[Womble]

Folks, Has anybody here had their flock tested for Maedi Visna, to gain MV accredited status?

If so, can you tell me how you went about it, and how much it cost?

From my reading of the guidance, I need to have all sheep over 12 months old blood tested, and then repeat this six months later. I'm not sure though, do I send the application form off first, or do I organize the blood tests first with my vet?

Any advice and shared experience would be welcome! 

[Buttermilk]

I rang the scheme administrators and they were very helpful.  They sent me the paperwork and I arranged the vet and sent off the application form at the same time as the vet sent the samples.  I sent in the annual payment and they sent it back as they wanted to invoice me for only the portion of the year that was left and not the full year.

[Rosemary]

Biosecurity isreally important, sin't it/ No contact with non-accredited sheep? That's why we don't have MV classes at the Festival 

[Womble]

Thanks Buttermilk - very helpful 

Yes, you're right about biosecurity Rosemary. I went to a show last year which allowed both accredited and non-accredited sheep. These were penned in different areas, and the judge baby-wiped his hands each time he moved between them (it was actually quite comical to watch!). I think our fields are ok as they are though (no contact through the fence with other sheep - only ponies).

The Zwartbles Society are very big on accreditation, so we will have to go down that route if we want to ever enter stock at auction, go to shows, borrow tups etc. So, if we're going to have do it eventually, it might as well be now!

One more question - is there anything else we should consider testing for at the same time, such as enzootic abortion for example?

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Does it make a huge difference in the ring if they're non MV? I was thinking of having mine done in a year or two, but have to get fences really secure before then. Sorry [member=2128]Womble[/member] for hijacking the thread

[silkwoodzwartbles]

Excellent timing, the OH and I are thinking of going MV next year so I'm watching with interest

One quick question, the SAC website states blood tests are £5.25 + VAT for 10+ samples - is this total cost or cost per sample? And is this in addition to the vet fees or are they included within this cost? Do you know how much the annual MV accreditation fee to be paid to SAC is?

Thanks! And sorry to hijack

[Buttermilk]

The testing fee is per sample, I think it was about £77 for the yearly membership and I had the vet take the samples when he vaccinated the horses so to reduce his charge.  My vet charges sampling on the time it takes not the number done.

[silkwoodzwartbles]

Thank you

[Womble]

OK, I'm finding the fees very confusing! I've found three different prices for testing now, and all on the same (SAC) website!  However, I think the rough cost for a flock of ten adult sheep is going to be roughly as follows (please correct me if this is wrong):





For fifteen adults it goes up to just shy of a grand  spent over the first three years, plus £158 per year average thereafter.


If this is correct, I'm going to have to think about it some more; it's far from being a no-brainer!! 


EDIT, 2018: It turned out that these figures were considerably higher than reality. Please see my updated post below for the true figures.
 

[Rosemary]

A nice wee earner for somebody, I think.

So how serious is MV? It's not an issue for many breeds - seems to be mainly the continentals.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

A nice wee earner for somebody, I think.

So how serious is MV? It's not an issue for many breeds - seems to be mainly the continentals.

serious breeders use it as it ups the amount you can sell them for, rams by aboyt £150 I think.

[pharnorth]

I think your costing is about right [member=2128]Womble[/member]   I have CAE accreditation for my goats from SAC and the costs and flaffing about are similar. My sheep are non accredited it seems it is more common in some breeds than others.  Maybe for terminal sires it makes sense at the high end prices but not sure otherwise.

[Tim W]

A nice wee earner for somebody, I think.

So how serious is MV? It's not an issue for many breeds - seems to be mainly the continentals.

MV is a growing concern and like most diseases it doesn't see breed as a barrier. Many flocks don't even know they have it until it is affecting a large proportion of the flock
A few years ago there was a survey of MV accredited rams bought at NSA sales ---20% (ish) had CLA! So you buy a ram free of one disease and just import another disease?

I sell a few rams (50+) every year but am not MV accredited as I sell to commercial farmers ---instead I screen the flock for a range of diseases. This involves picking out the poor doers/old ewes  in the flock and testing them for MV/CLA/Johnes
This way I have a reasonable idea of what is going on in my flock at an affordable price

We used to be MV accredited but the cost never was recouped in extra sales----I sell more rams now than when I was MV accredited

If you want to be on the 'pedigree' or 'show' circuit you may have to be MV accredited

[Womble]

The answer to "how serious" appears to be "you really don't want this!". The facts, from the SAC summary sheet they sent me:

• It's a virus
• It has a long incubation period (2-4 yrs)
• It's passed through nose-to-nose contact, suckling infected milk and maybe via semen
• There is no vaccine or cure

If a sheep has it, they have a 10-20% chance of mortality, and will exhibit one or more of:

• Wasting
• Pneumonia
• progressive paralysis
• Arthritis
• Chronic mastitis

So whilst it's not catastrophic, it's not exactly pleasant either, and you really don't want it!!  As a result, I'm not surprised that certified tups etc sell for more. If you run a semi-closed commercial flock and only buy in males, it would make abundant sense to avoid buying in MV and similar diseases.


For us, it's really a question of how much we want to enter shows and sales, and whether not being accredited might stop us from being able to sell breeding stock to others who are accredited or could become so by only buying in accredited stock to begin with. I'm going to speak to other Z people about this, but at the moment my gut feel is we should jump that bridge when we come to it, and we're not there yet!

[Buttermilk]

As my initial stock came from accredited flocks it seemed silly to let it lapse.  As I also intend selling rams through the breed sales MV acc is a must and as I dont show the only way to let my flock get known is by selling at the breed sales.  Otherwise I am just another hobby breeder with unknown stock.