Alberta Voluntary Scrapie Surveillance Program
In September 2007 Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) implemented a post mortem method project on sheep and goats that died on farm and were delivered by producers to an ARD laboratory. If carcasses were deemed suitable, a pathologist performed a post mortem and the producers were reimbursed $50.00 per carcass by ARD.
Producers have submitted enough carcasses to allow ARD to complete its post mortem method project. As a result, effective May 22, 2009, post mortems will no longer be conducted under this project on sheep or goat carcasses.
On the scrapie surveillance side, ARD still accepts heads and/or whole carcasses at the 4 provincial labs to collect the brainstem for scrapie testing at no cost to the producer. However, it must be understood that there is NO payment from any source.
We would like to thank the sheep and goat producers who submitted carcasses for ARD’s post mortem method project. A summary of the causes of mortality will be communicated to the sheep and goat industries in the future.
For further information contact Dr. Brian Miller at 780-427-820, brian.miller@gov.ab.ca