Granting sheep and goats a free from Maedi-Visna and CAE health category

1. Learn about Maedi-Visna and CAE and the requirements of their health monitoring programme (instructions for the voluntary health monitoring of Maedi-Visna and CAE as an attachment to the entry form).
2. Fill out the entry form as thoroughly as you can and submit the form to the Finnish Food Authority.
3. Exercising the health monitoring is specific to each animal premises. the main premise for keeping sheep or goats, which has an animal shelter for winter, must be listed for health monitoring. Pastureland that is only used during summer does not need to be listed. Premises under the same premise ID are mainly classified in the same health category. However, you can keep animals apart in separate sites, in which case they can also be of different categories. In such cases, the different sites must be listed separately for health monitoring.
4. Ensure that you are constantly following the terms and conditions of the health monitoring programme.

After joining, you are committed to ensuring that the terms and conditions of the programme are followed.

Please ensure that

1. You invite the municipal veterinarian for an inspection visit when samples of the animals are due to be collected in accordance with the health monitoring programme (at first every 12–18 months, then every 32–38 months). During a visit, the municipal veterinarian:

• collects blood samples of sheep and goats of over 12 months old
• checks the animals for symptoms of Maedi-Visna and CAE
• checks that the individual identifiers and registration information are up to date
• checks all the premises that contain animals at the time of the inspection, even though pastureland does not need to be included in the health monitoring.

You can ease the sampling by arranging the premises in a manner that makes handling the animals easier. Make sure there is enough space, light and helping hands available. To make accounting of the sampling easier, have the records of premises and animals at hand.

2. You only acquire new animals and sheep or goat embryos and gametes from animal premises that are classified in health category 1. For imported sheep and goats, as well as their gametes and embryos, please ensure that the foreign programme and animal health category is equivalent to category 1 of the Finnish health monitoring programme.

3. When in pastureland, animal shows or other such places, you do not allow your sheep and goats to get in touch with animals that are not classified in category 1.

4. You keep a record of health checks and sampling, and hold on to the health category decision and research results.

5. The labelling and registration of your premises and animals are in compliance with the valid legislation.

6. You keep the documents concerning the purchase of animals, gametes and embryos as well as documents concerning the health monitoring available, so that they can be checked if need be.