Flock Register

All sheep farmers in the United Kingdom can join the Flock Register, which is a framework to recognise the scrapie resistance of sheep flocks.  There are five different categories, depending on the flock’s resistance to scrapie.

The Flock Register (FR) is a voluntary UK-wide framework, administered under the Northern Ireland Scrapie Plan (NISP) in Northern Ireland, and the National Scrapie Plan in GB, which is open to all sheep farmers and has been set up to recognise the scrapie resistance of sheep flocks.

The FR will benefit flock owners by providing a framework to recognise the scrapie resistant status of their sheep flocks.  It aims to encourage sheep farmers to progressively reduce and remove the most scrapie susceptible rams from their sheep flock.  It also fulfils an EU requirement to establish a framework to recognise the TSE-resistant status of certain flocks of sheep.  

All rams (and all ewes in the case of category A) in flocks registered under the FR must have been genotype tested, electronically identified and have been issued with an NSP/NISP Genotype Certificate.  For non-NSP/NISP members, including those in the cross-bred and slaughter lamb sectors, this means that they must be using rams (and ewes in the case of category A) that have been previously NSP/NISP genotype tested and have an NSP/NISP Genotype certificate.    

There are five categories of membership of the FR to which flock owners can apply, and each category is defined by the NISP/NSP genotypes of the rams (and ewes if you apply to category A) that can be used in the flock.

Recognition for the FR is granted in a number of categories based on the genotype profile of the flock.  There are five different categories, with flocks in category A being at lowest risk to scrapie.  Each category will have a different coloured registration document, and the categories are as follows -

A* (green) - NISP/NSP Type 1 rams - Type 1 ewes

B* (blue)  - NISP/NSP Type 1 rams - Any ewes

C (yellow) - NISP/NSP Type 1 and 2 rams (but not ARR/ARQ) - Any ewes

D (orange) - NISP/NSP Type 1 and 2 rams - Any ewes

E (pink) - NISP/NSP Type 1,2 and 3 rams - Any ewes

*EU minimum  - Category A is EU level I and Category B is EU level II

A register of all current FR flocks will be placed on the Department’s website.  The online FR will contain details of the flock owner (or agent), DVO area, postcode, telephone number, breed, category, expiry date and the Electronic Identification numbers for the FR rams (and ewes if category A).

Further information on the Flock Register can be obtained from TSE Branch on (028) 9052 5275.