Scrapie Eradication Program in Texas: What Every Sheep and Goat Producer Needs to Know

If you raise sheep or goats in Texas, the Scrapie Eradication Program is not optional — it is a mandatory set of federal and state requirements that directly affects how you identify, move, and manage your animals. Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep and goats. Because there is no cure and no reliable blood test for it, the entire framework of the program depends on producer participation, accurate recordkeeping, and strict animal identification.

Texas carries more weight in this program than most states. In a state that leads the nation in both the sheep and goat industries and in the production of wool and mohair, eradication of scrapie continues to be a priority for thousands of sheep producers and a growing number of goat producers. Understanding your obligations under the program — from tagging requirements to flock registration — keeps you compliant and protects the broader industry.

What Is Scrapie and Why It Is Regulated in Texas

Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative TSE disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep and goats. First recognized as a disease of sheep in Great Britain and other countries of Western Europe more than 250 years ago, scrapie has been reported throughout the world. In the United States, scrapie has primarily been reported in the black-face meat breeds and their crosses.

The disease is caused by a transmissible prion — an abnormal protein — which is very stable in the environment. 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 of scrapie — such as behavioral changes, tremors, and incoordination that progresses to recumbency and death — until they are two years of age or older.

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 barrier is a key reason Texas — as one of the nation’s top sheep and goat producing states — has a strong regulatory and economic interest in full eradication. Since 2009, there have been no confirmed cases of scrapie in Texas, a milestone tied directly to the animal identification requirements and surveillance work discussed throughout this article. You can learn more about the broader animal health landscape in Texas by reviewing resources on wildlife species sharing Texas habitats with livestock.

Texas’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. The NSEP 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).

The program’s goals are to eradicate classical scrapie from the United States and to meet World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) criteria for disease freedom. Since 2002, the prevalence of scrapie has decreased significantly through existing eradication efforts, largely a result of effective slaughter surveillance. Since slaughter surveillance started in FY 2003, the percent of cull sheep found positive at slaughter (once adjusted for face color) has decreased 99 percent.

Texas holds a unique position in national surveillance targets due to the sheer size of its industry. Due to its large sheep and goat populations, Texas’s minimums were set at 1,000 goats and 1,000 sheep per year, which is lower than calculating the minimum based on the breeding populations. This means the state has a defined annual sampling floor that must be met to sustain its Stage 2 low-risk classification.

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) serves as the state-level enforcement partner to USDA-APHIS. The Texas Animal Health Commission regulates the entry of many livestock, poultry, and exotic livestock species into the state and for interstate shows and exhibitions. USDA-APHIS announced new nationwide identification and recordkeeping requirements for sheep and goats on March 25, 2019, and the TAHC adopted and enforces these rules in coordination with federal authorities.

Without producer participation, the U.S. will not be able to declare itself free of scrapie, costing the sheep and goat industries approximately $10 to $20 million annually. Texas producers play a direct role in preventing that outcome. For additional context on Texas’s diverse animal populations, see our overview of bats in Texas, which also play a role in the broader ecosystem.

Official Animal Identification Requirements in Texas

Official identification (ID) is the backbone of the scrapie eradication framework. All sheep and goats must have official identification when moving off their premises of origin, unless they are sheep and goats moving with a group ID. This requirement applies whether you are selling, transporting, or exhibiting your animals.

Texas accepts several forms of official ID under the program. Acceptable forms of official identification include plastic flock ID tags, Scrapie 840 radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tags, metal flock ID tags, and serial tags. Registered tattoos and 840 electronic implants are accepted as official ID, with the exception of sheep and goats that are in slaughter channels.

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.

To obtain your official tags, call 1-866-USDA-Tag (866-873-2824). This number has a telephone tree that will gather information to route you to the correct APHIS Veterinary Services or State office to answer your questions about sheep and goat identification. The National Scrapie Eradication Program provides 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.

All exhibition sheep must be officially identified with a Scrapie Eradication Program ear tag prior to entry. In Texas, all sexually intact exhibition goats must be officially identified with a Scrapie Eradication Program ear tag prior to entry, except registered goats with a registration tattoo and accompanied by registration papers. These exhibition rules apply at fairs, stock shows, and rodeos throughout the state.

Flock Registration and Recordkeeping Requirements in Texas

Proper flock registration and recordkeeping are just as important as tagging. A scrapie flock identification number is a unique number, permanently assigned to a group of animals managed as a unit on one or more premises and under the same ownership. The scrapie flock ID number must be recorded in and linked to one or more premises identification numbers (PINs) or location identifiers (LIDs) in the National Scrapie Database to obtain 840 tags or microchips.

Texas uses both federal and state systems for premises registration. A national premises identification number (PIN) is a unique number, permanently assigned to a physical address where livestock animals are located. All owner and premises information collected is stored and maintained in a federal database. Texas utilizes the USDA-APHIS Premises Management System to obtain a PIN from the federal allocator. A PIN consists of seven alphanumeric characters, beginning with two zeros.

Texas also has a state system and process for issuing a location identifier (LID). A LID is a unique number permanently assigned to an owner’s contact and operation information, not a specific premises, and is stored in a state-administered database.

Once your flock is registered, you must maintain ongoing records of all animal movements. 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 or flock. Records must be kept for a minimum of five years by accredited veterinarians, markets, dealers, owners, or agents who apply official identification to sheep or goats.

The success of the Scrapie Eradication Program is tied to producers keeping good records of animal sales and purchases. For TAHC-specific recordkeeping guidance, you can visit the Texas Administrative Code Scrapie Chapter on Animal Identification and Record Keeping, or contact a TAHC representative directly at 512-719-0750. You may also find it useful to browse our guide on insects in Texas for a broader picture of the state’s agricultural environment.

Interstate and Intrastate Movement Rules for Sheep and Goats in Texas

Movement rules for sheep and goats in Texas operate on two levels: movements coming into Texas from other states (interstate) and movements happening entirely within Texas (intrastate). Both sets of rules carry official ID requirements and, in some cases, additional documentation.

Sheep and goats are required to have a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) within 30 days prior to entry into Texas, and they must have official identification. There are additional testing requirements for breeding sheep. As of January 1, 2026, all import certificates of veterinary inspection (CVIs) must be electronic.

Animals originating from an Inconsistent State — meaning a state without an active scrapie surveillance and control program — may enter Texas only if an entry permit is obtained, they are consigned directly to a terminal feedlot, or consigned directly to slaughter. Entry permits can be obtained at any time by calling 512-719-0777 or 1-800-550-8242, ext. 777, or by emailing [email protected].

For goats entering Texas from out of state, all breeding, exhibition, or animals in slaughter channels are required to be identified by official ear tag prior to entry, unless excepted. One exception applies to registered goats with a registration tattoo accompanied by registration papers.

For intrastate movements within Texas, states were required 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 if you are selling animals to a neighbor within Texas, official ID is required when ownership changes hands.

Any animal that is under a Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) quarantine cannot be moved from a quarantined area unless movement is authorized by the TAHC Executive Director under 4 TAC §51.5. If you are unsure whether your animals or premises are subject to any movement restrictions, contact the TAHC at 1-800-550-8242 before moving animals. For official movement requirements, refer to the Texas Administrative Code, Title 4, Part 2.

Reporting, Testing, and Quarantine Requirements in Texas

Surveillance testing is one of the most critical components of the program, and Texas producers have a direct role to play. Producers, accredited veterinarians, 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. APHIS will pay for scrapie testing of up to 30 animals per flock per year.

Submission of samples from sheep and goats over 18 months of age found dead or euthanized on your farm is extremely important. On-farm sampling of animals that die naturally is one of the primary ways the program detects remaining cases. One of the most difficult aspects of an eradication program is finding the last few cases of the disease. This involves testing sheep and goats that are showing signs suspect of scrapie, but also testing those mature animals that may be incubating the disease.

The accreditation standards require reporting of live or dead scrapie suspects to State and Federal authorities. If you observe any animal showing neurological signs — including progressive weight loss, behavioral changes, tremors, or incoordination — you are required to report that animal to your accredited veterinarian or directly to the TAHC or USDA-APHIS.

When scrapie is confirmed, quarantine procedures go into effect. Upon laboratory confirmation of the disease by approved laboratory methods, the Texas Animal Health Commission shall establish quarantines upon infected and exposed animals and premises, advise the owner or caretaker how to properly dispose of carcasses, and require such treatment as may be necessary to control and eradicate the disease. All exposed, scrapie-positive, suspect, test-positive, and high-risk animals are subject to movement restrictions.

For questions about submitting samples for scrapie testing, contact the USDA-APHIS scrapie program page or reach out to the APHIS Area Veterinarian in Charge for Texas. You can also contact the TAHC at 512-719-0733 for guidance on state-level reporting obligations. Producers interested in how disease surveillance intersects with Texas’s broader wildlife environment may find our article on salamanders in Texas a useful reference for understanding shared habitats.

Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP) in Texas

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.

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.

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.

The SFCP 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 Texas producers who sell breeding stock — especially those involved in export markets — achieving certified status can open doors that would otherwise remain closed.

SFCP tags may only be purchased by owners of flocks participating in the Scrapie-Free Flock Certification Program. This distinction helps maintain the integrity of the certification system and ensures that SFCP-tagged animals can be reliably traced to certified operations.

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.

To enroll in the SFCP or get more information, contact USDA-APHIS at [email protected] or visit the APHIS National Scrapie Eradication Program page. For Texas-specific guidance, reach out to the TAHC at 512-719-0733 or visit the TAHC sheep and goat health page. You can also explore our articles on other Texas wildlife and livestock topics, including owls in Texas and eagles in Texas, for a broader view of the state’s agricultural and natural landscape.

Whether you are a small hobby producer or managing thousands of head, the Scrapie Eradication Program in Texas requires your active participation. Staying current on ID requirements, keeping accurate five-year records, submitting samples from deceased animals, and considering SFCP enrollment are the four pillars of full compliance. The progress Texas has made — with no confirmed cases since 2009 — demonstrates what consistent producer cooperation can achieve.