What's New?
If you have any questions, ideas or additions for the Scrapie program up to now or for the coming future please contact the Scrapie program co—ordinator. The Scrapie committee meets annually or upon any specific requests.
March 2007 Scrapie Canada Update
Canadian Sheep Industry Scrapie Genotyping Survey To Be Extended
Scrapie Canada has received confirmation from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada that the National Survey of Scrapie Genetics in Canadian Purebred Sheep has been extended to March 31, 2008, effective immediately.
Originally, the project was to be completed by November 30, 2006, however, due to slow producer uptake and other factors such as the continued effects of the BSE crisis, Scrapie Canada applied to AAFC to have the program extended.
Between March 21, 2007 and March 31, 2008, the project will carry on as it did before the original close date. Producers who wish to genotype their registered purebred sheep or their unregistered offspring of two registered purebred parents should submit blood samples or DNA ear tags to the five labs on the project. These include Vita-Tech (Markham, Ontario), Animal Health Laboratory (Guelph, Ontario), BovaCan Laboratory (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), Agricultural Genomics Lab (Nova Scotia Agricultural College), and TransBIOTech (Levis, Quebec). Lab contact information can be found on Scrapie Canada’s website at the following link:
http://www.scrapiecanada.ca/genotyping.html
Producers must also fill out the Scrapie Canada sample submission form, which is to be sent to the lab with the samples. Producers can obtain this form by contacting Scrapie Canada or by downloading it from the website at: http://www.scrapiecanada.ca/images/English/genotypesubmissionform.pdf
Please note: the sample submission form must be sent to the lab with the samples. If this is not done, producers will be charged the full price of the genotyping test (approximately $30/ sample depending on the lab).
Along with the sample submission form, producers must send a cheque or money order made out to the lab for $10.00 (plus tax)/ sample. A reimbursement of 70% of the cost of sampling, up to $6.00/ sample plus half of the cost of shipping will be offered to producers under the project. In order to obtain this reimbursement, producers must send a copy of their veterinarian invoice (and shipping invoice if separate) to Scrapie Canada. Samples completed after March 31, 2008 will not be eligible for project funding.
By genotype testing, it is possible to determine which animals are genetically resistant to scrapie and will pass that resistance on to their lambs. Through the National Genotyping Survey, sheep breeders are offered the opportunity to genotype registered sheep at a discounted rate. Targeting purebred animals will hopefully lead to an eventual increase in scrapie resistance of the entire national flock.
The National Survey is open to all producers of purebred sheep registered with the Canadian Sheep Breeders Association, the Canadian Katahdin Sheep Association, and the Canadian Finnsheep Breeders Association. Unregistered offspring of two registered purebred parents are also accepted on the project.
Any producer who is interested in the National Genotyping Survey should contact Courtney Denard at Scrapie Canada at 519-836-0043 or by e-mail at admin@scrapiecanada.ca.
What's New?
- Samples from all sheep registered with CLRC are now accepted.
- Reimbursement of $5 per sample for samples analyzed between June 2003 and June 2005 extended to include results on only one codon (previously required two codons) Animal registration number and copies of official lab are required.
- Members of the Manitoba Sheep Association have initiated a demonstration project using specially designed ear tags to collect tissue samples for genotype analysis. As the tissue sample is sealed in a tamper-proof container labeled with the same identification number as the animal tag, vets are not required for sample collection. Producers in other provinces who wish to use ear tags for sample collection should contact the Project Coordinator.
Scrapie Information & Facts
CFIA LOCATIONS
CFIA NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
59 Camelot Drive
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0Y9
PHONE: (613) 225-2342 / 1-800-442-2342
Fax: (613) 228-6601
ATLANTIC HEADQUARTERS
1081 Main St, PO Box 6088
Moncton, New Brunswick, E1C 8R2
PHONE: (506) 851-7400
Fax: Fax: (506) 851-2689
ONTARIO HEADQUARTERS
174 Stone Rd W
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 4S9
PHONE: (519) 837-9400
Fax: (519) 837-9766
QUEBEC HEADQUARTERS
Room 746-C - 2001 University St,
Montreal, Quebec, H3A 3N2
PHONE: (514) 283-8888
Fax: (514) 283-3143
WESTERN HEADQUARTERS
Room 654 - 220 4th Ave SE
Calgary, Alberta, T2G 4X3
PHONE: (403) 292-4301
Fax: (403) 292-5707
