Moredun Research Institute, along with the Stoc+ project and the Wales Veterinary Science Centre (WVSC) has developed a new sheep scab ELISA test which is now available via the WVSC.
Stoc+ is a project led by Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) aimed towards working with farmers and vets to promote proactive flock and herd health management. Of the sheep farms taking part in the project, 24 have identified sheep scab as one of their animal health priorities.
Sheep scab is prevalent in around a quarter of Welsh sheep flocks and costs the industry around £12 million every year.
The FUW worked with the Sheep Scab Industry Group to submit an industry-led sheep scab report to Welsh Government in 2018 which recognised the need for coordinated treatment across contiguous premises and outlined a sheep scab control programme which would increase the likelihood of neighbouring farms working together to eradicate scab through a more holistic and workable approach.
Despite a free pilot scheme for the testing of skin scrape samples, the industry is yet to receive the promised £5.1 million for an eradication programme from more than three years ago.
This new test, which aims to diagnose and monitor exposure to sheep scab, can be used as another tool in the box for eradicating sheep scab on a national scale.
Those farmers who are concerned about sheep scab can use this new test by contacting their vets.