I just had a visit from the USDA VET Monday April 20th. They took a blood test of my original sheep I bought from a shepherd in Wisconsin,which the USDA claimed one of his sheep tested positive for scrapie. This farmer has been raising sheep for 30 years and none of his sheep ever had scrapie. They call this a scrapie trace out, finding every place this farmer sold sheep.
How they track sheep in the US is with scrapie tags placed in the ear of the sheep, the tag can never be removed and when sold records must be kept to reveal where the sheep went to on request from USDA. Also on my scrapie tags there is a identity number that can be traced back to me.
Scrapie disease is fatal for sheep and there is no cure, it takes 2 to 5 years for physical symptoms to appear. The only way scrapie is passed on is from mother to lamb from being in contact with the after birth, there is no other way for a sheep to contract scrapie. Scientists just lately figured out that it is not a virus or a bacteria infection, the infection is caused by prions. These prions basically build up in an infected sheep brain and cause blockage to the nervous system. This causes the sheep to sometimes stagger and fall, they will also rub their behind on trees and posts. The life expectancy is 2 weeks to 6 months after symptoms appear.
What the USDA will do with the blood collected is to test for the genetic susceptibility of my sheep to get scrapie. To get a real test they must kill the sheep and dissect the brain to be sure. Here are several genetic markers for scrapie, the one they concentrate on is called codon 171, the labels they use is QQ, QR, and RR. If my sheep blood test all come back QQ they will want to kill all my sheep, even the 2 generations that came from the originals. They will be spared if they test QR or RR, with RR genetic factor the sheep will never get scrapie or pass it on to it's lamb. QR means the sheep is highly resistant but could possibly come down with it, very unlikely.
The farmer I bought my sheep from had a flock of 300 ewes and only one had the RR factor, and out of 150 Rams 7 tested RR. He did have 40 ewes test QR. All the rest of his sheep where killed and hauled to the land fill.
This is where my sheep came from, most sheep on the page are most likely dead: http://www.beavercreekfullcurlranch.com/
How the USDA said they found one of his sheep tested positive for scrapie was from a slaughter house in Indiana, they are paid to send in samples for sheep to the USDA. This farmer took a trailer load of sheep to the Zumbrota Auction In Zumbrota MN. Four of those sheep along with four wool sheep from other farmers were slaughtered at the same time. He claims the USDA could not positively identify his sheep from the other four. When they could not produce the scrapie tag the USDA said it was a white sheep. The farmer told the USDA they sold no white sheep at the Zumbrota Auction. Then the USDA then said colour didn't matter they where positive it was his sheep.
If This scrapie test exists it is a forgery created using fraudulent activities, I asked the VET if I could see it and he said no I had no right to it. Some times one doesn't think clearly, I thought when the VET showed up to test my sheep the USDA had a legitimate scrapie test result. Now I see the blood test taken from my sheep were actually stolen with deception. I have decided the USDA has no real authority unless I, a private citizen give my consent to it. I know they are going to demand the death of all my sheep which includes 31 new born lambs. I plan on writing a letter stating the sheep are my property and I have a right for my property not to be searched or seized with out just cause.
What do you think should be my next move? The death of my sheep is not an option for me!
How they track sheep in the US is with scrapie tags placed in the ear of the sheep, the tag can never be removed and when sold records must be kept to reveal where the sheep went to on request from USDA. Also on my scrapie tags there is a identity number that can be traced back to me.
Scrapie disease is fatal for sheep and there is no cure, it takes 2 to 5 years for physical symptoms to appear. The only way scrapie is passed on is from mother to lamb from being in contact with the after birth, there is no other way for a sheep to contract scrapie. Scientists just lately figured out that it is not a virus or a bacteria infection, the infection is caused by prions. These prions basically build up in an infected sheep brain and cause blockage to the nervous system. This causes the sheep to sometimes stagger and fall, they will also rub their behind on trees and posts. The life expectancy is 2 weeks to 6 months after symptoms appear.
What the USDA will do with the blood collected is to test for the genetic susceptibility of my sheep to get scrapie. To get a real test they must kill the sheep and dissect the brain to be sure. Here are several genetic markers for scrapie, the one they concentrate on is called codon 171, the labels they use is QQ, QR, and RR. If my sheep blood test all come back QQ they will want to kill all my sheep, even the 2 generations that came from the originals. They will be spared if they test QR or RR, with RR genetic factor the sheep will never get scrapie or pass it on to it's lamb. QR means the sheep is highly resistant but could possibly come down with it, very unlikely.
The farmer I bought my sheep from had a flock of 300 ewes and only one had the RR factor, and out of 150 Rams 7 tested RR. He did have 40 ewes test QR. All the rest of his sheep where killed and hauled to the land fill.
This is where my sheep came from, most sheep on the page are most likely dead: http://www.beavercreekfullcurlranch.com/
How the USDA said they found one of his sheep tested positive for scrapie was from a slaughter house in Indiana, they are paid to send in samples for sheep to the USDA. This farmer took a trailer load of sheep to the Zumbrota Auction In Zumbrota MN. Four of those sheep along with four wool sheep from other farmers were slaughtered at the same time. He claims the USDA could not positively identify his sheep from the other four. When they could not produce the scrapie tag the USDA said it was a white sheep. The farmer told the USDA they sold no white sheep at the Zumbrota Auction. Then the USDA then said colour didn't matter they where positive it was his sheep.
If This scrapie test exists it is a forgery created using fraudulent activities, I asked the VET if I could see it and he said no I had no right to it. Some times one doesn't think clearly, I thought when the VET showed up to test my sheep the USDA had a legitimate scrapie test result. Now I see the blood test taken from my sheep were actually stolen with deception. I have decided the USDA has no real authority unless I, a private citizen give my consent to it. I know they are going to demand the death of all my sheep which includes 31 new born lambs. I plan on writing a letter stating the sheep are my property and I have a right for my property not to be searched or seized with out just cause.
What do you think should be my next move? The death of my sheep is not an option for me!
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