Appendix II - WARM BLOODED WILDLIFE INSPECTION PROCEDURES
Section 1. General Requirements. Live wildlife of any species, game bird, or hatching eggs, that is affected with or that has recently been exposed to any infectious, contagious or communicable disease or the following parasites: meningeal worm (Paraelaphostrongylus tenuis), tissue worm (Elaphostrongylus cervi), or large American liver fluke (Fascioloides magna); or that originates from a quarantined area, shall not be imported or in any manner transported into or through the State of Wyoming. All shipments shall comply with Federal regulations.
Section 2. Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. A certificate of veterinary inspection shall be required for all wildlife imported under provisions of this regulation, unless otherwise exempt by this regulation.
A copy of the certificate of veterinary inspection shall be forwarded immediately to the animal health official of the state of origin for approval and transmittal to the Wyoming State Veterinarian and Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The copy that accompanies the shipment need not be approved by officials of the state of origin prior to movement.
A certificate of veterinary inspection shall be valid for ten (10) days following date of inspection and issuance. All certificates of veterinary inspection shall be issued to comply in all respects with requirements of the State of Wyoming, unless otherwise specifically authorized in writing by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Accredited, licensed veterinarians who are approved by the animal health official of the state of origin, and veterinarians in the employ of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, may inspect.
If a permit is required, the permit number shall appear on the certificate of veterinary inspection.
Section 3. Disease/Parasite Testing Requirements.
(a) Brucellosis
For the purpose of animal identification and recording of brucellosis test results, the official United States Department of Agriculture metal ear tag shall be the only acceptable form of identification. Except, animals bearing official ear tags of other countries need not be retagged.
(i) Brucella abortus
Serum testing shall be conducted on all ruminants. Tests shall be done within thirty (30) days prior to import and the serum samples shall be tested at a United States Department of Agriculture (USD A) approved laboratory. A battery of at least four (4) types of tests shall be required which shall include the standard plate test and the complement fixation test. Any positive or suspect reaction in a serum test shall be interpreted as indicative of infection and the shipment shall be denied importation until resolved by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Wyoming State Veterinarian. Test data shall be recorded on the certificate of veterinary inspection accompanying the wildlife. Retesting shall be conducted at forty-five to one-hundred twenty (45-120) days if post-entry quarantine is required.
(ii) Brucella suis
(A) Rangiferian brucellosis
All caribou and reindeer shall be tested for Brucella spp. Biovar 4 through a testing protocol equivalent to testing for B. abortus as outlined in Section 3(a)(i).
(B) Swine brucellosis
All wild swine and peccaries shall be tested serologically for B. suis by swine brucellosis tests at a USDA-approved laboratory. Wild swine are defined as an individual animal or as a group of swine, any of which have lived any part of their lives free roaming.
A wild swine population may be classified as a monitored swine population when it (a) can be defined geographically, (b) has no contact with any other swine population or any known infected domestic swine herd, and (c) is under surveillance and tested negative for brucellosis.
A battery of six (6) different types of tests (plate, tube, card, buffered plate, complement fixation, and rivanol) shall be required, and testing shall be done within thirty (30) days prior to importation. No shipment of wild swine with any test positive individual(s) shall be allowed to be imported without prior approval of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Wyoming State Veterinarian. Test data shall be provided as part of the official certificate of veterinary inspection accompanying the animal(s). Upon entry, wild swine shall be held under quarantine and retested thirty (30) days to one-hundred twenty (120) days post-entry.
(C) Brucella ovis
All wild sheep and goats shall be serologically tested and found negative to any Brucella species by an ELISA test within thirty (30) days prior to entry. Test results shall be part of the official certificate of veterinary inspection accompanying the wildlife.
(b) Tuberculosis
(i) Cervidae
All Cervidae imported into the state shall be from herds not known to be infected with or exposed to tuberculosis and shall comply with the following testing requirements:
(A) The Commission incorporates into this rule the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Uniform Methods and Rules Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Methods and Rules Effective January 22, 1999, Part IV-Captive Cervids: Standard Procedures (Minimum Requirements) which is Supplement 1 to Appendix II of this rule. The U.S.D.A. rules can be viewed on the website http://www.aphis.usda [File Link Not Available].gov/oa/pubs/bovtbumr/bovtb 4. html. The U.S.D.A. rules do not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter.
(B) Animals moved interstate into Wyoming that originate from herds other than accredited herds shall be retested using an official tuberculosis test at 90-120 days if post-entry quarantine is required.
(C) In all cases of Cervidae investigated for tuberculosis, the herd quarantines and follow-up procedures shall be as prescribed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Wyoming State Veterinarian and the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Uniform Methods and Rules for Tuberculosis Eradication in Cervidae.
(ii) Other Mammals
All other wild mammals imported into the state shall be from sources not known to be affected with or exposed to tuberculosis and shall comply with the following testing requirements:
(A) Animals shall test negative to a single strength cervical, caudal fold, or palpebral tuberculin test (which ever technique is recognized as most appropriate) within thirty (30) days prior to importation.
(B) Post-entry quarantine and re-testing may be required by the Department.
(iii) Birds
All wild birds imported into the state which require a certificate of veterinary inspection under this regulation shall have a statement included on the certificate that no bird within the flock of origin is known to be infected with or to be exposed to avian tuberculosis.
(c) Chronic Wasting Disease
Any captive cervid imported into Wyoming must originate from facilities certified to be free of chronic wasting disease (CWD) for five (5) years previous to the requested date of importation. For a facility to be certified CWD-free, all cervids over the age of six (6) months that have died at the point of origin, or that have died at facilities within five (5) years of transferring cervids to the point of origin, shall have been necropsied by a veterinary pathologist. Brain stem, particularly in the region of the obex, shall have been analyzed, either by immunohistochemistry, or Western blot, or ELISA for the presence of protease-resistant prion protein (PrPres). Alternatively, retropharyngeal lymph nodes or tonsils can be analyzed by either immunohistochemistry or by federally-approved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A positive reaction on any test is considered diagnostic for the presence of CWD.
(d) Johne's Disease/Paratuberculosis
All wild ruminants imported into the state shall be from herds not known to be affected with or exposed to Johne's disease/paratuberculosis and shall comply with the following requirements:
(i) The certificate of veterinary inspection shall include a statement that no animal on the premise of origin is known to be infected with or to be exposed to Mycobacterium paratuberculosis.
(ii) The animals shall test negative on an ELISA test conducted at an approved laboratory within thirty (30) days prior to import.
(e) Elaphostrongylinae parasites: meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) and tissue worm (Elaphostrongylus cervi)
All Cervidae and Bovidae, except members of the subfamily Bovinae, imported into the state shall be from herds not known to be infected with or exposed to meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) or tissue worm (Elaphostrongylus cervi) and shall comply with the following quarantine and testing requirements:
(i) Cervidae and required Bovidae shall be examined for Elaphostrongylinae infection in the absence of anthelmintic (including ivermectin - Ivomec (registered trademark)) treatments that could mask detection of the parasites.
(ii) Prior to entry all Cervidae and required Bovidae shall be held in pre-entry quarantine for sixty (60) days and two fecal tests for dorsal-spined larvae shall be made by an approved laboratory using the Baermann technique within the quarantine period. The first test shall be conducted at least thirty (30) days and not more than forty (40) days before the second test. During this period, test animals shall be held in quarantine and isolated from all other animals not included in the shipment. Animals tested for import into Wyoming shall be certified by an accredited veterinarian that the animals have not been treated with or exposed to anthelmintics, including ivermectin, during the time period beginning at least thirty (30) days before the first fecal test. The certificate of veterinary inspection accompanying cervids and required bovids imported into Wyoming shall include a statement that "The animals included in this inspection have not been exposed to anthelmintics, including ivermectin, within the past ninety (90) days". Fecal samples of at least 30 grams per sample shall be collected by an accredited veterinarian from the rectum and identified to the animal by the official animal identification number. If any animal tests positive for dorsal spined larvae to either of the two fecal tests, the entire consignment shall not be allowed to be imported.
(iii) Post-entry, animals shall be held for one-hundred eighty (180) days in on-site post-entry quarantine during which time they shall be certified by an accredited veterinarian to have not been treated with or exposed to anthelmintics, including ivermectin (Ivomec). The animals shall be available for inspection by personnel of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Wyoming State Veterinarian during this time. Thirty, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days after importation, fecal samples shall be tested by the Baermann technique in an approved laboratory and found negative for the presence of dorsal-spined larvae. Fecal samples shall be collected from the rectum and identified to each animal by its official identification number by a veterinarian accredited in Wyoming. If any animal tests positive for dorsal spined larvae to any of the fecal tests, the entire consignment shall be destroyed or removed from the State of Wyoming within ten (10) days.
Precautions shall be taken to prevent accidental infection of gastropods with Elaphostrongylinae larvae while animals are held in post-entry quarantine. Precautions should follow, but not be limited to the following procedures:
(A) During the period April 1 through October 31, the post-entry quarantine site shall be prepared prior to entrance of the imported animals to prevent the presence of the gastropod intermediate hosts of Elaphostrongylinae larvae by:
Keeping the animals on a hard surface, such as asphalt or concrete; or
Spraying a four-meter wide tract around the perimeter of the holding compound with a molluscicide and also spraying the molluscicide within the quarantine area. The perimeter track shall be treated once every five (5) days and within twenty-four (24) hours of precipitation (10 mm or more) to ensure the gastropod population shall be kept at zero within the compound.
(B) During the period November 1-March 31, the quarantine site need not be subjected to the site preparation actions if local weather with consistently freezing temperatures is suitable to preclude gastropod activity. However, if the quarantine site is not a hard surface, it shall be harrowed during April to facilitate fecal breakage and exposure of larvae to sunlight. The quarantine facility shall be left vacant from April 1-June 30. A molluscicide shall be sprayed on the quarantine area and on a four-meter wide perimeter tract in the second week of April, the second week of May, and the second week of June. All solid animal waste from the quarantine area shall be disposed of by burning.
(f) Large American Liver Fluke (Fascioloides magna)
All Cervidae to be imported into the state shall be from sources not known to be infected with or exposed to Fascioloides magna and shall comply with the following test requirements:
(i) Two negative fecal tests using sedimentation techniques shall be conducted prior to importation by an approved laboratory. The two tests shall be conducted thirty (30) to forty-five (45) days apart, and the second test shall be conducted within thirty (30) days of importation. Fecal samples shall be collected from the rectum by an accredited veterinarian and identified to the animal by an official identification number.
(ii) Any animal with a positive fecal test shall not be imported.
(g) Ticks, Mites, Lice
All wild birds and mammals to be imported into the State which require a certificate of veterinary inspection shall be examined for ectoparasites by an accredited veterinarian prior to entry.
(h) Besnoitiosis
All caribou and reindeer imported shall be visually inspected for skin lesions characteristic of Besnoitia sp. infection by an accredited veterinarian prior to importation. Animals from a source with clinically infected animals or a previous history of infection shall not be allowed into Wyoming.
(i) Swine Pseudorabies
All wild swine and peccaries shall be tested serologically for pseudorabies within thirty (30) days prior to entry and shall be held in on-site post-entry quarantine and isolation for retest no sooner than thirty (30) days and no longer than sixty (60) days from date of entry.
No pseudorabies vaccinated wild swine shall be imported into Wyoming without prior written consent of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and State Veterinarian.
(j) Chlamydiosis
A certificate of veterinary inspection completed by an accredited veterinarian within ten (10) days of importation into the state shall be required for all Psittacine birds. Psittacine birds infected with or exposed to chlamydiosis (parrot fever, psittacosis, or ornithosis) shall not be imported into Wyoming.
(k) Disease Testing Requirements Specific to Game Birds
A certificate of veterinary inspection completed by an accredited veterinarian from the state of origin within ten (10) days prior to importation of game birds or game bird eggs into the State shall be required. In addition, a statement signed by the supplier of the game birds shall be submitted to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Attention: Permitting Officer, 5400 Bishop Boulevard, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82006 on a form prescribed by the Department attesting that the game birds or game bird eggs and premises of origin are free of infectious, contagious and communicable diseases. Diseases include, but shall not be limited to, Newcastle disease, Salmonella, pullorum, avian cholera, duck viral enteritis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and avian influenza. The statement shall also indicate that no game bird within the flock of origin is known to be infected with or to be exposed to avian tuberculosis. Game birds and premises of origin shall have been free of said diseases for at least one (1) year immediately preceding the date of shipment into the State and the premises shall not have experienced an undiagnosed mortality of more than ten percent (10%) of the game birds during the same one (1) year period. Minimum requirements specified in Chapter VIII, Import Proclamation Pertaining to Livestock, Poultry, Other
Animals and Certain Biologies, obtainable from the Wyoming Livestock Board (307-777-7515 ) shall be met.
Falsification or inaccurate statements by the owner or manager of the supply source of game birds or game bird eggs shall result in denial of future import permits for game birds to be acquired from that supply source.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission strongly advises game bird permittees to acquire game birds and eggs from producers who participate in the National Poultry Improvement Program.
All wild birds of the subfamilies Tetraoninae (grouse) and Meleagrididae (wild turkey) shall test negative within thirty (30) days prior to importation for Mycoplasma galhsepticum, M. synoviae, M. meleagridis, and Salmonella pullorum (Pullorum Disease) and S. gallinarum (Fowl Typhoid). Additionally, if the state of origin has documented cases of Newcastle Disease or Avian Influenza in the past two (2) years, wild birds should be tested for these diseases. For groups of grouse to be imported from the same source, in a single shipment, testing shall be required for at least twenty-five percent (25%) (one of every four) of those birds provided that at least twelve (12) grouse are tested (i.e. testing shall be required on twelve (12) grouse or twenty-five percent (25%) of the shipment, whichever number is larger.
(l) Disease/Parasite Testing Requirements Specific to Furbearing Animals
A certificate of veterinary inspection completed by an accredited veterinarian within ten (10) days of importation into the state shall be required for all furbearing animals. In addition, a signed statement on a form, prescribed by the Department, shall be submitted to the Department attesting the furbearing animals and the premise of origin are free of infectious, contagious, or communicable diseases. The statement shall state that the furbearing animals have not been exposed to rabies, nor have they originated from an area under quarantine for rabies. They shall also be free of ectoparasites, including mange mites.
Section 4. Hybridization Testing Requirements. Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Regulations only allow importation into the state pure Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) in order to prevent hybridization of native wild elk with other members of the genus Cervus.
Elk imported into the state shall comply with the following requirements:
All elk shall be tested prior to importation for evidence of hybridization. Any animal testing positive for hybridization with any other species of Cervid (e.g. Manitoba elk, Roosevelt elk, Tule elk, Sika deer, etc.), or that is known to be a hybrid, shall not be allowed to be imported into Wyoming.
Blood samples for tests for hybridization shall be collected by an accredited veterinarian and identified to the animal by the official animal identification number.
Laboratory tests for hybridization shall only be accepted from laboratories approved by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Copies of test results shall be forwarded to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department before approval for importation will be granted.
Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Uniform Methods and Rules, Effective January 22, 1999
Part IV-Captive Cervids Standard Procedures (Minimum Requirements)
A. Classification of captive cervids tested
1. Single cervical tuberculin test
a. Herds of unknown status-All responses shall be recorded and the animals shall be classified as suspects and quarantined for retest with the CCT test or BTB test unless, in the judgment of the testing veterinarian, the reactor classification is indicated.
b. Known infected herds-All responses shall be recorded and the animals shall be classified as reactors.
2. Comparative cervical tuberculin test-All responses are to be measured to the nearest 0.5 mm.
a. Animals having a response to bovine PPD of less than 1 mm should be classified negative.
b. Animals having a response to bovine PPD of 1 through 2 mm, and also equal to or greater than their response to the avian PPD, shall be classified as suspects. Animals having a response to bovine PPD greater than 2 mm but equal to their response to avian PPD shall be classified as suspects, except when, in the judgment of the testing veterinarian, the reactor classification is indicated. Animals meeting the criteria for suspect classification in response to two successive CCT tests shall be classified as reactors.
c. Animals having a response to bovine PPD that is greater than 2 mm and is at least 0.5 mm greater than their avian PPD response shall be classified as reactors.
3. Suspects to the SCT test may be retested by either the CCT or the BTB tests. The CCT may be applied within 10 days following the SCT test injection or after 90 days. If the CCT test is applied within 10 days of the SCT test, the opposite side of the neck shall be used. The sample for the BTB test shall be taken after 12 days and optimally before 30 days after the SCT test injection. Animals positive to the CCT test or the BTB test shall be classified as reactors.
4. Suspects to the SCT test may be necropsied in lieu of retesting by supplemental tests and, if found without evidence of M. bovis infection by histopathology (including selected specimens submitted from animals having no gross lesions indicative of tuberculosis) or culture, shall be considered negative for tuberculosis.
B. Interstate or international movement
1. No captive cervid with a response to any tuberculosis test is eligible for international movement.
2. No captive cervid with a response to any tuberculosis test is eligible for interstate movement unless said animal is subsequently classified "negative for tuberculosis" based upon an official tuberculosis test or is consigned directly to slaughter.
3. Captive cervids that originate from accredited herds may be moved interstate without further tuberculosis testing, provided that they are accompanied by a certificate stating that such captive cervids originated from an accredited herd.
4. Captive cervids not known to be affected with or exposed to tuberculosis that originate from qualified herds may be moved interstate if the animals are accompanied by a certificate stating that they originate from a qualified herd and have been classified negative to an official tuberculosis test that was conducted within 90 days prior to the date of movement. If the qualifying test was administered within 90 days of movement, the animal(s) to be moved do not require an additional test.
5. Captive cervids not known to be affected with or exposed to tuberculosis that originate from monitored herds may be moved interstate if they are accompanied by a certificate stating that such captive cervids originate from a monitored herd and have been classified negative to an official tuberculosis test that was conducted within 90 days prior to the date of movement.
6. Captive cervids not known to be affected with or exposed to tuberculosis that originate from all other herds may be moved interstate, provided that (1) they are accompanied by a certificate stating that such captive cervids have been classified negative in response to two official tuberculosis tests conducted no less
than 90 days apart, (2) the second test was conducted within 90 days prior to the date of movement, and (3) the animals were isolated from all other members of the herd during the testing period.
7. Captive cervids less than 12 months of age that originate from and were born in qualified or monitored herds may be moved without further tuberculosis testing, provided that they are accompanied by a certificate stating that such captive cervids originated from such herds and have not been exposed to captive cervids from a lower status herd.
8. Institutions that have been accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) are exempt from these requirements when movement is between accredited member facilities. Captive cervids in zoological parks that have been accredited by AZA are exempt from the regulations in this subpart when the captive cervids are moved directly interstate between AZA member facilities. Any captive cervids moved interstate that are not moved directly from an AZA member facility to another AZA member facility must be moved in accordance with the regulations in this subpart.
9. Except for captive cervids moving interstate under permit directly to slaughter or necropsy, each captive cervid or shipment of captive cervids to be moved interstate must be accompanied by a certificate issued within 30 days of the movement by a State or Federal animal health official or an accredited veterinarian. The certificate must state the number of the official eartag or other identification approved by the Administrator for each captive cervid to be moved, the number of captive cervids covered by the certificate, the purpose of the movement, the origin and destination of the captive cervids, the consignor, and the consignee.
C. Reporting of tests
A report of all tuberculosis tests (SCT, CCT, and BTB) shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements of the cooperating State and Federal officials. Results of the BTB test and other in vitro laboratory tests shall be reported by the authorized testing laboratories. This report shall include the identification of each animal by eartag number or tattoo or other identification, age, sex, and breed, record of all responses and a record of the size of the response, where indicated, and the test interpretation. Summary supporting BTB test data shall be included in reports submitted to State and Federal officials, and full supporting data shall be submitted on a case-by-case basis.
D. Procedures in affected herds
Disclosure of tuberculosis in any herd shall be followed by a complete epidemiologic investigation. All captive cervids in herds from which tuberculous animals originate and all captive cervids that are known to have associated with affected captive cervids or other affected animals shall be tested promptly. These procedures shall apply to adjacent and contact herds as well as to the evaluation and testing of possible source herds for the affected herd. Herds that have received exposed animals shall be tested following the slaughter or testing of the exposed animals. Every effort shall be made to ensure the immediate elimination of the disease from all species of animals on the premises. The herd shall be handled as outlined under Section G, Quarantine Procedures.
E. Disposition of tuberculin-responding captive cervids
1. Reactors shall remain on the premises where they were disclosed until a State or Federal permit for movement has been obtained. Movement for immediate slaughter will be within 15 days of classification directly to a slaughter establishment where approved State or Federal inspection is maintained. Alternatively, the animals may be destroyed and a necropsy may be conducted by, or under the supervision of, a State or Federal regulatory veterinarian trained in tuberculosis necropsy procedures.
2. Herds containing suspects to the SCT test shall be quarantined until the suspect animals are
a. Retested negative by the CCT test within 10 days of the SCT test injection or
b. Retested negative by the CCT test after 90 days, or
c. Retested negative by the BTB test after 12 days and optimally before 30 days following the SCT test injection or
d. Shipped under permit directly to a slaughter facility under State or Federal inspection, or they may be necropsied by, or under the supervision of, a State or Federal regulatory veterinarian trained in tuberculosis necropsy procedures. If such animals are found without evidence of M. bovis infection by histopathology (including selected specimens submitted from animals having no gross lesions indicative of tuberculosis) or culture, they shall be considered negative for tuberculosis.
3. Suspects to the CCT test or equivocal to the BTB test shall remain under quarantine until
a. Comparative cervical suspects are retested using the CCT test after 90 days or
b. BTB-equivocal animals are retested using the BTB test optimally before 60 days following the SCT test injection or
c. They are shipped under permit directly to a slaughter facility under State
or Federal inspection, or necropsied by, or under the supervision of, a State or Federal regulatory veterinarian trained in tuberculosis necropsy procedures. Such animals shall be considered tuberculosis negative unless evidence of the disease is found by culture or histopathology (including selected specimens submitted from animals having no gross lesions).
4. An animal meeting the suspect criteria on two successive CCT or two BTB equivocal tests followed by one suspect CCT test shall be classified as a reactor and be identified as such. The testing veterinarian must justify exceptions in writing and must have the concurrence of State or Federal animal health officials.
5. An animal having two successive equivocal BTB tests may be retested with a CCT after 90 days of the SCT test injection, or may, at the owner s discretion, be sent to slaughter.
F. Identification of reactors (captive cervids)
Reactor captive cervids shall be identified by branding with the letter "T" on the left hip, not less than 2 inches (5 cm) nor more than 3 inches (7.5 cm) high, and by tagging with an official eartag bearing a serial number and the inscription "U.S. Reactor" attached to the left ear of each animal. In lieu of branding, the reactor(s) may be shipped to slaughter in an officially sealed vehicle or accompanied to slaughter by a State Federal regulatory official; provided that such reactor(s) are tattooed with the letters "TB" in the left ear and these letters are sprayed on the left ear with yellow paint.
G. Quarantine procedures (captive cervids)
1. All herds in which reactor animals are disclosed shall be quarantined. The remaining exposed animals must remain on the premises where the disease was disclosed unless a State or Federal permit for movement to slaughter has been obtained. Movement for immediate slaughter must be directly to a slaughter establishment where approved State or Federal inspection is administered. Animals must be identified by official eartag. Use of "S" branding is required as per 9 CFR, Part 50, or animals must be shipped in an officially sealed vehicle or accompanied to slaughter by a State Federal regulatory official. The "S" brand shall be applied to the left hip.
2. If captive cervid herds in which M. bovis is confirmed (affected herds) are not depopulated, they shall remain under quarantine. Such herds must also pass three consecutive whole-herd SCT tests to be released from quarantine. The BTB test may also be used, provided that it is used simultaneously with whole-herd SCT test. The sample for the BTB test may be taken at the time of injection or reading of the SCT test. All animals positive to either test shall be classified as reactors. The first test must be conducted 90 days or more after the last test yielding a positive animal and two additional tests must be conducted at 180-day minimum intervals. The CCT test shall not be used in affected herds until the completion of two consecutive negative whole-herd tests, or two consecutive whole-herd tests with NGL reactors only, in which selected tissues are negative on the basis of histopathology and culture. Five annual whole-herd tests of all animals shall be given following the release from quarantine.
3. Captive cervid herds that have had a test of all eligible animals with NGL reactors only and no evidence of tuberculosis infection found by histopathology and culture of M. bovis (including selected specimens submitted from animals having no gross lesions indicative of tuberculosis) may be released without further restrictions.
4. Captive cervid herds in which one or more animals are found to have compatible or suggestive lesions by histopathology without the isolation of M. bovis may be released from quarantine following a negative 90-day retest of the entire herd and with the concurrence of the regional tuberculosis epidemiologist, provided that there is no known association withM. bovis.
5. Captive cervid herds with NGL reactors only (in which no evidence of tuberculosis infection is found by histopathology and culture of M. bovis) and such herds where all eligible animals cannot be tested shall be evaluated by the State and/or regional tuberculosis epidemiologist for possible release from quarantine.
H. Retest schedules for high-risk herds
1. In herds with a history of lesions compatible with or suggestive of tuberculosis by histopathology
(without isolation of M. bovis), two annual whole-herd tests shall be given after release from quarantine.
Herds with a bacteriologic isolation of a mycobacterial species other than M. bovis should be considered negative for bovine tuberculosis with no further testing requirements.
2. In a newly assembled herd on premises where a tuberculous herd has been depopulated, two annual whole-herd tests shall be given. The first test is to be given about 6 months after assembly of the new herd. If the premises had been vacated for 1 year, these requirements may be waived.
3. Exposed animals previously sold from known-infected herds shall be depopulated if possible or tested with the SCT test by State or Federal veterinarians. The BTB test may be used simultaneously with the SCT test as an additional diagnostic tool. The sample for the BTB test may be taken at the time of injection or reading of the SCT test. All animals with a positive response to either test shall be classified as reactors.
a. If bovine tuberculosis is confirmed in the exposed animal(s), the remainder of the receiving herd shall be classified as an infected herd and handled according to part IV, section G(2), of these UMR.
b. If negative to the test, the exposed animals will subsequently be handled as if they were part of the infected herd of origin for purposes of testing, quarantine release, and the five annual high-risk tests. The remainder of the herd shall be tested at the time of the initial investigation and retested in 1 year with the SCT test. Supplemental diagnostic tests may be used if needed.
4. Herds indicated as the source of an infected animal in slaughter traceback investigations shall be placed under quarantine within 30 days of notification to the Area Veterinarian-in-Charge, and a herd test shall be scheduled. Testing of source herds of slaughter animals having lesions of tuberculosis shall be done by State or Federal regulatory veterinarians. If the herd of origin is positively identified and M. bovis has been confirmed by bacterial isolation from the slaughtered animal, all animals responding to the SCT test shall be classified as reactors. In all other cases, supplemental diagnostic tests may be used.
5. Herds identified as the source of animals found to have tuberculous lesions in an affected herd shall be tested by State or Federal regulatory veterinarians using the SCT test. Responding animals may be classified as reactors or suspects. If classified as suspects, they may be retested by supplemental diagnostic tests.