National Scrapie Plan
In the autumn of 2001 Shearwell Data Ltd was awarded the DEFRA contract for the supply of ruminal bolus in connection with the National Scrapie Plan (NSP).
The aim of the NSP is to reduce and eventually eliminate scrapie from the national sheep flock. The NSP has been developed jointly by the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Departments for Great Britain as part of the Rural Development Plans for England and Wales and the Agricultural Strategy for Scotland.
The NSP is a voluntary, longterm initiative which will consist of three main elements
- a breeding programme to increase the genetic resistance of the national flock to scrapie
- a programme to help deal with scrapie affected flocks and
- a programme to monitor for scrapie within scheme flocks
Shearwell Data Ltd is providing the ruminal bolus individually packed with two barcode labels. These labels correspond to the unique number within the micochip and are placed, one on the vacutainer with the blood sample and the other on the corresponding paperwork. Appointed vets have been trained to bolus the sheep and to take the blood sample. This sample is then analysed to ascertain the genotype of the animal.
For more information go to:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/bse/othertses/scrapie/nsp/index.html