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

If you raise sheep or goats in Kentucky, the Scrapie Eradication Program is not optional — it is a set of binding federal and state requirements that govern how you identify, register, move, and report your animals. Understanding these rules protects your flock, keeps your operation in compliance, and supports the broader national effort to eliminate a fatal disease from U.S. livestock.

This guide walks you through every major component of the Scrapie Eradication Program as it applies to Kentucky producers, from the basics of what scrapie is and why it is regulated, to the steps required for flock registration, interstate movement, testing, and voluntary certification. Whether you are a first-time producer or an experienced operator reviewing your compliance obligations, the information below gives you a clear, regulation-focused reference point.

What Is Scrapie and Why It Is Regulated in Kentucky

Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep and goats. It is caused by a transmissible prion — an abnormal protein — that is very stable in the environment. Because the agent persists on pastures and in facilities, an infected flock can silently contaminate its surroundings for years before clinical signs become obvious.

While animals of any age may be exposed to scrapie, lambs and kids are at the greatest risk of contracting the disease and are often infected by their dams shortly after birth. Typically, infected animals do not show signs such as behavioral changes, tremors, and incoordination that progresses to recumbency and death until they are two years of age or older. This long incubation period makes early detection through surveillance programs essential.

Infected flocks that contain a high percentage of susceptible animals can experience significant production losses. Over a period of several years, the number of infected animals increases and the age at onset of clinical signs decreases, making these flocks economically unviable. Animals sold from infected flocks spread scrapie to other flocks.

The presence of scrapie in the United States also prevents the export of breeding stock, semen, and embryos to many other countries. This trade restriction represents a direct economic cost to Kentucky producers who raise animals for sale or export. Regulation of scrapie at the state level is therefore both a public animal health obligation and a practical economic necessity for the sheep and goat industry.

Kentucky’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. Kentucky participates in this program as a partner state, with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) working alongside USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to enforce identification, movement, and reporting requirements at the state level.

The NSEP goals are to eradicate classical scrapie from the United States and to meet World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) criteria for disease freedom. The program has reduced the prevalence of scrapie in adult sheep sampled at slaughter by more than 99 percent. Despite this progress, the program continues because it is likely there are still farms with cases of scrapie, and one of the most difficult aspects of an eradication program is finding the last few cases of the disease.

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). As a Kentucky producer, you are subject to the mandatory requirements of the ASEP and may optionally enroll in the SFCP to demonstrate a higher level of disease management.

Kentucky’s consistent-state status under the NSEP means that sheep and goats from Kentucky can be imported into other states with fewer restrictions — but only as long as Kentucky producers maintain compliance with identification, recordkeeping, and movement standards. All sheep and goats must be identified with an official scrapie identification prior to unloading or being sold at a Kentucky livestock market or swap meet, and this requirement applies to all sheep and goats regardless of age, breed, or sex.

Official Animal Identification Requirements in Kentucky

Official animal identification is the cornerstone of Kentucky’s scrapie compliance framework. Without a valid official ID on each animal, you cannot legally move sheep or goats to a market, sale, or new premises — and you risk triggering additional movement restrictions for your entire operation.

The scrapie regulations require the official identification of sheep and goats not in slaughter channels (except low-risk commercial goats) and any sheep over 18 months of age in interstate commerce, with some exceptions. These rules apply to sheep or goats that are moving or have moved in interstate commerce, that have resided on premises where interstate commerce is conducted, or that are owned by people who engage in interstate commerce — including animals moved through markets or other sites where interstate commerce occurs even if the particular animal has not left the state.

Approved forms of official identification for sheep and goats in Kentucky include:

• Official plastic eartags — available in multiple colors from APHIS-approved manufacturers
• Official metal eartags — available through National Band & Tag Company
• Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags — electronic tags approved for interstate commerce
• Implantable electronic devices (microchips) — subject to use restrictions; refer to NSEP Standards for details
• Registry tattoos — for registered animals accompanied by a valid registration certificate

The Code of Federal Regulations Part 79.2 and the National Scrapie Eradication Program Standards allow sheep and goats to be officially identified with registry tattoos for movement in interstate commerce, with some exceptions. Tattooed registered animals must be 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.

To obtain your official tags and a flock or premises ID number, call 1-866-USDA-Tag (866-873-2824). This number uses a telephone tree that will route you to the correct APHIS Veterinary Services or state office to answer your questions about sheep and goat identification.

Flock ID tag numbers consist of the producer’s flock ID assigned by APHIS or the state, followed by an individual animal number. SFCP tags may only be purchased by owners of flocks participating in the Scrapie-Free Flock Certification Program, while regular program tags may be purchased by any producer who has a flock or premises ID.

Flock Registration and Recordkeeping Requirements in Kentucky

Proper recordkeeping is not a bureaucratic formality — it is what makes disease tracing possible when an outbreak occurs. The success of the Scrapie Eradication Program is tied to producers keeping good records of animal sales and purchases. Without accurate records, state and federal officials cannot trace a positive animal back to its flock of origin, which slows down quarantine actions and puts neighboring operations at risk.

Producers are required to follow federal and state regulations for officially identifying their sheep and goats and must also keep herd records showing what new animals were added and what animals left the herd or flock. These records must be retained and made available to state or federal animal health officials upon request.

Your recordkeeping system should capture the following for each animal:

1. The official ID number (eartag, RFID, or tattoo)
2. Date of acquisition or birth
3. Source of the animal (seller name, address, and premises of origin)
4. Date of sale or transfer and the name and address of the buyer
5. Any test results associated with the animal

A 2019 APHIS final rule established more flexible approaches to disease investigations and affected flock management, as well as more consistent animal identification and recordkeeping requirements for sheep and goats. This rule, codified under 9 CFR Part 79, forms the current federal baseline that Kentucky producers must meet. You can access the USDA APHIS National Scrapie Eradication Program page to review the current program standards document directly.

To register your flock and receive a premises ID, contact the KDA State Veterinarian’s office or call the USDA tag line. Regardless of which tagging route a producer chooses, they should fill out the Scrapie Tag order form and must have a flock ID number before ordering their tags. Your flock ID is also required before you can purchase RFID tags or implantable devices from approved manufacturers.

Interstate and Intrastate Movement Rules for Sheep and Goats in Kentucky

Movement rules are among the most operationally significant parts of the Scrapie Eradication Program for Kentucky producers. Whether you are buying animals from out of state, selling to buyers in other states, or moving animals between your own properties, specific documentation and identification requirements apply.

Interstate Movement Into Kentucky

All sheep or lambs entering Kentucky for sale, exhibition, breeding, or feeding purposes must be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), and an entry permit is required for sheep or lambs entering for sale, breeding, or feeding purposes.

All sheep must originate from a scrapie-consistent state meeting the requirements of the USDA APHIS VS Scrapie Flock Certification Program established in 9 C.F.R. Part 79. Sheep that require a CVI for movement must be identified with an official USDA Scrapie Program identification tag or other official identification method, and this must be documented on the CVI.

Sheep or lambs from scrapie-consistent states may be imported into Kentucky for immediate slaughter if consigned directly to a recognized slaughtering center approved by the USDA or the State Veterinarian, or to a state-federal approved stockyard or concentration point if reconsignment from that point is to immediate slaughter.

For goats entering Kentucky, all goats entering the state for sale, exhibition, breeding, or feeding purposes must be accompanied by a valid CVI, and an entry permit is required for goats entering for sale, breeding, or feeding purposes. Goats that require a CVI for movement must be identified with an official USDA Scrapie Program identification tag or other official animal identification.

Sheep or lambs that originate from known trace, source, or infected scrapie flocks as determined by USDA APHIS VS in compliance with 9 C.F.R. Part 79 shall not be imported into Kentucky.

Intrastate Movement Within Kentucky

The regulations required states to implement and enforce official identification of most sheep and goats on change of ownership intrastate in order to move sheep and goats interstate with minimal restrictions. This means that even sales within Kentucky trigger identification requirements when the animals may later enter interstate commerce.

There are limited exemptions from identification requirements for intrastate movement. 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 that same owner — are exempt, provided the premises are recorded in the National Scrapie Database as additional flock premises and commingling does not occur with unidentified animals born in another flock.

For movement of animals from trace, source, or infected flocks within Kentucky, VS Form 1-27 is required for movement of sheep or lambs from trace, source, or infected flocks to an approved site. This form must be obtained from USDA APHIS Veterinary Services before the animals are transported.

Reporting, Testing, and Quarantine Requirements in Kentucky

Timely reporting and testing are critical to the NSEP’s ability to locate and eliminate remaining cases of scrapie. Kentucky producers have specific obligations when an animal shows clinical signs consistent with scrapie or when a positive test result is received.

Reporting Obligations

Accreditation standards require the reporting of live or dead scrapie suspects to state and federal authorities. As a producer, you are expected to contact your accredited veterinarian and the KDA State Veterinarian’s office promptly if you observe animals showing signs consistent with scrapie — including unexplained weight loss, incoordination, wool loss, or behavioral changes in adult animals.

Accredited veterinarians are the producers’ primary source of education about all aspects of the program, including identification, recordkeeping, and movement requirements. When requested by the producer, accredited veterinarians can apply official eartags, collect and submit samples for official genotype testing, scrapie testing on obex, lymph node, third-eyelid lymphoid tissue, or rectal lymphoid tissue, and issue Certificates of Veterinary Inspection for interstate movement.

Testing Procedures

Producers, accredited veterinicians, APHIS representatives, and state animal health employees may collect and submit samples from adult sheep or goats. APHIS provides shipping boxes and pre-printed, postage-paid labels at no cost to producers and accredited veterinarians, and will pay for scrapie testing of up to 30 animals per flock per year.

The NSEP uses a risk-based incentive system to prioritize surveillance sampling. Scrapie eradication efforts focus surveillance sampling on higher-risk animals and flocks. Animals that are older, show clinical signs, or carry susceptible genotypes (such as QQ at codon 171) receive higher priority for testing. Submitting samples from animals that die on your farm is especially important: submission of samples from sheep or goats over 18 months of age found dead or euthanized on your farm is extremely important, and without producer participation, the U.S. cannot declare itself free of scrapie, costing the sheep and goat industries approximately $10 to $20 million annually.

Quarantine Procedures

When a flock is identified as infected, source, or exposed, USDA APHIS and the KDA State Veterinarian will work together to place the flock under a quarantine order. Movement of animals off the quarantined premises is restricted, and a formal flock plan is developed in cooperation with the owner. Flock plan agreements and post-exposure management and monitoring plan (PEMMP) agreements made before the effective date of the current program standards will remain in force unless changed by mutual agreement between APHIS, the state, and the owner.

Flock owners that maintain a flock after receiving indemnity are required to maintain that flock under a post-exposure management and monitoring plan for five years. During this period, regular inspections and sampling are conducted to verify that no additional infected animals are present. Indemnity may be available for animals destroyed as part of an official scrapie response; commercial indemnity values are calculated using the USDA Commercial Indemnity Table, which uses harmonized methods and data sources and is updated each calendar year.

Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP) in Kentucky

The SFCP is a voluntary program open to all sheep and goat producers in the United States. Its overall objective 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.

The Scrapie Flock Certification Program was added in 1992 and identifies scrapie-free flocks by monitoring them over a 5 to 7 year period. The program provides sheep and goat producers the opportunity to increase the marketability of their animals through demonstrating a negligible scrapie risk in their flock or herd. For Kentucky producers who sell breeding stock, show animals, or export animals internationally, SFCP enrollment can be a significant competitive advantage.

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.

Requirements for Enrollment and Maintenance

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.

To enroll your Kentucky flock in the SFCP, you must already have a flock ID and be in compliance with the mandatory identification and recordkeeping requirements of the NSEP. SFCP tags may only be purchased by owners of flocks participating in the Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program. These specialized tags visually distinguish your certified animals from those in non-certified flocks, which is important for buyers and inspectors alike.

All requirements of the SFCP are outlined in the SFCP program standards, available in electronic form through USDA APHIS. You can also contact the APHIS National Scrapie program directly at scrapie@usda.gov for enrollment assistance, or reach the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office through the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office scrapie resources page for state-specific guidance.

How to Get Started with the SFCP in Kentucky

If you are interested in enrolling your Kentucky flock in the SFCP, follow these steps:

1. Confirm your flock ID and premises ID — Call 1-866-USDA-TAG (866-873-2824) if you do not already have these numbers assigned.
2. Review the SFCP program standards — Download the current standards document from the USDA APHIS NSEP page to understand the specific requirements for your desired status level.
3. Contact your accredited veterinarian — Your vet will conduct the initial flock inspection, reconcile your animal inventory, and begin collecting the documentation needed for enrollment.
4. Submit your enrollment application — Applications are processed through USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. Contact the program at scrapie@usda.gov or through the APHIS Area Veterinarian in Charge for Kentucky.
5. Order SFCP-specific eartags — Once enrolled, purchase the appropriate SFCP tags from an approved manufacturer to identify your certified animals.
6. Maintain annual compliance — Participate in annual inspections, maintain your animal inventory records, and meet sampling requirements each year to retain your certification status.

Staying current with your SFCP obligations is just as important as the initial enrollment. The revised program enhances scrapie surveillance strategy, contributing to the final push to eradicate this disease from the United States. Your participation as a Kentucky producer directly advances that national goal — and positions your operation for stronger market access in the process. For a broader look at how Kentucky regulates animals and wildlife, explore resources on venomous animals in Kentucky and types of hawks in Kentucky through AnimalOfThings.com.