[Jacob-list] Fwd: Jacob scrapie testing

[southwindfarms at frontiernet.net]

Subject: Jacob scrapie testing

We have been certified scrapie free for several years.

I believe the most important thing from scrapie testing is ram selection since a QR or worse a QQ ram would affect the entire flock.  NY also does not and has not had issues with scrapie but it doesn't hurt to know what you have, particularly in a ram. I have been raising Jacobs since 1989.  I have been testing for scrapie resistance for many years.  NY tests rams for free.  At this point I use only RR rams and have for the past few years. Originally I tested the whole flock.  At that point there were 3 ewes out of 30 that were QQ.  I culled one and made sure to use only RR on the others.  They are both gone now but I was able to retain their genetics in QR offspring.  I don't bring in outside ewes.  I rarely test my ewes now but have a good idea who is RR (offspring from RR/RR matings) and who could be QR (offspring from QR/RR matings, some of these could also be RR.  

  
Sincerely,

Laura Burnside, manager
Southwind Farms
www.southwindfarms.org