518/02
CALLS FOR SHEEP FARMERS TO TAKE PART IN FALLEN STOCK SURVEY FOR SCRAPIE
Defra is urging sheep farmers to take part in a fallen stock survey, which is required under EU TSE legislation.
Under the EU''s TSE regulations, the UK is required to test a total of 6,000 fallen stock by March 31, 2003. But to date, just under 1,500 sheep have been collected and tested. If this sampling rate continues, the UK will not be able to meet its EU requirement.
Defra has already written to a random selection of farmers to ask for their help in reporting any fallen stock (aged over 18 months and found to have died within the previous 24 hours).
But it is now asking all sheep farmers whose sheep die either on farm or during transport to phone their local Animal Health Divisional Office.
The AHDO will arrange for a random selection of offered sheep to be tested. If a carcase is accepted, the AHDO will arrange for it to be collected free of charge.
Sheep that are submitted as casualty slaughter for human consumption or are scrapie suspects are not eligible.
Notes to Editors
1 Under the EU TSE Regulations (999/2001), the UK is required to test for scrapie 60,000 sheep for human consumption, aged over 18 months, for scrapie and 6,000 fallen stock.
2 If a sheep tests positive for scrapie, the animal will be treated as any other new scrapie case. Staff from the AHDO will visit the farm to gather further information and discuss next steps. Sheep for breeding can only be exported to other EU member states if no cases of scrapie have been confirmed in the flock for three years before export.
3 All scrapie positive sheep are now being tested, as a precautionary measure, for indications of BSE, using molecular methods of strain typing.
4 Defra has written to 60,000 GB sheep farmers asking them to take part in the fallen stock survey.
Public enquiries 08459 335577 Press notices are available on our website www.defra.gov.uk
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