We are aware that some sheep producers are selling sheep with undesirable genotypes as 'NSP Tested'       Always insist on seeing an NSP Certificate when buying 'NSP Tested' sheep Remember that 'NSP Tested' does not necessarily mean NSP Certified as being more resistant to scrapie NSP tested rams with the VRQ allele are not permitted to be sold for breeding   DON'T TAKE ANY RISKS!    If you are unsure, you should contact the NSP Helpline with the sheep's Electonic Identification (EID) number for assistance.   NSP Helpline: 0845 601 4858   Calls charged at local rate   Website: www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/bse/othertses/scrapie/nsp/index.html

National Scrapie Plan Administration Centre (NSPAC)

CHECKING NSP BOLUSES AND CERTIFICATES

As membership of the NSP ram genotyping schemes has grown, an increasing proportion of the sheep presented at sales and shows will have been scrapie genotyped. The number of rams genotyped will continue to increase in the years ahead with the introduction of a compulsory breeding programme in 2005. An EID bolus has been administered to all sheep that have been genotyped in the NSP, other than ewes tested through the Ewe Genotyping Service in the winter of 2002/3. Certificates (NSP 4) showing the EID bolus number are issued for all rams with NSP types 1, 2 and 3 genotype results and for ewes with NSP types 1 and 2 genotype results.

When NSP certified sheep change ownership, section 4 of the Certificate should be completed and returned to NSPAC by the vendor and section 3 by the new owner. This will then allow for transfer of ownership to be recorded on the NSP database and a revised Certificate for the sheep to be issued with the new ownership details.

Entries to sales and shows that have been NSP genotyped should be checked. Owners should present NSP Certificates for entered sheep and the sheep should be scanned to check that the number of the bolus corresponds with that on the Certificate. Breed societies have been issued with scanners for this purpose.

Without this verification of identity and genotypes there are opportunities for mistaken recognition of identity at sales and shows, either accidentally or fraudulently, so this reminder of good practice will greatly reduce the risk of such mistakes occurring.

If you have any queries, please phone the NSP Helpline who will be happy to help you.

NSP Helpline: 0845 601 4858

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The Flock Register

As part of the National Scrapie Plans for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a new voluntary Flock Register (FR) is to be introduced in advance of the 2005 breeding season.

This new scheme derives from Commission Decision 2003/100/EC which requires the establishment of a framework to recognise the TSE resistant status of certain flocks of sheep. The EU legislation sets out two minimum levels of registration which are largely public health driven in that they aim to identify flocks producing lambs which carry at least one copy of the ARR allele. This is entirely consistent with the public health aims of the NSP but it does not take account of the significant variation in the frequency of resistant genotypes by breed or by sector and would therefore exclude a significant proportion of sheep flocks from the framework.

Following public consultation, UK Rural Affairs Departments have concluded that the register should include three additional categories of recognition so that the framework better represents the stratified sheep industry within Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In doing so, the register will offer all sections of the industry a 'base' entry point, relating to the genetic profile of individual flocks. It also provides a mechanism through which farmers can improve the status of their flocks category by category, as resistance levels progressively increase. In addition, a framework which goes further than the EU minimum requirements will enable farmers to make better informed decisions about the health status of flocks from which they are considering buying breeding stock and help to reinforce messages about buying animals from flocks with higher levels of resistance to scrapie.

Listed below are the 5 different categories in which flocks can be registered under the FR, with sheep in Category A being the most resistant. Flocks accepted on to the register will receive a 'Registration' document, each category will be identified by a different coloured document.

* Mandatory EU minimum

The register will be open to all flock owners, including those who are not eligible for the NSP/NSIP's Ram Genotyping Scheme (RGS). However all rams (and all ewes in the case of Category A) in flocks registered under the framework must have been genotype tested, electronically identified and certified through the NSP/NISP. For non NSP/NISP members including those in the cross bred and slaughter lamb sectors, this means that they must possess rams (and ewes in the case of Category A) that have been genotype tested and certified under the NSP/NISP.

To take part in the register, flock owners will have to complete an application form and membership will have to be renewed on an annual basis. All applications will be subject to validation checks and depending on the category that is applied for, a validation visit and/or an audit visit may be carried out immediately prior to tupping/following lambing. An owner can register more than one flock or a subset of a single flock (providing it is a distinct and separate breeding group), but each flock will require a separate application.

Details of all flocks accepted in the register in Great Britain will be available on the Defra website. Similarly, the details of participating flocks in Northern Ireland will also be available ont he website of the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development.

Application forms are available on request from our Helpline 0845 601 4858 (calls charged at local rate) and the NISP Admin Unit - telephone 028 9052 5275. Further information on the register is available on the NSP website at www.defra.gov.uk/nsp.

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Important Information

Breeding and sale restrictions on Type 3 rams no longer apply

The Government has announced its intention to introduce a compulsory ram genotyping scheme. As a consequence breeding and sale restrictions for Type 3 rams in NSP Ram Genotyping Scheme (RGS) registered flocks no longer apply, with immediate effect.

The genotype combinations below are the ones affected by these changes:

For more information on the NSP please contact:

NSP Helpline on: 0845 601 4858
(Calls charged at local rate; Open 8.30am - 5.00pm Monday - Friday)

or visit our website: www.defra.gov.uk/nsp

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