August 13, 2025
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is pleased to announce that we will proceed with the Scrapie Pilot Project: Special Procedures for Assessing Genetic Resistance in Positive Goat Herds. This is an alternate disease response option to total herd depopulation for scrapie infected goat herds that meet specific criteria.
Testing for genetic resistance in sheep has been a useful tool in scrapie management and eradication. The Canadian goat industry has shown support to better understand genetic resistance in goats, aiming to increase trade options and help producers eradicate scrapie. This pilot project aligns with international standards and marks a significant advancement by providing the goat industry with the same scrapie management tools that are currently available to the sheep industry.
Background
Further to the previous Notice to industry – Advancing eradication: genetic scrapie resistance in goats – inspection.canada.ca, we have completed the development and will proceed with a pilot project to assess the use of the scrapie genetic alleles S146 and K222 for goats in our National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP). This approach aligns with the practices of Canada's closest trading partners, the United States (U.S.) and the European Union (EU).
The distribution of scrapie genotypes in the global goat population appears to be more diverse than what is found in sheep. In accordance with World Organisation for Animals Health (WOAH) standards, countries or regions are encouraged to identify the scrapie genotypes present in their goat populations and assess the degree to which each genotype is considered susceptible to scrapie. Our goat genotyping pilot project will play a critical role in gathering this essential data for Canada.
How this applies to the goat industry
We recognize the importance of providing goat producers with an alternative to total herd depopulation in scrapie-positive herds. This approach aims to both preserve valuable genetics and protect the scrapie status of the national small ruminant herd as we continue efforts toward eradication.
Through this pilot project, producers with a confirmed scrapie-positive goat herd will have the option to apply for participation in the scrapie genotyping pilot project. If a herd qualifies, blood samples will then be collected to determine whether the genotypes being considered for resistance are present in their herd. Like the approach used in sheep, only animals with genotypes considered susceptible to scrapie would be ordered euthanized (with compensation) and tested. The remaining herd would be placed under quarantine and allowed to breed for resistance during the standard 5-year surveillance follow up period, under our close monitoring.
Once data is collected through this pilot project, we will be able to develop a reference table of scrapie-susceptible and resistant genotypes in goats, like what is available for sheep. These genotypes can then be incorporated into Canada's standard domestic disease response. In the long term, this information will also help facilitate market access for import and export of live goats and their germplasm, products and by-products, as Canada continues to work toward scrapie-free (negligible risk) status.
Goat herds participating in the pilot project would generally be ineligible for export until at least 5 to 7 years have passed since the last confirmed case of scrapie.
In addition to the pilot project, under the national scrapie surveillance system, we routinely offer producers free scrapie testing for any sheep or goats 12 months of age or older that die or are euthanized on farm. Any goats tested for scrapie at our laboratories can also be genotyped for scrapie resistance at the same time.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact scrapie@inspection.gc.ca