THINKING ABOUT GETTING SHEEP

goodhors

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You might contact the local Vet, ask questions about requirements for sheep in your State. The laws are written to keep herds/flocks safe, protect commercial production.

In Michigan where I live, ALL sheep sold or shown, are required to have Scapies tags to show point of origin at birth. Lots of backyard breeders are running under the laws, not tagging, which might get YOU the buyer, in trouble later when you want to eat a lamb or sell it on.

A friend of ours purchased sheep a number of years ago, to start a flock. Sheep were EXPENSIVE, from out of state, did everything right and were later found to HAVE SCAPIES!! The sheep were taken by the State Dept of Ag and destroyed. I think the owners got meat price back or nothing, not sure. It was a HUGE surprise to all involved and scared the willies out of Michigan Sheep Breeders!! Scapies WAYY too close to their flocks and money invested, so laws were enacted and are being enforced at public venues.

Just know that as a buyer, you ARE entitled to a Scapies ID tag in all your sheep ears for your protection, before you take sheep off the seller's premises. I would get any sheep tagged before picking them up, so you don't encounter difficulties later. Sellers lie, never produce the tags later. If they won't tag the sheep on their place, shop elsewhere, not worth future trouble. You will need to get tags for any lambs you produce later, to show they come from your farm. Tags were free with registering the farm as a producer, might cost now from Dept of Ag here because we are so broke.
 

patandchickens

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Just to make sure it's clear, though, having a scrapies ID ear tag has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with knowing the sheep doesn't have scrapies. It perfectly well could have scrapies. The free ear tag is just to identify where the sheep has come from in case it should develop scrapies in the future.

Pat
 

goodhors

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patandchickens said:
Just to make sure it's clear, though, having a scrapies ID ear tag has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with knowing the sheep doesn't have scrapies. It perfectly well could have scrapies. The free ear tag is just to identify where the sheep has come from in case it should develop scrapies in the future.

Pat
That is true. Having them tagged just reduces possible issues when sheep or lambs get out in public. Again, tags are required in selling, showing, butchering at a public processing plant. Some folks follow the law, some don't. Around here they get pretty serious if they find untagged animals off the farm.
 

Lalaith

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Also important to know, at least in my area (southern Ontario) you are required to have the new radio tags by next year.
 

aggieterpkatie

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Scrapie tags are required in ALL sheep when they leave the breeder's premises. All Scrapie tags are good for is tracking where the sheep was bred in case the sheep does have scrapies.
 

patandchickens

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Lalaith said:
Also important to know, at least in my area (southern Ontario) you are required to have the new radio tags by next year.
Oh really? I did not know that -- do you know if this is retroactive to existing sheep, or just that sheep born after this year will have to get the RFID tags?

Pat
 

Lalaith

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That's a good question, Pat. I think any sheep leaving your farm has to have the radio tag and any new sheep born on the farm has to have it. This was supposed to start January 2012 but I have learned it's being pushed up a bit. Here is the official story: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/trac/shemouide.shtml

It is mandatory for cattle beginning this July.
 

meme

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I have been thinking about getting sheep to. good luck



by :hugs :hugs :hugs :hugs :hugs :hugs
 
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