Ohio Scrapie Eradication Program: What Sheep and Goat Producers Need to Know

Scrapie is one of the most persistent disease threats facing Ohio’s sheep and goat producers, and the regulations surrounding it are more detailed than many flock owners realize. Whether you raise a handful of animals or manage a large commercial operation, understanding your obligations under the National Scrapie Eradication Program is not optional — it is a legal requirement that affects how you identify, move, sell, and record your animals.

This guide walks you through every major component of Ohio’s scrapie regulations, from the basics of the disease itself to the voluntary certification pathway that can increase the marketability of your flock. Use it as a working reference to stay compliant, avoid quarantine situations, and protect the investment you have made in your animals.

What Is Scrapie and Why It Is Regulated in Ohio

Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of sheep and goats. It is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). Like other TSEs, it is caused by abnormal prion proteins that progressively destroy nervous tissue, and there is no cure or treatment for scrapie.

It can take 2 to 5 years for an animal to show signs of disease, and current diagnostic tests require brain or lymphoid tissue. Animals typically live 1 to 6 months after they begin to show signs. Most are infected as young lambs or kids, but adult animals can get it, too. This long incubation period is exactly why identification and traceability requirements exist — by the time you see clinical signs, the disease may already have spread silently through your flock.

There are two types of scrapie: classical and nonclassical. Nonclassical scrapie is also referred to as atypical, Nor98, or Nor98-like scrapie. Nonclassical scrapie appears to occur sporadically and has occurred in sheep of all the common genotypes and goats. It is either not transmissible or poorly transmissible under natural conditions. For this reason, the regulatory program focuses specifically on classical scrapie.

The presence of classical scrapie in the U.S. sheep and goat population affects industry economically through production losses, lost exports, and increased production and disposal costs. Public health concerns related to the transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to humans have resulted in efforts to eradicate all TSEs in food-producing animals. Ohio has historically been among the states with notable scrapie activity, making compliance with the eradication program especially important for producers in this state.

Ohio’s Role in the National Scrapie Eradication Program

Surveillance for scrapie in the United States is conducted through the National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP), a cooperative State-Federal-industry program. Ohio participates as a Consistent State, meaning the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) enforces identification, recordkeeping, and movement standards that align with — and in some cases exceed — federal requirements.

The National Scrapie Eradication Program has two major components: a regulatory eradication program called the Accelerated Scrapie Eradication Program (ASEP) and a voluntary certification program called the Scrapie Flock Certification Program (SFCP). Ohio producers participate in both components depending on their circumstances and goals.

The National Scrapie Eradication Program, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has reduced the prevalence of scrapie in adult sheep sampled at slaughter by over 99 percent. Reaching that final threshold of eradication, however, requires the active participation of every producer in the state.

Ohio’s status within the NSEP is evaluated annually. States will need to meet scrapie surveillance minimums to maintain their consistent-state status in the eradication program. If a state does not meet the sampling requirements at the end of a fiscal year, it must provide APHIS with a plan within one year for coming into compliance. This means that Ohio producers who submit samples and cooperate with testing play a direct role in maintaining the state’s standing and the movement freedoms that come with it.

The program’s goals are to eradicate classical scrapie from the United States and to meet World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) criteria for disease freedom. For Ohio producers, that means your compliance is not just a local obligation — it contributes to a national and international standard.

Official Animal Identification Requirements in Ohio

Official identification is the backbone of the scrapie eradication effort. Without it, there is no way to trace an infected or exposed animal back to its flock of origin. The animals listed below are required by federal and/or state regulations to be identified as part of the National Scrapie Eradication Program before they enter interstate commerce or if ownership changes.

For sheep, the rules are broad. Most sheep are required by state and federal regulations to be identified as part of the National Scrapie Eradication Program as part of interstate commerce or if ownership changes. The only exceptions for sheep are castrated sheep under 18 months of age and sheep under 18 months of age in slaughter channels.

For goats, requirements were strengthened under the 2019 Final Rule. Official identification is now required for goats 18 months of age or older and for all sexually intact goats under 18 months of age moving for purposes other than slaughter or feeding for slaughter, with some exceptions.

Ohio producers have several approved identification options:

• Official eartags — All official National Scrapie Eradication Program identification tags have the U.S. shield printed on them. These include both visual and electronic (RFID) tags.
• Registry tattoos — Registered animals may be identified with a registration tattoo instead of a tag, as long as the animal is accompanied by a copy of the registration certificate issued by an APHIS-approved registry listing the current owner or the registration certificate and a completed transfer of ownership form dated within 60 days that lists the current owner.
• Flock ID tattoo — The flock identification number assigned by APHIS may be tattooed (along with an individual animal number) to officially identify sheep or goats that are not registered.
• Electronic implants (microchips) — Available but subject to restrictions. There are restrictions on the use of implantable devices; refer to the National Scrapie Eradication Program Standards for details.

To obtain your flock ID and order official tags, call 866-USDA-TAG (866-873-2824). The National Scrapie Eradication Program is providing up to 100 plastic flock ID tags free-of-charge to first-time participants in the sheep and goat identification program until available funds are expended. You can also view approved tag manufacturers on the APHIS scrapie tag page to purchase additional tags from approved vendors.

Some states have identification requirements that are stricter than federal requirements, so the exceptions listed below do not apply in all states. For information on each state’s ID and movement requirements, contact the State Veterinarian’s office. Always verify Ohio-specific requirements directly with the Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health before moving animals.

Flock Registration and Recordkeeping Requirements in Ohio

Before you can obtain official identification tags, your flock must be registered and assigned a premises identification number. The scrapie eradication program pre-dates the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) Program. As a result, there have been changes in the premises ID numbers that may be assigned by the states and APHIS for sheep and goat premises to now include PINs and LIDs. A PIN or LID is required to order electronic ID tags or implants.

Once your flock is registered, you are required to maintain records of all animal movement into and out of your premises. Producers are required to follow Federal and State regulations for officially identifying their sheep and goats. Producers must also keep herd records showing what new animals were added and what animals left the herd/flock.

Key recordkeeping obligations include:

• Recording the official ID of every animal acquired or sold
• Documenting the date of acquisition or departure and the source or destination premises
• Retaining records for a minimum of five years
• Making records available to state and federal animal health officials upon request

APHIS updated specific identification requirements for goats and certain recordkeeping requirements. This rule brought goat identification and record-keeping requirements up to the level of the sheep industry, improving slaughter surveillance. If you raise both sheep and goats, you must apply consistent recordkeeping standards to both species.

For guidance on Ohio’s specific recordkeeping forms and database requirements, the OSU Small Ruminant Team publishes producer-focused resources that translate federal requirements into practical steps. Ohio producers can also review the NSEP Program Standards for the full technical framework.

Interstate and Intrastate Movement Rules for Sheep and Goats in Ohio

Movement rules are among the most frequently misunderstood aspects of the scrapie program. The rules differ depending on whether you are moving animals within Ohio or across state lines, and they also differ by animal class and purpose of movement.

Interstate Movement

To control the spread of scrapie within the United States, APHIS administers regulations at 9 CFR part 79, which restrict the interstate movement of certain sheep and goats. When moving breeding animals out of Ohio or bringing them in, you must comply with the following:

• All breeding sheep and sexually intact goats must carry official ID before crossing state lines
• Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) are required by USDA for breeding sheep moving in interstate commerce. The CVI must be issued by an accredited veterinarian.
• The CVI for sheep entering Ohio must include a statement that the animals are not known to be under any movement restrictions because of scrapie
• Most states have additional animal-entry requirements. Always check the destination state’s import rules before shipping animals.

Intrastate Movement

Intrastate sheep and goat identification requirements vary from state to state. Some states require additional animals to be officially identified, while other states exempt certain animals while in intrastate commerce. In Ohio, the ODA enforces identification on change of ownership even within the state.

Animals that may move within Ohio without individual official ID under federal baseline rules include:

• Sheep or goats moved for grazing or similar management reasons without a change of ownership when the animals are moved from a premises owned or leased by the owner to another premises owned or leased by the owner. The premises must be recorded in the National Scrapie Database as additional flock premises and commingling must not occur with unidentified animals born in another flock or any animal not part of the flock.
• Castrated sheep or goats under 18 months of age.
• Sheep or goats moving within a state that have only resided on premises and in flocks in the same state and where the animals and premises are owned by persons who do not engage in the interstate commerce of sheep or goats and where the sheep or goats are of a class exempted from official ID by the state while in intrastate commerce.

For exhibition-specific rules, the Ohio 4-H program and ODA publish detailed guidance on scrapie ID requirements for fair animals. You can also review Ohio animal health resources or contact the ODA Division of Animal Health directly for the most current intrastate movement requirements.

Reporting, Testing, and Quarantine Requirements in Ohio

Ohio law requires prompt reporting of any animal showing signs consistent with scrapie. An owner, custodian, or veterinarian who observes symptoms suggestive of scrapie in an animal in a flock or herd shall report within 24 hours the symptoms to either a state/federal representative or to an accredited veterinarian, or the owner shall submit the animal, either before or after it dies, to an approved laboratory for pathological diagnosis and necropsy.

Owners, veterinarians, and laboratories who are aware of animals that test positive to a live animal test shall report the test results within seven days to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health. The owner shall submit the animal or tissue from the animal, either before or after death, to an approved laboratory for necropsy.

If you have an adult animal showing neurological signs, do not wait. If you have an adult sheep or goat that is exhibiting signs of scrapie such as incoordination, severe continuous rubbing, or other neurologic signs, or an adult animal dies or is euthanized, or is being culled, please contact your local State or USDA APHIS Veterinary Services veterinarian or call 866-536-7593 right away. There is no charge for the collection or testing of the samples for scrapie.

What Happens When a Flock Is Quarantined

When a positive or suspect case is confirmed, Ohio’s quarantine requirements under OAC 901:1-13 take effect immediately. Under Ohio’s quarantine rules, affected flock owners must:

• Remove all intact QQ sheep, offspring of female positive sheep, intact goats, suspects, and test-positive animals; remove other animals if indicated by genetic results of the scrapie positive animal(s); report within 24 hours any suspect animals and all deaths of animals over 14 months of age; identify all animals with an official identification.
• Provide epidemiological information requested by the designated scrapie epidemiologist
• Authorize breed associations, registries, livestock markets, and packers to release records relating to the flock
• Clean and disinfect all buildings, pens, equipment, and vehicles under the supervision of a state or federal representative

An owner who repopulates a flock or herd within five years of depopulation shall either enroll the flock or herd in a scrapie flock certification program, or sign a post-exposure management and monitoring plan (PEMMP).

APHIS provides assistance to owners of exposed and infected flocks or herds that participate in cleanup plans, including indemnity for high-risk, suspect, and scrapie-positive sheep and exposed goats that owners agree to destroy, and genetic testing of sheep for scrapie susceptibility. Contact your local APHIS Veterinary Services office to understand what indemnity you may be eligible for if your flock is affected.

You can learn more about testing procedures and approved diagnostic laboratories through the APHIS scrapie disease page and the NVAP Reference Guide for scrapie control and eradication.

Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP) in Ohio

Beyond basic compliance, Ohio producers who want to demonstrate a higher level of disease management — and improve the marketability of their animals — can enroll in the Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP). The SFCP is a voluntary program that is open to all sheep and goat producers in the United States. The overall objective of the SFCP is to minimize the scrapie risk of participating flocks and herds, thereby improving the marketability of animals from participating flocks and herds and contributing to the national scrapie eradication program.

Program Categories and Statuses

The SFCP has two categories: Export and Select. The Export category has two statuses (Export Monitored and Export Certified), and the Select category has one status (Select Monitored).

Export Category

The objective of the Export category is to certify participating flocks and herds as scrapie-free establishments through limiting the acquisition of does and ewes from flocks of the same or higher status, annual inspections including reconciliation of the animal inventory, official individual animal identification requirements, recordkeeping requirements, and animal sampling requirements.

Because scrapie has a long incubation period, a flock receives “Export Certified” status after seven years. Throughout those seven years, certain conditions must continuously be met. Animals from Export Certified flocks are recognized as meeting World Organization for Animal Health standards for disease freedom, which is a significant commercial advantage.

To maintain scrapie-free status, flock owners may not obtain ewes or does from nonparticipating flocks or from flocks with lower status. Flock owners who do not comply with this requirement will have their flock’s status date adjusted to reflect the addition of the lowest category animal.

Select Category

Participants in the Select category agree to sample at least one mature animal every one to three years, depending on flock size. APHIS monitors compliance with the sampling requirement through a national sampling database, and publishes the date on which the last animal was sampled on its public website. “Select” status is maintained indefinitely, as long as the flock continues to meet the sampling requirements.

The Select category is a lower-barrier entry point for producers who want to begin building a certification history without committing to the full inspection and acquisition restrictions of the Export category.

How to Enroll in Ohio

The State Scrapie Flock Certification Board (or its representative) reviews applications and approves admissions to the program. Sheep or goat producers applying for the “Select” category are only required to submit the application for enrollment, VS Form 5-22. Sheep and goat producers applying for the “Export” category are required to submit a complete application package.

To begin the enrollment process, contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health or your local APHIS Veterinary Services office. You can also review the SFCP program overview from APHIS for a full breakdown of requirements by category. The American Sheep Industry Association’s ID requirements webinar materials (May 2024) also provide a useful summary of how identification requirements interact with SFCP enrollment.

Managing a healthy, compliant flock in Ohio means staying current with both state and federal requirements. Bookmark the USDA APHIS National Scrapie Eradication Program page and check in with the OSU Small Ruminant Team regularly for Ohio-specific updates. The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health is your primary state contact for questions about quarantine orders, flock plans, and state-level ID requirements.

Ohio is home to a significant sheep and goat population, and every producer who tags, records, reports, and tests correctly moves the state — and the country — closer to the goal of full scrapie eradication. Your compliance matters beyond your own fence line.