Consultation on TSE breeding programme for rare breeds of sheep

Defra today launched a three-month consultation on how rare breeds of sheep should be treated under a genotype based compulsory breeding programme.

All EU Member States have to introduce compulsory breeding programmes for scrapie resistance in flocks of high genetic merit, which will include all pure-bred breeding flocks including rare breeds. In the UK this will take the form of a compulsory ram genotyping scheme (CRGS), which will be introduced during 2006, and will require the removal of the most scrapie susceptible rams.

However, because of the high levels of scrapie susceptible genotypes in some rare breeds and the Government's commitment towards the conservation of biodiversity, Defra considers it appropriate to take advantage of a derogation to allow owners of some rare breed flocks to keep their most susceptible rams.

Options on how this may be done are described in the consultation document and have been directly informed by research carried out for Defra by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. The two main options in the consultation are:-

* Rare breeds that the research indicated could remove the most susceptible scrapie genotypes (those carrying VRQ) would be required to join the compulsory ram genotyping scheme being implemented for the mainstream breeds. The remainder of the rare breeds would receive genotyping and breeding advice based on the recommendations from the research project but would not be required to action on scrapie susceptible sheep.

* The other option would not require any of the rare breeds to join the compulsory ram genotyping scheme. All rare breeds would be treated the same with them receiving genotyping and breeding advice based on the recommendations from the research project. There would be no requirement to take action on scrapie susceptible sheep.