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FMD - Saving Rare Breeds. Mike Roper UK National Co-ordinator. FMD - Statistics < 15.8.01. Total slaughterings: 3,756,000 animals on 1950 infected premises + 3013 contiguous premises + 3879 dangerous contacts + 244 “on suspicion”. Main Features. First identified in pigs at an abattoir
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FMD - Saving Rare Breeds Mike Roper UK National Co-ordinator
FMD - Statistics < 15.8.01 • Total slaughterings: 3,756,000 animals • on 1950 infected premises • + 3013 contiguous premises • + 3879 dangerous contacts • + 244 “on suspicion”
Main Features • First identified in pigs at an abattoir • Likely source - contaminated pig swill • Spread to sheep flock (18.5m ewes) • Spread mainly by direct contact • Difficult to diagnose in sheep
The Problem for FAnGR • Contiguous culling/dangerous contacts within surveillance zones • Concentrations of rare genotypes within breed • Genotype/Environment relationships - “hefted sheep” breeds • species differences in risk analysis
Actions Taken - 1 • Culling exemptions for rare breeds of sheep and goats • risk analysis • biosecurity • isolation • serological testing • identification of “at risk” flocks by map ref.
Actions Taken - 2 • The Heritage Gene Bank • co-funding with MAFF • hefted flocks of Herdwick sheep • cryopreservation (ram semen) • problem of seasonality of breeding • addition of Rough Fell and Portland Breeds
Action taken - 3 • RBST • cattle/pig gene banks in existence • new collections of semen from 6 rare sheep breeds in uninfected areas - Castlemilk Morrit, Norfolk Horn, White Faced Woodland, Teeswater, Grey Faced Dartmoor, Leicester Longwool. • Fund raising campaign for Rare Breed Genebank
Action taken - 4 • British Pig Association • Welsh Black under threat • problem of infectivity of the pig • exemptions for pigs, cattle and other species • as for sheep & goats but more restrictive
Positive outcomes • Public awareness & funding of FAnGR • Political awareness of FAnGR • Recognition of need for National Consultative Committee and National Action Plan • Springboard for FAO Report on SoW AnGR • Importance of Gene Banks