The Sheep and Goat Health Schemes give producers in Britain the opportunity to prevent the spread of:
These voluntary schemes offer members national recognition by awarding certificates of health status following successful flock/herd testing programmes. These schemes are run by the Veterinary Science Division of SAC and overseen by a board of directors including representatives from the industry and breed societies. SAC's aim is to raise the health status of the national flock in partnership with veterinary surgeons and their clients.
A national survey conducted recently by SAC found that 2 in every 1000 sheep and 5 in 1000 goats tested were found to be infected with this slow acting virus. The disease was detected in a wide range of breeds and crosses across the country.
The majority of members in the MV accreditation scheme are pedigree breeders who sell quality, healthy breeding stock at premium prices. This scheme is actively supported by top breed societies who encourage health scheme membership in order to safeguard the reputation of the breed on a national scale. Breed societies will often only permit MV accredited stock to be sold at breed society sales. MV accreditation is necessary for exportation to countries which are free of the disease. An identical scheme exists for goats to prevent CAE. Sheep and goats are treated in the same way and are covered by the same rules.
To become MV accredited all animals over 12 months of age must pass 2 qualifying blood tests between 6 and 12 months apart. The veterinary surgeon must be able to certify that the holding where the animals are kept can comply with the rules and conditions of the scheme. Once MV accredited a proportion of the flock is blood tested regularly and the member is issued with certificates of status for selling or moving scheme sheep. Members of this scheme must be able to keep their sheep isolated from non MV-accredited animals. A national network of inspectors monitors shows and sales which are licensed to provide space for MV/CAE accredited sheep and goats.
Members pay an annual membership fee according to flock/herd size. When the routine blood test is due the farm veterinary surgeon will collect blood samples and send them off to one of SAC's testing centres. The member is directly invoiced by their vet. SAC charge laboratory fees at a discounted rate for members (see also Quick Reference Guide).
This scheme was designed recently for producers with larger commercial flocks. It is suitable for flockmasters who are unable to totally isolate their sheep. Flockmasters of 'closed' flocks can check that their flock is not infected while flockmasters of 'open' flocks can monitor incoming animals. While this scheme does not have equal status to MV accreditation, it helps provide a source of tested animals in the national flock. It is used by some members who already have an MV accredited flock and who would like to monitor the commercial flock as part of their disease prevention programme.
A flock can become MV monitored when it passes one qualifying test. A proportion of the flock is then blood tested every 2 years.
A basic membership fee is based on flock size and is levied by SAC every second year at the time of testing. Discounted charges are applied to members who participate in another SGHS scheme (see also Quick Reference Guide).
EAE accreditation scheme (Premium Health Scheme)
As EAE ranks as one of the most common causes of abortion in sheep in the UK, this scheme provides a vital role by supplying the market with replacement females free of EAE. Buyers that have 'clean' flocks can continue to have them 'clean' by purchasing EAE accredited replacements. Buyers that have EAE infected flocks can buy in and vaccinate 'clean' replacements in an effort to control and eliminate the disease.
There are currently 2000 members representing over one million sheep that are certified free from the disease. Members annually blood test a proportion of their flock within 3 months of lambing. Barren and aborted ewes are blood tested and abortion material is examined. Certificates of EAE supervised status indicates that the flock has been monitored for one year and EAE accreditation status indicates that the flock has been monitored for at least 2 years without evidence of the disease being found.
Members pay an annual membership fee which includes laboratory fees and allows for the examination of abortion material at the nearest VI centre. Scheme members who are part of Sheep Health Associations are offered discount rates. Blood samples are collected by the local vet (see also Quick Reference Guide).
The scrapie gene test can be carried out on blood or semen. The test shows whether an individual sheep is inherently susceptible and whether it will pass on scrapie susceptibility or resistance to its offspring. SAC offers four forms of scrapie gene test depending on the breed of sheep in question (see also Quick Reference Guide).
Further information is available from:
Sheep and Goat Health Schemes
PO Box 5557
Inverness IV2 4YT
Tel: 01463 226995 Fax: 01463 711103 e-mail: s.masson@ed.sac.ac.uk