Vermont/USDA/Sheep

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Barb Peck bpeck@together.net
Barb Peck
bpeck@together.net

One of the sheep herds is within a hour from
my farm, here's the scoop:

One herd was shipped to USDA/Iowa last week, and
the USDA was in Warren Vt. yesterday loading
the other herd. 

The sheep were imported 5 years ago, and USDA tested
and deemed the herds to be "clean" at that time.

The herds were tested again last year, and although
the specific (BOVINE) prion causing mad cow was not found
some sheep tested positive for a "similar" prion that
"may" cause a similar disease in sheep.
All sheep appear to be healthy.

The owners have been in court delaying the shipping
of their herds to Iowa, basing their cases on the 
inconclusivness of the USDA tests. The USDA is saying that
they could have been infected at the time of importation
as these diseases may have a very long incubation period.

No one really knows.

So this is a perfect case of "from a public health
standpoint"  (certain measures are taken to protect
the public) as opposed to " from an individual health
standpoint" (where personaly choices are made)
 which was discussed on RC recently.

Barb