Originally from: mona parr
                        
EXTENSION TO TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR SCRAPIE SUSCEPTIBLE RARE BREED RAMS PARTICIPATING IN THE NATIONAL SCRAPIE PLAN

http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2004/040519a.htm

Defra and the Rural Affairs Departments of Scotland and Wales announced today an extension to the time limited arrangements which permit keepers of recognised rare breeds of sheep participating in the voluntary National Scrapie Plan (NSP) to put off, should they wish to do so, the required slaughter of their most TSE susceptible breeding rams. Following the results of an NSP \ RBST (Rare Breeds Survival Trust) genotype survey, Defra commissioned a further more detailed study to assist in the development of appropriate longer term breeding strategies for rare breeds and in particular how an EU wide requirement for the introduction of compulsory genotype based breeding programmes for TSE resistance in 2005 might be applied to our native rare breeds. This detailed analysis will not be ready before the current temporary arrangements under the NSP for scrapie susceptible rare breed rams expire at the end of July 2004. The Government will therefore continue to automatically accept 'appeals' under existing NSP Scheme rules against the slaughter requirement for TSE susceptible VRQ rams from keepers of recognised rare breeds. This arrangement will apply until decisions have been taken later this year, following public consultation, on how the EU rules for compulsory breeding programmes will be applied to rare breeds of sheep. In the meantime VRQ\VRQ rare breed rams benefiting from this extension are not to be permitted to breed as part of the NSP. Alternatively, keepers of rare breeds currently in the NSP can terminate their NSP contracts without penalty should they wish to do so.Since the National Scrapie Plan was launched in July 2001 about 935,000 sheep have been genotyped. So far, the NSP Administration Centre at Worcester has accepted around 10,000 members into NSP initiatives, of which around 1,700 are keepers of currently recognised rare breeds of sheep.  Notes for editors1 Scrapie is a fatal neurological disease of sheep. It has been present in the national flock for over 250 years, but is not considered to be transmissible to humans. There is a theoretical risk that BSE is present in sheep in the UK, masked as scrapie, although it has not been found occurring naturally. The National Scrapie Plan addresses the theoretical possibility of BSE being present in sheep.2 The National Scrapie Plan for Great Britain involves a voluntary, long-term programme of breeding for genetic resistance. It encourages participating flock owners to breed from and use scrapie resistant sheep.3 Under the current rules, those sheep genotyped and identified as carrying an unacceptable genotype (namely those sheep which carry the VRQ allele (genotype) are subject to a slaughter requirement to prevent the spread of their TSE susceptible genes. 4 Rare breeds for the purpose of the National Scrapie Plan are those recognised and categorised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST). 30 breeds of sheep are currently recognised by the RBST.5 The National Scrapie Plan Administration Centre (NSPAC) will be writing directly to keepers of rare breeds who are currently participating in the NSP to advise them of these temporary arrangements in due course.6 The National Scrapie Plan is kept under regular review, in the light of scientific and other developments.7 Results of the NSP/RBST survey were unveiled through a leaflet at the Royal Show last year. The leaflet is available from either the National Scrapie Plan Administration Centre (Tel:0845 601 485) or from the RBST (Tel: 024 7669 6551)