8 Colo. Code Regs. § 1201-19, pt. 10
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 19, October 10, 2024
10.1. Definitions 10.1.1. "Acceptable Specimen" means a specimen determined satisfactory for diagnostic testing by the approved laboratory, including complete documentation.10.1.2. "Approved Laboratory" means any laboratory designated and approved by the State Veterinarian for testing T. fetus samples.10.1.3. "Bovine" means any sexually intact male or female animal of the genus Bos.10.1.4. "Colorado Commuter Permit" means a permit issued by the Colorado State Veterinarian's Office to Colorado livestock producers who use pasture lands and other livestock operations in one or more states that are contiguous to Colorado.10.1.5. "Commingle" means having both male and female bovines, regardless of ownership, in the same enclosure or pasture where such animals would have a reasonable opportunity for sexual contact.10.1.6. "Complete Herd Test" means an official T. fetus test of all breeding-age bulls as determined by the State Veterinarian.10.1.7. "Directly to Slaughter" means transporting an animal to a slaughter plant after loading into a transit device without unloading prior to arrival at the destination slaughter plant.10.1.8. "Herd" means a group of bovines (male and female) that have commingled for any period of time during the last 12 months.10.1.9. "T. fetus PCR test (Polymerase Chain Reaction)" means a method approved by the State Veterinarian for the testing of samples collected by an accredited veterinarian to detect, through in vitro amplification, the presence of T. fetus DNA.10.1.10. "Official Colorado Negative T. fetus Tag" means a tag provided by the Colorado Department of Agriculture to accredited veterinarians which is applied to bulls that test negative for T. fetus using official testing methods.10.1.11. "Positive T. fetus Bull" means a bull that has had a positive T. fetus test.10.1.12. "Positive T. fetus Herd" means the group of all bovines that have commingled and in which group any bovine (male or female) has had a positive diagnosis for T. fetus.10.1.13. "Negative T. fetus Bull" means a bull that qualifies by one of the following: 10.1.13.1. Originates from a herd not known to be infected, has tested negative to an official test, and has been isolated from females since that test;10.1.13.2. Originates from a positive herd but has had a series of two negative T. fetus PCR tests at intervals of at least one week and continues to be isolated from females;10.1.13.3. Has met current Colorado import requirements; or10.1.13.4. Originates from a positive herd, has been isolated from females, and has had two negative T. fetus PCR tests at least one week apart.10.1.14. "Regulatory Veterinarian" means the State Veterinarian or his or her designee. This may be a state or USDA employed veterinarian or any accredited veterinarian holding a current state license to practice veterinary medicine.10.1.15. "Slaughter only back tag" means a back tag provided by the Colorado Department of Agriculture to livestock markets which is applied to bulls presented for sale without a T. fetus test.10.1.16. "Suspect T. fetus Bull" means a bull from a positive T. fetus herd that has not yet had two consecutive negative T. fetus PCR tests.10.1.17. "Trichomonas fetus (or T. fetus)" means a contagious venereal protozoan parasite disease of the Tritrichomonas foetus species that causes infertility, pyometra, abortions, and reproductive inefficiency in female bovine.10.1.18. "Unacceptable Sample" means a sample that is deemed not diagnostic by the approved testing laboratory.10.2. Intrastate Breeding bulls 10.2.1. All bulls 12 months and older must have a negative T. fetus PCR test within 60 days prior to change of ownership or change of possession under lease or loan. Bulls shall not be exposed to females at the new premises until the results of the test are known.10.2.2. Any bull with a positive test shall be immediately quarantined. The quarantine shall be in effect until the bull is sent to slaughter. The positive T. fetus bull's herd of origin will be placed under a hold order. The hold or quarantine order will be released in accordance with the regulatory section of this rule.10.3. Regulatory Action 10.3.1. Public Grazing & Grazing Associations10.3.1.1. All breeding bulls commingling in grazing associations, regardless of whether public or private associations, or on public lands, regardless if on private or multiple user permits, shall have the official T. fetus PCR test conducted annually. Negative bulls shall be identified as in Part 10.5.1 below. 10.3.1.1.1. If any bull is found positive, all bulls that have an epidemiological link to the positive bull, regardless of owner, manager, or operator, will be required to have two consecutive negative T. fetus PCR tests and be isolated under quarantine prior to turn out time.10.3.1.1.2. Any stray bull located on public grazing lands or in a grazing association shall be subject to the management procedures set forth in 10.4.5.10.3.2. Positive T. fetus Bull & Herd10.3.2.1. Any confirmed T. fetus positive bovine and its herd (as defined by state animal health officials) shall immediately be placed under quarantine, and will remain under quarantine as follows: 10.3.2.1.1. Positive T. fetus bulls shall be identified with an official Positive T. fetus test tag by an accredited veterinarian within 5 days of diagnosis.10.3.2.1.2. Positive T. fetus bulls shall be quarantined then sent directly to slaughter or to livestock market for slaughter only or to an Approved Feedlot.10.3.2.1.3. All other bulls in a positive T. fetus herd shall remain quarantined until they have tested negative to two consecutive T. fetus PCR tests at least one week apart. The initial negative T. fetus PCR test is included in the series of negative tests required.10.3.3. Reproductive Bovine Females from a Positive T. fetus Herd 10.3.3.1. Females over 12 months of age (not known to be virgin heifers) from a positive T. fetus herd may be sold directly to slaughter or quarantined on the premises of origin. Individual females will be released from quarantine when there are two consecutive negative T. fetus PCR tests of the entire bull population and the cow(s) has a calf at side (with no exposure to other than known negative T. fetus bulls since parturition), has documented 120 days of sexual isolation, or is determined by an accredited veterinarian to be at least 120 days pregnant.10.3.3.2. Heifers known to be virgin at the time of turnout, or heifers exposed only to known negative T. fetus bulls and not yet 120 days pregnant, may remain within the herd.10.3.3.3. Open females shall be sold to slaughter, moved to an Approved Feedlot, or held in isolation from all bulls for 120 days. Any female sold to slaughter through a livestock market shall be officially identified and identified with an official Colorado red positive T. fetus tag during the quarantine period.10.3.3.4. Breeding by artificial insemination with semen from a known negative bull is allowed during the quarantine period.10.3.4. Management Procedures of T. fetus Positive herds 10.3.4.1. The State Veterinarian may require additional testing of bulls, pregnancy testing of females, segregation of cattle within a herd, and may hold or quarantine a herd until the owner, lessor, or manager of the herd has complied with any additional requirements set forth by the State Veterinarian.10.3.5. Management Procedures Regarding Stray Bulls10.3.5.1. Any stray bull without a current negative Colorado Trich Tag found on public or private land, from a known or unknown herd of origin, may be confined and placed under a hold order until the bull has one or more T. fetus PCR test(s) conducted. The test(s) shall be the responsibility of the bull's owner. The conditions of the hold or quarantine orders and number of tests will be determined by the State Veterinarian.10.4. Identification 10.4.1. All bulls tested for T. fetus, whether for official or unofficial testing, must be officially identified.10.4.2. At the time of testing, an accredited veterinarian must: 10.4.2.1. Record the bull's official identification device on the T. fetus test submission form;10.4.2.2. Apply an official Colorado T. fetus tag to the tested bull; and10.4.2.3. Record the official Colorado T. fetus tag number of the tested bull on the test submission form.10.4.3. Bulls that are determined T. fetus PCR test negative shall be identified with an official Colorado negative T. fetus tag. Tags will be supplied by the Colorado Department of Agriculture and be assigned to accredited veterinarians. The official negative T. fetus tag color shall be changed annually.10.4.4. Bulls identified pending negative test results shall be isolated from all females until the test result is reported negative.10.4.5. Positive T. fetus bulls shall be identified with an official red positive T. fetus tag supplied by the Colorado Department of Agriculture.10.4.6. Any quarantined cows moved from the original premises of quarantine shall be officially identified and identified with an official red positive T. fetus ear tag.10.5. Specimen Collection Facilities 10.5.1. The bull's owner must provide adequate corrals and restraint to protect the animal and veterinarian from undue injury and risk. The accredited veterinarian shall determine the adequacy of such facilities and may require the bulls be delivered to a mutually agreed facility if the owner's facility is deemed inadequate for specimen collection purposes.10.6. Approved Laboratory Responsibilities10.6.1. An approved laboratory is required to immediately report any positive specimen to the State Veterinarian's Office. Such report should include the official identification device, brand, owner name, address, telephone number and the submitting veterinarian's name, address, and telephone number.10.6.2. In order for T. fetus testing results to be considered official test results, the packaging and transportation of samples for T. fetus testing must explicitly follow the approved laboratory's protocol for transport of specimens. Failure to follow the appropriate submission protocol and policy may result in an unacceptable sample.10.6.3. The laboratory shall report unacceptable samples to the State Veterinarian. If any sample is deemed unacceptable the submitting veterinarian shall submit a retest specimen. The State Veterinarian may report the unacceptable samples and the name of the veterinarian who took the unacceptable standards to the USDA Assistant District Director who may report the information to the APHIS Administrator.10.7 Public Livestock Markets (Auctions)10.7.1. All bulls that are 12 months of age and older shall be accompanied by a negative official T. fetus PCR test, conducted within 60 days prior to sale, with a statement that the bulls have been isolated from all female bovines after testing. 10.7.1.1. Any bull 12 months of age or older consigned for breeding purposes without a test report shall be placed under quarantine and tested at the livestock market premises. Bulls shall be held at the livestock market premises isolated from all females until the test results are known.10.7.2. Any bull presented at a livestock market without T. fetus test results may be identified by the livestock market with a "slaughter only" back tag designating such bull as having no T. fetus test prior to being offered for sale.10.7.3. Any bull presented at a livestock market without T. fetus test results must be announced in the sale ring as "slaughter only" and so designated on the buyer's documents.10.7.4. Any bull presented at a livestock market without T. fetus test results shall only be sold directly to slaughter or to a Colorado Approved Feedlot.10.7.5. Bulls and breeding females from a known positive T. fetus herd shall be identified with an official Colorado positive T. fetus tag at the ranch of origin and may only be consigned and sold for slaughter or consigned to a Colorado Approved Feedlot.37 CR 23, December 10, 2014, effective 12/30/201439 CR 13, July 10, 2016, effective 7/30/201640 CR 23, December 10, 2017, effective 12/30/201744 CR 10, May 25, 2021, effective 6/15/202146 CR 15, August 10, 2023, effective 9/15/202347 CR 12, June 25, 2024, effective 7/15/2024