What is scrapie?
Scrapie is a rare disease, affecting the central nervous system of goats and sheep. Similar to bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle and chronic wasting disease in elk and deer, scrapie has no cure, and is always fatal in infected animals. There is no known connection between scrapie and human health.
Know the signs
- Changes in behaviour
- Difficulty standing or walking
- Poor coat quality
- Unexplained weight loss
- Sudden death
- No signs at all
Number of sheep and goat farms in CanadaFootnote 1
- BC: 1415 sheep and 795 goat
- AB: 1652 sheep and 976 goat
- SK: 801 sheep and 444 goat
- MB: 523 sheep and 291 goat
- ON: 2792 sheep and 1611 goat
- QC: 867 sheep and 520 goat
- NB: 104 sheep and 43 goat
- NL: 49 sheep and 7 goat
- PEI: 65 sheep and 16 goat
- NS: 219 sheep and 98 goat
How does scrapie spread?
Scrapie spreads through direct contact with an infected animal's saliva, urine, feces, blood, or birthing fluids. Indirect infection can occur if animals live or spend time in, or ingest anything from, a contaminated environment, such as a barn or pasture. Infected animals may not show signs for years, unknowingly spreading the disease to others.
What are the signs of scrapie?
Clinical signs appear in animals over 12 months of age and may include unexplained weight loss, general "poor doers," difficulty standing or walking, changes in behaviour, poor coat quality, sudden death, or no signs at all. Males and females are equally at risk.
Can we test for scrapie?
Scrapie is detected in the brain and lymph nodes of deceased animals. No individual live animal test is currently available.
Do producers have to pay for testing?
No. If any of your adult goats or sheep have died, there is no cost to you for testing.
How can producers lead the charge against scrapie?
You can participate in routine scrapie surveillance. You can also practice good biosecurity (for example closed herd, safe lambing/ kidding practices) and consider scrapie-resistant genetics when breeding.
What would a scrapie-free future look like?
Producers could:
- travel with sheep and goats to exhibitions
- have more export opportunities for sheep, goats and their products
- have better access to international genetics
How can scrapie be eradicated from Canada?
The goal of Canada's National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP) is to eliminate classical scrapie from the national sheep flock and goat herd. The NSEP involves collaboration among producers, industry, veterinarians, laboratories, and governments, and includes:
- scrapie surveillance system - Free testing for sheep and goats over 12 months old and no enrollment required
- mandatory on-farm disease response (in positive herds and flocks)
- scrapie Flock Certification Program (SFCP) – A voluntary program where enrolled producers pay fees and follow specific standards to achieve scrapie negligible risk status for their own herd or flock's wellbeing, to trade within Canada and/or export
How do I submit a sample?
Call your CFIA district office or 1-800-442-2342 to submit a sample if an animal over 12 months dies or is euthanized on your farm.
If you are enrolled in the SFCP and wish to also access the national surveillance system, you must inform your accredited veterinarian when an animal dies. They are responsible for ensuring sample collection and submission, and must coordinate testing with the CFIA.
Do I have to report if I suspect scrapie?
Yes. Scrapie is a reportable disease in Canada, so you must contact the CFIA if you suspect an animal is infected.
Is there compensation provided if any of my animals is ordered to be euthanized by the CFIA to test for scrapie?
Yes, if your animal is ordered to be euthanized, compensation is available, based on an evaluation.
In the rare event your animal tests positive, you can learn more about CFIA's disease response on our website: canada.ca/scrapie