Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-02-01-.05

Current through September 10, 2024

Section 0080-02-01-.05 - CATTLE

(1) Feeder Cattle

(a) Feeder cattle transported into or through Tennessee shall be accompanied by an official certificate of veterinary inspection. Individual animal identification is not required, provided that all animals are identified as to breed, sex, and average age and/or weight, according to the number of head in the shipment.

(b) Official certificates of veterinary inspection are not required for feeder cattle that are moved by the producer or his agent directly from a farm of origin to an approved livestock market for sale.

(2) Slaughter Cattle

(a) General requirements

1. Slaughter cattle transported into, within, or through the state of Tennessee shall be accompanied by a transportation document. This requirement shall not apply to such cattle moved directly from a farm of origin by the producer or his agent.

2. Cattle consigned and/or shipped to any location other than an approved slaughter establishment are not considered slaughter cattle for purposes of these rules, and shall be tested for Brucellosis as dairy and breeding cattle under 0080-02-01-.05(3)(b) below.

(b) Additional Requirements for Assembled Cattle from Class B and Class C States - Test-eligible slaughter cattle shipped from approved markets or other assembly points in Class B and Class C states that would otherwise be required to be tested for Brucellosis as dairy and breeding cattle under 0080-02-01-.05(3)(d) are exempt from such test, provided they are:

1. Accompanied by official proof of test for Brucellosis within the preceding thirty (30) days; or

2. S-Branded and accompanied by a shipping permit; or

3. Transported in officially sealed vehicles and accompanied by a shipping permit.

(c) Reactor, Exposed or Other Cattle Under Quarantine - Cattle that are classified as reactor animals, exposed animals, or that are under quarantine for any reason shall bear appropriate individual identification and be accompanied by a shipping permit.

(3) Dairy and Breeding Cattle

(a) General Requirements - All dairy and breeding cattle transported into or through the state of Tennessee, regardless of age and origin and except as specifically exempted by (b) below, shall be:

1. Officially, individually identified by permanent means such as a coded metal ear tag, RFID device, registration tattoo, registration hot brand, registration freeze brand, or other official means as set forth in 9 C.F.R. 71; and

2. Accompanied by an official certificate of veterinary inspection.

(b) Exception to General Requirements - The certificate of veterinary inspection and identification requirements above shall not apply to cattle consigned and shipped by the producer or his agent directly from a farm of origin to an approved livestock market for sale.

(c) Test-eligible cattle from Class B and Class C states shall have an entry permit.

(d) Brucellosis

1. Brucellosis Testing Requirements - Unless specifically exempted, all test-eligible cattle are subject to the Brucellosis testing requirements outlined herein.

2. Cattle from Class A and Class B States - Dairy and breeding cattle entering Tennessee from non-quarantined herds in Class A and Class B states shall be accompanied by proof that such cattle have tested negative on an official test for Brucellosis that was conducted within the preceding thirty (30) days.

3. Cattle from Class C States - Dairy and breeding cattle entering Tennessee from non-quarantined herds in Class C states shall comply with the following requirements:

(i) Non-Vaccinates - Non-vaccinates from Class C states must have had negative results on two consecutive official tests for Brucellosis prior to movement, according to the following:

(I) The first test shall be conducted not less than sixty (60) days and not more than twelve (12) months before movement.

(II) The second test shall have been conducted not less than sixty (60) days after the first test and not more than thirty (30) days before movement.

(III) Between tests, the cattle being tested shall be kept separated from all other cattle.

(IV) The dates for both tests shall be recorded on the certificate of veterinary inspection.

(ii) Official Vaccinates - Official vaccinates from Class C states must have tested negative on one (1) official test for Brucellosis conducted within thirty (30) days prior to entering the state.

(iii) Cattle originating from a Class C state that are consigned and shipped directly to an approved livestock market in Tennessee for sale:

(I) The required thirty (30) day test for official vaccinates and the second test for non-vaccinates as outlined above may be conducted at the market upon arrival.

(II) Documentation of prior tests or vaccination status shall be provided to the Department representative or market management when the cattle are unloaded, pursuant to the following:

I. Vaccination status may be indicated by an official calfhood vaccination, eartag and/or tattoo.

II. Prior test status may be determined by an official certificate of veterinary inspection and/or Brucellosis test record.

III. In cases where the official vaccination or prior test status of test eligible cattle cannot readily be substantiated by the Department's representative, the cattle shall be:

A. Shipped directly to slaughter or a quarantined feedlot in accordance with the provisions of 9 C.F.R. § 78.9(c)(1) or § 78.9(c)(2); or

B. Allowed to return to the point of origin upon receiving special permission from the appropriate animal health official of the state of origin.

4. Cattle from Class B and Class C States - Quarantine and Retesting. Test-eligible cattle originating from Class B and Class C states shall be quarantined and retested for Brucellosis not less than forty-five (45) days and not more than one hundred twenty (120) days after arrival, with the following exceptions:

(i) Cattle imported to approved markets or to the premises of licensed dealers in Tennessee shall be permitted a single movement, under quarantine, to a farm premises where retesting shall be accomplished as provided above, subject to the following:

(I) The purchaser or consignee at the first farm premises may not reconsign or sell such cattle until the required testing has been done , with the exception that such cattle may be sent directly to slaughter, to a quarantined feedlot or an approved market for sale to slaughter, or to quarantined feedlot at any time before the required retesting is due, provided such cattle are S-branded and accompanied by a shipping permit.

(ii) The following cattle shall also be exempt from the quarantine and retesting requirements above:

(I) Cattle imported to approved markets, or to pens of licensed dealers, and shipped to out of-state consignees within forty-five (45) days. The destination state should be consulted for its requirements before such shipments are made.

(II) Cattle entering Tennessee temporarily for exhibition.

5. Exceptions - The Brucellosis testing requirements outlined above shall not apply to:

(i) Dairy and breeding cattle from non-quarantined herds in brucellosis-free states.

(ii) Cattle originating directly from a Certified Brucellosis-Free Herd. Such cattle shall have their certified herd number listed on the accompanying certificate of veterinary inspection.

(iii) Cattle consigned and shipped from a farm of origin to an approved livestock market in Tennessee for sale, provided that such cattle are tested at the market.

(iv) Cattle consigned and shipped directly to an approved slaughter facility for slaughter. Note the exceptions for assembled cattle from Class B and Class C states outlined under 0080-02-01-.05(2)(b) above.

(e) Tuberculosis

1. Cattle originating in Mexico, including M-branded steers:

(i) Shall have tested negative on an official tuberculosis test conducted in the United States not more than thirty (30) days prior to entering Tennessee; and

(ii) Shall enter Tennessee under quarantine and be retested for tuberculosis not less than sixty (60) days and not more than one hundred and twenty (120) days after arrival.

(iii) Are exempt from the retesting requirements above, provided they are intended for exhibition only, are not based or pastured in Tennessee, and are staying in the state less than sixty (60) days. Such cattle shall be maintained under quarantine during the exhibition period.

(f) Scabies - Cattle that are known to be infected with or have been exposed to psoroptic scabies, or cattle originating from any area that is under a state or federal quarantine for psoroptic scabies, may enter Tennessee only under the following conditions:

1. If shipped directly from a point of origin to an approved slaughter establishment in a sealed vehicle; or

2. If treated for scabies by a method and material currently approved by the USDA within ten (10) days prior to movement.

(g) Other Diseases - The import requirements for infectious, contagious diseases not named herein shall be as provided in 9 C.F.R.

(4) Bulls. The following requirements shall apply for all cattle bulls imported or moved within the state, and shall not apply to any bison bull.

(a) Definitions.

1. Breeding bull means any intact bull that is not a virgin bull;

2. Herd means a group of like-species animals that are under common ownership or have been in physical contact with each other within the preceding 12 months;

3. History of trichomoniasis means having given rise to any positive test result for trichomoniasis under any culture test or PCR test ordered by an accredited veterinarian or a state or federal animal health official within the previous two years.

4. Infected bull means any bull from which a specimen is collected by an accredited veterinarian or a state or federal animal health official and that specimen shows positive for trichomoniasis under any official PCR test, or any official culture test that is not contradicted by two consecutive negative official PCR tests from samples of the bull collected seven to ten days apart.

5. Official culture test or testing means a test performed by a laboratory approved by the state veterinarian for culture, growth, and identification of a particular bacteria or protozoan, such as Trichomonas foetus.

6. Official Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test or testing means a test performed by a laboratory approved by the state veterinarian for determination of a particular DNA sequencing and diagnosis of trichomoniasis.

7. Trichomoniasis means a cattle disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas foetus that can result in infertility, open cows, and medically necessary abortions in cows and heifers.

8. Virgin bull means a bull less than 18 months of age, as evidenced by dentition or breed registry papers, that has not been comingled with a breeding bull, cow, or heifer within the past six months.

(b) Bull import requirements. Persons importing breeding bulls or virgin bulls into the state shall have in their possession the following documentation for each bull imported.

1. Breeding bulls from herds with no history of trichomoniasis shall be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection containing the breeding bull's official permanent identification and proof of one valid, negative official PCR test from a specimen of the bull collected as follows.

(i) If the bull was held separate from cows and heifers for at least 60 days prior to its import, its negative official PCR test must result from a specimen of the bull collected within those 60 days. The negative official PCR test result shall remain valid for 60 days following collection of the bull's test specimen.

(ii) If the bull was commingled with cows or heifers within 60 days prior to its import, its negative official PCR test must result from a specimen of the bull collected within 30 days prior to its import. The negative official PCR test result shall remain valid for 30 days following collection of the bull's test specimen.

2. Breeding bulls from herds with a history of trichomoniasis shall be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection containing the breeding bull's official permanent identification and proof of two consecutive negative official PCR tests from specimens of the bull taken seven to ten days apart and collected within 30 days prior to its import.

3. Breeding bulls import exemptions. Import requirements for breeding bulls under this paragraph shall not apply if all of the bulls in the imported lot are:

(i) Consigned directly to slaughter, or

(ii) Destined to exhibition or rodeo in the state, provided that:

(I) The bulls are in the state temporarily;

(II) The bulls are in the state for the sole purpose of attending the event;

(III) The bulls leave the state directly after the event; and,

(IV) The bulls are not commingled with breeding bulls, cows, or heifers while in the state.

4. Virgin bulls. Virgin bulls shall be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection containing the virgin bull's official permanent identification.

(c) Sampling, testing, reporting, and movement requirements.

1. All samples for trichomoniasis testing under this rule shall be collected by either an accredited veterinarian approved by the state veterinarian or a state or federal animal health official.

2. Virgin bulls are exempt from trichomoniasis testing requirements under this rule. However, importers or owners of any bull in the state that entered without required documentation shall upon order of the state veterinarian either immediately export the bull to its origin or immediately quarantine the bull and submit it to official trichomoniasis testing.

3. Trichomoniasis positive bulls. Importers or owners of a bull in the state that has tested positive for trichomoniasis-under either an official PCR test or an official culture test-shall:

(i) Cause the positive test result to be reported to the state veterinarian by the animal's accredited veterinarian or the approved testing laboratory within 24 hours after receiving the test results; and,

(ii) Separate and quarantine the tested bull from other cattle.

(I) If the positive test result is from an official PCR test, the bull shall be considered infected and ordered to slaughter.

(II) If the positive test result is from an official culture test, the importer or owner may request within five days of receiving the culture test results, confirmation by conduct of two official PCR tests conducted seven to ten days apart.

I. If each of the official PCR tests shows negative for trichomoniasis, the bull shall be considered negative for the disease and its quarantine may be lifted.

II. If either of the official PCR tests shows positive for trichomoniasis, or if official PCR testing is not requested within five days of the positive official culture test result, the bull shall be considered infected and ordered to slaughter.

4. Cattle comingled with infected bulls. Importers or owners of a breeding bull in the state that has been comingled with an infected bull-or comingled with a female that has been comingled with an infected bull-for any period since six months prior to the infected bull's last trichomoniasis positive test result shall:

(i) Immediately separate and quarantine the breeding bull from other cattle; and,

(ii) Cause the quarantined bull to undergo either three official culture tests conducted one to three weeks apart or two official PCR tests conducted seven to ten days apart. Test samples shall not be pooled.

(I) If each of the test results shows negative for trichomoniasis, the bull shall be considered negative for the disease and its quarantine may be lifted.

(II) If any official culture test shows positive for trichomonisasis, the importer or owner may request within five days of receiving the culture test results, confirmation by conduct of two official PCR tests conducted seven to ten days apart.

(III) If any official PCR test shows positive, or if official PCR testing is not requested within five days of a positive culture test result, the bull shall be considered infected and ordered to slaughter.

5. Movement of infected bulls. Importers or owners of an infected bull in the state shall cause the animal to be slaughtered and sanitarily disposed within 30 days of being determined infected. Importers or owners of an infected bull shall not move the animal except under authorization of a USDA Veterinary Services 1-27 permit issued by the state veterinarian for movement of the bull directly to slaughter or sale directly for slaughter through a licensed livestock market.

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-02-01-.05

Original rule certified June 5, 1974. Amendment filed May 15, 1974; effective June 14, 1977. Repeal by Public Chapter 261. New rule filed June 20, 1983; effective July 20, 1983. Amendment filed April 30, 1993; effective July 28, 1993. Amendment filed September 14, 1999; effective January 28, 2000. Emergency rule filed June 30, 2009; effective through December 12, 2009. Emergency rule filed June 30, 2009 expired; on December 13, 2009, the rule reverted to its previous status. Amendment filed June 3, 2010; effective November 28, 2010. Amendments filed March 30, 2017; effective 6/28/2017.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-3-203 and 44-2-102.