APHIS FACTSHEET 
                      Veterinary Services 
                                
Voluntary Scrapie        United States Department of Agriculture 
Flock Certification   Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
Program                                                 July 1998

History 
Since 1952, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the sheep industry have made
numerous attempts to eradicate scrapie through various programs. The purpose of all previous
USDA programs was to identify scrapie and eradicate it. That approach changed with the
implementation of the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program on October 1, 1992. 

This program is a voluntary, cooperative effort among producers, allied industry representatives, 
accredited veterinarians, State animal health officials, and USDAs Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS). The program provides participating producers with the opportunity
to protect their sheep from scrapie and to enhance the marketability of their animals through
certifying their origin in scrapie-free flocks. In addition, APHIS regulations restrict the 
interstate movement of sheep from scrapie-infected and source flocks. 

The program was modified in October 1997 to make it more practical for producers. This
factsheet describes the new Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program. 

Program Purpose and Benefits 
The intent of the program is to monitor flocks over a period of 5 years or more to identify flocks
that are free of scrapie. Because there is no validated live-animal test for this disease and scrapie
has a long incubation period, a flock is considered free of the disease if no sheep have been
diagnosed with scrapie and there is no clinical evidence of it over a period of time. The longer a
flock is enrolled and following the requirements of the program, the more likely the sheep in the
flock are free of scrapie. 

The economic value of animals in enrolled flocks increases the longer they are in the program,
especially once the flock is certified. Animals from certified flocks are a valuable source for
replacement of breeding animals in other flocks.

The program receives producer input at the national and State levels through the National 
Oversight Committee and the State Certification Board. These groups include producers,
accredited veterinarians, allied industry representatives, State animal health officials, and APHIS
officials. 

Sign Up! 
All flock owners may apply to enter the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program by
contacting the APHIS Veterinary Services office for their area. The State Certification Board
reviews applications and approves or disapproves admission to the program. 
The application package includes 
  A list of animals in the flock, including breed, gender, and official program identification
(tattoo, microchip, or APHIS-approved, tamper-resistant ear tag); 
  A statement by the flock's accredited veterinarian declaring the flock free of scrapie; and 
  An inspection report authorized by a State or Federal regulatory official verifying official
identification and other application information. 

Program Requirements
When participating in the program, flock owners must: 
  Agree to immediately report scrapie-suspect animals to the proper animal health official. 
  Officially identify all animals within a flock that are 1 year of age or older. Animals less than 1
year old must be identified whenever a change of ownership occurs, except for those in slaughter
channels.
  Maintain required records as specified by the program. Owners must account for all
acquisitions, departures, births, and deaths. Records must be retained for a minimum of 5 years
after an animal dies or is removed from the flock.
  Allow breed associations and registries, livestock markets, and packers to disclose records to
APHIS and/or State animal health officials and State Scrapie Certification Board members. 
  Provide necessary facilities and personnel to assist in inspections, including: 
       checking animals for official identification and signs of scrapie, and 
       checking records for completeness and accuracy. 
  Submit to an official laboratory tissues from scrapie-suspect animals and from animals
suspected of having other neurologic or chronic, debilitating illnesses. 
  Report to the State Certification Board acquisitions of sheep from flocks with lower status or
from flocks not participating in the program.
 
Program Categories 
Complete Monitored Category 
This category means that a flock is approved to participate in the program. Flocks in this category 
have either enrolled or certified status. Complete Monitored Enrolled Flock   When a flock
enters the program, it is assigned enrolled status, becoming a "complete monitored enrolled 
flock."  These flocks are assigned an enrollment date (the date the State Certification Board
approves admission to the program) and a status date. The status date is the best risk indicator for
scrapie in an enrolled flock. Initially, the status date is the same as the enrollment date and will
be maintained if a flock continues to meet program requirements. However, if a flock acquires
animals or commingles with animals that do not meet the program standards, the status date
changes to reflect the date of this occurrence. The older the date, the longer the flock has 
been meeting program standards.

Rams may be acquired from any flock (other than source or infected flocks), including those not 
enrolled in the program. Presently, there is no scientific evidence that supports rams as a risk for 
spreading scrapie. However, producers increase the risk that scrapie will be diagnosed in their
flock when purchasing rams from nonenrolled flocks.

Ewes have been found to spread the disease. Therefore, to maintain scrapie-free status, flock 
owners may obtain ewes only from other enrolled flocks with an equal or older status date.
Owners acquiring ewes from flocks not participating in the program or from flocks of lower
scrapie status will have their flock's status date adjusted to reflect the addition of the lowest
category animal. 

Complete Monitored Certified Flock   When an enrolled flock has met program standards for 
5 consecutive years, it advances to certified status. Sheep from these flocks are unlikely to be
infected with scrapie. Flocks in this status may be augmented with rams from other certified
flocks or enrolled flocks. However, APHIS recommends that producers consider the risk of
scrapie infection when purchasing rams from lesser status flocks. Ewes may be purchased 
only from other certified flocks.

Both enrolled and certified flocks are inspected annually by State or Federal regulatory
personnel. Flocks of both statuses also may loan out rams for breeding without jeopardizing their
status date. The ram must reside in the program flock other than for breeding purposes and
cannot be with ewes 30 days prior to and 60 days following lambing. 

Selective Monitored Category 
Selective Monitored Category is open to any flock and was designed for slaughter lamb
producers to allow for scrapie surveillance in large production flocks. Only male animals over 1
year of age must be officially identified. Producers agree to submit for scrapie diagnosis animals
that are culled from the flock or that die. (The number of animals to submit per year depends on
the flock size.) Additionally, an accredited veterinarian must inspect all cull ewes for clinical
signs of scrapie prior to slaughter. Selective status is maintained indefinitely, as long as the flock 
meets the category requirements.

Epidemiologic Investigations 
If scrapie is diagnosed in a flock in any program category, animal health officials will conduct an 
epidemiologic investigation. The investigation will identify and trace back the source of the
disease and identify exposed animals. These officials will work with the flock owner to develop
and implement a flock plan. The flock plan will include depopulation of high risk animals,
reduction of risk associated with spread of infection, and facility cleanup and disinfection.
 
Exhibition and Transportation Guidelines 
The program standards also give guidelines for reducing the risk of scrapie exposure when sheep
are at shows or are being transported. Guidelines include separating enrolled sheep from
nonenrolled sheep by a vacant pen, barn alley, or solid barrier sufficient to prevent physical
contact. Limited contact in show rings minimizes the risk of disease transmission. Enrolled sheep
should not commingle with lambing ewes at exhibits or sales. 

Additional Information 
     For more information about the Voluntary Scrapie 
     Flock Certification Program, contact 
     USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services 
     National Animal Health Programs 
     4700 River Road, Unit 43 
     Riverdale, MD 207371231 
     Telephone (301) 7346954 
     Fax (301) 7347964 

Current information on enrolled, certified, source,  and infected flocks is also available 24 a day
hours every day through a toll-free automated telephone voice response service at (800)
545USDA (8732). To reach APHIS' scrapie information on the World Wide Web, point your
Web browser to http://www.aphis.usda.gov and type the word "scrapie" (minus the quotation
marks) in the search engine. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and
activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political
beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of
program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET
Center at (202) 7202600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office  of Civil Rights, Room
326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 202509410
or call (202) 7205964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.