Scrapie is a TSE that affects sheep and goats. The prion is transmitted by ingestion or direct or indirect contact with infected placenta and birth fluids. The incubation is 1 to 7 years with clinical signs usually present at 2 to 5 years of age.

What causes scrapie in sheep?

Scrapie is a neurodegenerative disease, caused by a prion, that affects sheep, and less frequently, goats. Infected animals do not usually become ill for years; however, the clinical signs are progressive and invariably fatal once they develop.

How do you prevent scrapie in sheep?

Therefore, to reduce the risk of scrapie, sheep producers should purchase new animals from known scrapie-free flocks and focus on management practices such as flock certification, genetic testing for resistance, and hygienic lambing management.