Scrapie confirmed at quarantined sheep farm
April 27, 2012: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed
the presence of scrapie in a quarantined sheep flock in Eastern Ontario. The
disease was confirmed in a sheep that recently died on the farm.
Scrapie is a fatal disease that affects sheep and goats. While there is no
human health risk associated with scrapie, it has serious impacts on sheep and
the CFIA aims to eradicate it from Canada. Canada’s approach to confirmed or
suspected cases of scrapie is based on internationally accepted science and
seeks to minimize disruptions to producers.
The farm was placed under quarantine because a sheep that originated from
the farm had previously tested positive for scrapie. In early April, 31 sheep
were removed from the farm in violation of the quarantine order. The Ontario
Provincial Police is leading the investigation into the missing sheep.
The missing sheep pose a serious risk for scrapie and could spread the
disease to other sheep and goats. Any premises that receive them will be subject
to a quarantine and further regulatory action.
Quarantine breaches put the livestock industry and the economy at risk.
Any person who breaches a quarantine may be subject to criminal prosecution
under the Health of Animals Act.
For more information on scrapie
call 1-800-442-2342 visit www.inspection.gc.ca
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
20120402 - Breach of quarantine/Violation de la mise en quarantaine of an
ongoing Scrapie investigation
Increased Atypical Scrapie Detections
Press reports indicate that increased surveillance is catching what
otherwise would have been unreported findings of atypical scrapie in sheep. In
2009, five new cases have been reported in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and
Saskatchewan. With the exception of Quebec, all cases have been diagnosed as
being the atypical form found in older animals. Canada encourages producers to
join its voluntary surveillance program in order to gain scrapie-free status.
The World Animal Health will not classify Canada as scrapie-free until no new
cases are reported for seven years. The Canadian Sheep Federation is calling on
the government to fund a wider surveillance program in order to establish the
level of prevalence prior to setting an eradication date. Besides long-term
testing, industry is calling for a compensation program for farmers who report
unusual deaths in their flocks.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Atypical Scrapie NOR-98 confirmed Alberta Canada sheep January 2012
Monday, November 30, 2009
USDA AND OIE COLLABORATE TO EXCLUDE ATYPICAL SCRAPIE NOR-98 ANIMAL HEALTH
CODE
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
IN CONFIDENCE
SCRAPIE TRANSMISSION TO CHIMPANZEES
IN CONFIDENCE
Sunday, April 18, 2010
SCRAPIE AND ATYPICAL SCRAPIE TRANSMISSION STUDIES A REVIEW 2010
Monday, April 25, 2011
Experimental Oral Transmission of Atypical Scrapie to Sheep
Volume 17, Number 5-May 2011
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Selection of Distinct Strain Phenotypes in Mice Infected by Ovine Natural
Scrapie Isolates Similar to CH1641 Experimental Scrapie
Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology:
February 2012 - Volume 71 - Issue 2 - p 140–147
IN 5 years, atypical Nor-98 Scrapie has spread from coast to coast in the
USA. ...TSS
Thursday, March 29, 2012
atypical Nor-98 Scrapie has spread from coast to coast in the USA 2012
NIAA Annual Conference April 11-14, 2011San Antonio, Texas
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Update from USDA Regarding a Detection of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
(BSE) in the United States WASHINGTON bulletin at 04/26/2012 10:11 PM EDT
Monday, April 23, 2012
BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY BSE CJD TSE PRION DISEASE UPDATE CANADA
2012
layperson
Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
P.O. Box 42
Bacliff, Texas USA 77518
My main goal in this ongoing Shropshire saga has been for Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz to implement a Heritage Breed Exemption to the current Scrapie Protocol, which would protect and conserve the genetic diversity of all rare heritage breeds in Canada, not just the Shropshires.
ReplyDeleteStill no evidence that the original positive found on an Alberta farm was a sheep that originated on my farm. CFIA's DNA lab report (which I have not seen despite requests) has only proven that two offspring born on the Alberta farm were out of a sheep there. But for the sake of (no) argument, let's say it was indeed the same sheep that originated on my farm. Experts agree that that sheep 24S could have contracted the disease after it left my farm, which has a history of no scrapie nor symptoms for the entire 12 years since my flocks existence.
I believe in controlling scrapie, however I also believe in preserving rare heritage genetics. I've been open to co-operating with Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to discover if scrapie does indeed lie somewhere within my flock, but with a considered approach in view of it's rare breed status. I even proposed sacrificing more than half my beloved flock towards finding out http://shropshiresheep.org/2012/04/03/lost-sheep/ . They refused. Perhaps had CFIA and I worked together, the sheep might not have been taken by Farmers' Peace Corps {http://shropshiresheep.org/2012/04/04/on-the-lam-cbcs-as-it-happens/} .
CFIA now claims that a different sheep just tested positive on my farm. Numerous facts suggest that test result could be a 'mistake', for the following reasons:
1) There were no scrapie symptoms in the alleged positive the day before it died, when the CFIA veterinarian heading the case confirmed it was likely ill due to pregnancy toxemia.
2) The alleged positive was over 6 years old. Scrapie commonly affects sheep between 2 and 3 years old, rarely after 5 years old. {http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3864753?uid=3739448&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=47698971872807}
3) Scrapie is generally transmitted from an infected scrapie positive mother to it's offspring via birthing fluids. Yet the 13-year old pregnant mother of the alleged positive was healthy (until CFIA killed her). She tested negative for scrapie. {http://shropshiresheep.org/2012/04/28/cfia-raids-farm-to-seize-and-kill-9-shropshire-sheep/ }
4) The alleged positive was not one of CFIA's specified high risk genetic cohorts, it was a VRQ/ARQ.
5) CFIA and Jones are engaged in judicial review currently before the courts. CFIA needed a positive to counter that review, and did not have one prior to their alleged positive.
6) A false government document certified that some of Jones' sheep were "contaminated by scrapie", 20 days BEFORE the samples were even shipped to the testing lab.{http://shropshiresheep.org/2012/05/01/shepherd-obtains-false-government-document/}
7) CFIA refuses blind third-party testing. Why not have the DNA and obex brain tissue speak for themselves?
This issue is about shining a bright light on all questionable, intransigent government tactics and draconian protocol, especially those that are devastating Canada's dwindling heritage breeds.
~ from the shepherd