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Scrapie
Federal
Regulations
Compliance
by
Ray
Hoyt,
NPGA
Vice
President
The
information
in
this
article
was
obtained
from
the
U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture,
Animal
and
Plant
Inspection
Service,
Veterinary
Services
(hereinafter
referred
to
USDA/APHIS/VS).
They
have
area
offices
across
the
United
States
that
house,
among
other
people,
an
Area
Veterinarian
in
Charge
and
an
Area
Epidemiologist.
For
area
office
and
contact
persons
information,
go
to:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/area_offices.htm.
There
are
three
main
areas
of
concern
which
must
be
attended
to
when
pygmy
goat
breeders
and
owners
move
their
“sexually-intact”
goats
interstate
for
either
sale
or
exhibition:
-
Federally-approved
identification
of
all
goats
transported
interstate;
-
Certification
of
Veterinary
Inspection,
commonly
known
as
a
health
certificate;
and
-
Possession
of
a
Premise
Identification
Number
Readers
should
keep
in
mind
that
many
states
enact
additional
regulations
which
may
apply
when
goats
are
moved
to
or
through
those
states.
Additionally,
there
may
be
a
different
level
of
enforcement
of
federal
regulations
from
state
to
state.
To
determine
if
any
state
regulations
might
apply,
the
State
Veterinarian
should
be
contacted.
All
State
Veterinarians
are
listed
at:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/sregs/official.html.
Federally-approved
Identification
Under
the
Scrapie
Eradication
Program
regulations
of
11/19/01,
sexually-intact
goats
must
have
one
of
the
following
forms
of
identification
to
be
moved
interstate
for
sale
or
exhibition:
-
APHIS
Identification
Eartags;
or
-
Registry
tattoo
or
electronic
identification
accompanied
by
registration
papers
which
include
the
tattoo
number
or
electronic
ID
number
as
appropriate;
or
-
Approved
Premises
ID
Tattoos;
or
-
Voluntary
Scrapie
Flock
Certification
Identification
Eartags,
Tattoos
or
Electronic
ID.
Option
2
above
is
met
if
the
NPGA-registered
pygmy
goat
is
tattooed
with
an
NPGA
tattoo
and/or
microchipped
as
shown
on
the
registration
papers.
The
registration
papers
must
accompany
the
goats
when
moved
interstate.
It
should
be
noted
here
that
enrollment
in
the
voluntary
Scrapie
Flock
Certification
Program
is
a
whole
separate
issue,
and
enrollment
is
not
necessary
to
move
sexually-intact
pygmy
goats
interstate
for
sale
or
exhibition.
Certificate
of
Veterinary
Inspection
This
inspection
form,
commonly
known
as
a
health
certificate,
must
have
been
completed
within
the
past
30
days
when
the
interstate
movement
occurs,
and
must
be
carried
with
the
goats
and
their
registration
papers.
Licensed
veterinarians
carry
a
supply
of
these
forms.
Premise
Identification
Number
A
Premise
Identification
Number,
also
known
as
a
“Flock
ID
Number,”
is
obtained
from
an
area
office
of
USDA/APHIS/VS
(see
the
first
paragraph
for
information
on
locating
the
nearest
area
office).
There
is
no
charge
to
obtain
this
number.
The
area
office
will
furnish
an
application
form
which
doubles
as
a
request
form
for
APHIS
Identification
Eartags.
If
just
a
Premise
Identification
Number
is
being
requested,
and
eartags
are
not
desired,
the
eartag
order
may
be
declined.
When
sending
in
the
request,
be
sure
to
ask
USDA
to
provide
notification
of
the
Premise
Identification
Number
assigned.
When
goats
are
moved
interstate,
some
evidence
that
this
requirement
has
been
complied
with
should
be
carried.
Approval
of
Microchips
by
USDA
The
USDA/APHIS/VS
in
Washington,
D.C.
has
circulated
an
internal
memo
to
all
Veterinary
Services
Regions,
Area
Veterinarians
in
Charge,
Veterinary
Medical
Officers
and
State
Veterinarians
regarding
the
approval
of
Electronic
Implant
Devices
(EIDs)
for
use
as
official
identification
in
the
Scrapie
Eradication
Program.
The
text
of
that
memo
is
quoted
here:
“Goats
registered
with
national
associations
that
allow
the
use
of
electronic
implants
for
official
registry
identification
may
use
EID
as
official
identification
as
defined
in
9
Code
of
Federal
Regulations
Parts
54
and
79
if
the
following
conditions
are
met:
-
The
goats
are
registered
with
a
national
goat
registry
association;
-
The
electronic
implant
number
is
recorded
on
the
registration
certificate
accompanying
the
animal;
and
either
the
animal
is
accompanied
by
an
implant
reader
that
can
read
the
implant
in
the
animal
or
a
certificate
of
veterinary
inspection
that
lists
the
implant
numbers
and
a
statement
that
they
were
read
and
checked
against
the
registration
certificates
by
the
accredited
veterinarian
signing
the
certificate
of
veterinary
inspection;
-
An
implant
reader
that
can
read
the
implant
in
the
animal
is
available
at
the
exhibition
for
use
by
Animal
and
Plant
Health
Inspection
Service
or
State
authorities;
and
-
The
movement
is
either
for
exhibition
purposes
or
sale
with
transfer
of
the
registration
papers
to
a
new
owner
who
has
a
reader
that
can
read
the
implant
in
the
animal.
Such
goats
moved
in
interstate
commerce
to
a
market
or
for
sale
without
registration
papers
must
be
identified
with
visible
official
identification
such
as
an
official
ear
tag
or
tattoo.”
This
document
is
for
informational
purposes
only
and
is
in
no
way
intended
to
be
a
substitute
for
medical
consultation
with
a
qualified
veterinary
professional.
The
information
provided
through
this
document
is
not
meant
to
be
used
in
the
diagnosis
or
treatment
of
a
health
problem
or
disease,
nor
should
it
be
construed
as
such.
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