Maine/USDA Scrapie Tag Registration

Maine & the USDA are now requiring all sheep and goats being sold, traded or swapped to be scrapie tagged.

All sheep and goats are required to have a Scrapie tag in their ear when they leave their farm (change of ownership) - no matter their age.

There are two exceptions: if a sheep or goat is registered and has a breed tattoo (their registration papers MUST accompany them) and if they are younger than 18 months and headed directly to slaughter.

By that, it means, they go from the farm on a truck directly to the slaughter plant (not by way of an auction). We recommend tagging of even these slaughter animals to distinguish them from others at the plant.

If there are bottle babies or very young animals being swapped/sold at any event they must have a tag, no matter their age, gender or whether sexually active. Even castrated animals need to be tagged.


There is no testing done by the farmer. The testing would be done by the veterinarian or USDA if an animal later showed signs of illness. Thus the reason for tracking back to the farm of origin. The trace back would only be done at the request of the USDA or State Maine office. The state of Maine does not trace back for folks who just want to know where an animal came from.


The tattoo options are: a breed tattoo done by the farmer who has a registered animal; OR the farmer can purchase a tattoo kit with numbers and letters and tattoo the MEX number sequences given to them by the USDA in the ear. There are a lot of letters and numbers so this would be more expensive (purchase of the kit/numbers/letters)and require more surface area on the ear than just putting in the Scrapie tag.

NOTE: Tattoo kits can be purchased at most goat supply stores such as Tractor Supply or online at Hoegger's Goat Supply.

www.hoeggerfarmyard.com/xcart/search.php?mode=search&page=1

tsc.tractorsupply.com/search?w=tattoo&searchButton.x=27&searchButton.y=5


Summary: All babies (no matter the age or whether castrated or not) must be tagged if they are up for sale at any event. All sheep/goat being sold from a farm need to have a tag, whether being sold in state or out of state. Castrated sheep/goat must also be tagged. The farmer is required to keep records for 5 years. A small yellow book is usually provided with the tag shipment for recording of the tag number, date sold, etc.