Over the last thirty years I have followed the research into this devastating disease because, during my shepherding career, I have observed it in neighbouring flocks.
I have at first welcomed these Government proposals to eradicate this disease with enthusiasm and have observed flocks respond to the introduction of ARR/ARR genotype rams and these flocks going six years without a scrapie incident. But it does not always work.
The question therefore is, why does this breeding with ARR/ARR not always remove scrapie from a flock?
I have recently had the opportunity to discuss scrapie with several scientists who have been involved with scrapie research. They have revealed that, over the last three years, thirty-eight atypical cases of scrapie have been identified. Twelve have been found in ARR/ARR sheep but VRQ show resistance to this strain. The more ARR/ARR sheep we have, the more incidence we will have of this strain of scrapie.
The Government was informed at an early stage that no one genotype would convey resistance to all scrapie strains and there is evidence that some farms suffer from more than one strain of scrapie. Moreover, does resistance to scrapie mean that the animal is clean of the disease or is a carrier of the disease but does not incubate it or pass the infection on? DEFRA is now researching these points but has not got the answer - YET.
With reference to the different strains of scrapie, it is becoming known that other genotypes give resistance to various types of scrapie. We need, therefore, all our genotypes to combat this disease, not just one with all the others stored in test tubes. Some breed societies already recognise this and pay more for non-ARR/ARR rams. But does DEFRA know which genotype is resistant to which scrapie? NOT YET.
The quality and stamina of ARR/ARR sheep invariably does not match up to the quality of sheep with other genotypes and I have spoken to breeders of many different types of sheep and, without exception, they confirm that which I have observed, namely it is invariably the best sheep that are not ARR/ARR and they have had to slaughter these better sheep under DEFRA rules. These non-ARR/ARR sheep have better conformation, greater sparkle and presence, and, above all, have greater stamina and growth rate. We require stamina even in our lowland flocks, just as much as in our hill flocks, because they are subject to greater grazing density and wet cold rain is friend to neither man nor beast. Does DEFRA know which of these genotypes conveys which hereditary trait? NOT YET. We are in danger of losing three hundred years of good breeding. No sheep should be culled unless the flock has scrapie and only then the correct genotype culled.
Why does an ARR/ARR ram or an ARR/ARR ewe not always produce ARR/ARR progeny? In fact, the lambs' genotype can bear little relationship to its parents' genotype and some have three sets of genes. DEFRA's explanation of this, I feel, is a bit imaginative.
DEFRA's description: "Scrapie is a fatal degenerative disorder of the central nervous system and is known to occur naturally in sheep and goats. The disease is caused when normal host protein called the prion protein (PrP) is converted into an abnormal form (PrPSc), which accumulates in the host brain. This accumulation causes a number of pathological changes in the animal's brain and it is these changes that are used to diagnose the disease post-mortem. At present there is no workable test that can be performed on flocks or herds of live animals to diagnose the disease and there is no known cure or vaccine."
The scientist who was working on a live test has had his funding withdrawn - WHY?
The scrapie causal agent has not been isolated but is very resistent to heat, formalin and UV light but, if the causal agent is not a mysterious pathogen but an external physical agent, this could be the reason for it not being destroyed by heat, formalin and UV light.
The disease is probably transmitted prenatally as well as laterally in lambing pens and fields, although the exact mechanism is NOT YET known, but I have been informed by researchers in Edinburgh that it is most probably transmitted via the tonsils and the placenta.
Certain factors are believed by some scientists to create transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE, i.e. BSE, scrapie and CJD, etc.). Hot spots occur throughout the world in regions where there is an imbalance between copper and manganese and possibly other metals, because it has been proven that the diseased prion protein stops combining copper (Cu) and substitutes manganese (Mn) instead, thereby starting a chain reaction.
Other researchers have revealed evidence that organophosphates used in sheep dips, cattle warble fly insecticides and shampoos for human hair lice all have a direct link with the development of TSEs.
Since 1998 Norway has been finding scrapie-positive sheep with prions and brain changes unlike normal scrapie. The EU monitoring programme that started in 2002 has found that 20 per cent of the sheep and goats that test positive for scrapie also have unusual prions and that sheep with resistant genes cannot now be guaranteed free of infection. So much for genotyping the National Flock and applying it to the whole of Europe. RIDICULOUS. Early tests on mice revealed twenty-two strains of scrapie. Scientists believe there will be many more strains when tests are fully carried out on sheep.
Allan Ebinger, Professor of Immunology at Kings College, London, believes that BSE is caused by the Acinetobactor Calcoaceticus bacterium - i.e., that it is an autoimmune disease. Is DEFRA keeping an open mind and researching these possible links? NO - the exact opposite, withdrawing any funding. WHY?
I have come to the conclusion that the scientific theories are no longer based on hard evidence but have been devised to suit the political policy of DEFRA, the Food Standards Agency, and EU dictates.
The sole occupation of the Food Standards Agency seems to be to hype up TSE scares and does nothing to ban the dangerous and ever increasing number of food additives that are detrimental to health and people's behaviour.
The Food Standards Agency has wasted the better part of eighty million that has been so far spent on scrapie research by pursuing the mythological connection between BSE, scrapie and TSE in humans instead of fully researching the disease. Their policy has therefore regrettably delayed the full understanding of this disease.
DEFRA's eventual aim is to have all sheep ARR/ARR under the misguided belief that this will give us safer meat, free from any possibility of conveying scrapie, BSE and CJD, etc. The cost will be in excess of one hundred million pounds, which will come out of the farming budget one way or another. Any sheep that are not ARR/ARR genotype will not be allowed to be eaten.
This policy is totally unscientific. All that will happen is that the National flock will be totally susceptible to the scrapie strain that infects ARR/ARR genotypes and DEFRA admits that we do have this strain of scrapie in the country.
The only way that scrapie can be hopefully eradicated is by identifying the strain of scrapie affecting the diseased flock and using the appropriate genotype to deal with that strain of scrapie. All our genotypes will be required to do this and only the flocks which are diseased will need to use them.
Identifying infected flocks is most important and the money saved from the National Scrapie Scheme will be better spent paying for an inspection of all the flocks in England for scrapie by the local vets and this will verify your flock's general health. This approach would also help the vets to keep in touch with their farming clients and safeguard the farmer from being wrongly accused of neglecting his sheep. I recommend that this inspection is carried out between lambing and weaning, as this seems to be the high risk period when physical signs of scrapie show.
This document has been sent to DEFRA and scientists working on scrapie in Scotland. The facts stated have not been denied; just as well, as the majority of the data has come from DEFRA.
The scheme as it stands no longer has credibility and desperately needs to be seriously reviewed in the light of new evidence.
George Elliott, Council Member, The Southdown
Sheep Society
Tel. 01460 30486; Mobile: 07876 353997