of producers joining the National Survey
project. Initially Scrapie Canada was accepting
36,000 samples into the database and to date there
has only been 1,299 samples submitted. Needless
to say, this is extremely lower than was expected
and that puts the project in danger of losing government
funding. In response to the low uptake, Scrapie
Canada has decreased the number of samples being accepted
to 31,000. We have also taken the time to inform
producers about the project through ads and articles
in various agricultural publications. Scrapie
Canada is hoping that by promoting the many benefits
of participating in the survey, we will get more farmers
on the project, while it is still available.
What needs to be known at this point
is basically, if we do not use it, we’re going
to lose it. So, if you are a purebred sheep
producers and you are planning on genotype testing
for scrapie resistance, take advantage of the funding
while it lasts.
Now for the good news. Participation
numbers on the Scrapie Flock Certification Program
(SFCP) are somewhat better than the national survey.
To date, there have been 11 sheep producers and 6
goat producers officially enrolled on the program.
There are also a number of producers who are one step
away from a status of official enrollment- wrapping
up the last minute details of the application process.
Since the program was opened up to a first come first
serve basis in December 2005, Scrapie Canada has received
numerous calls from producers who are right in the
middle of the application process and will be sending
their information in shortly.
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