1. A. Definitions.

   For purposes of this Section, the following definitions shall apply.

   “Accredited Veterinarian” means an individual who is currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Arizona and is an Accredited Level II by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service.

   “Approved Laboratory” means any laboratory designated and approved by the State Veterinarian for examining T. foetus samples and reporting all results to the State Veterinarian.

   “Bull” means an intact male bovine 12 months of age and older and is not confined to a drylot dairy.

   “Change of Ownership” means when a bull is sold, leased, gifted, or exchanged and changes premises for breeding purposes in Arizona.

   “Commingle” means cattle of opposite sex in the same enclosure or pasture with a reasonable opportunity for sexual contact.

   “Direct to Slaughter” means transporting an animal from site of testing to a sale yard or directly to a slaughter plant without unloading or commingling prior to arrival.

   “Official T. foetus bull test” means the sampling of a bull by a licensed, accredited veterinarian. Such test must be conducted after at least seven days separation from all female bovine. The bull and sample must be officially and individually identified and documented for laboratory submission. The official laboratory test shall be a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or other technologies as approved by the State Veterinarian and adopted through a Director’s Administrative Order. The test is not considered official until results are reported by the testing laboratory.

   “Official T. foetus laboratory testing” means the laboratory procedures that shall be approved by the State Veterinarian for identification of T. foetus.

   “Positive T. foetus bull” means a bull that has had a positive official T. foetus bull test.

   “Tritrichomonas foetus” OR “T. foetus” means a protozoan parasite that is the causative agent to the contagious venereal disease Trichomoniasis.

2. B. Testing requirements for Official T. foetus.

   1. 1. All Arizona origin bulls sold, leased, gifted, exchanged or otherwise changing possession for breeding purposes in Arizona shall be tested for T. foetus via Official T. foetus bull test prior to sale or change of ownership in the state, unless going to direct slaughter. T. foetus testing shall be performed on bulls prior to change of ownership of that bull.
   2. 2. The Official T. foetus test shall be collected by an Accredited Veterinarian and performed though an Approved Laboratory.
   3. 3. Pooled testing is not an official test.
   4. 4. The T. foetus negative test is valid for 60 days after the test is performed, providing the bull is kept separated from all female bovine.

3. C. Positive bull identification.

   1. 1. When a positive T. foetus bull is identified, the Accredited Veterinarian shall notify the producer upon receipt of the positive test results.
   2. 2. Regardless of R3-2-402, the Accredited Veterinarian and Approved Laboratory shall notify the State Veterinarian of a positive T. foetus bull within 24 hours of receiving the results. The State Veterinarian’s Office, working in coordination with the regional livestock inspection staff, shall to the best of their ability notify the regional bovine producers about the positive test within 14 days upon notification of positive test. The State Veterinarian and/or livestock inspection staff is not required to reveal any details of the test just that there is a positive test in the region.
   3. 3. The Accredited Veterinarian that performed the test shall return to place of testing to verify the Official Identification of the positive bull.
   4. 4. The Accredited Veterinarian, or a person under direct supervision of the Veterinarian, shall brand the bull with an official “S” brand adjacent to the tailhead on the right hip.
   5. 5. If the bull testing positive is not at the premises where the T. foetus testing occurred, the Accredited Veterinarian will immediately notify the State Veterinarian’s Office.

   6. 6. If an Accredited Veterinarian is unable to return to the premises in a time that is reasonable for sale of the bull, the producer shall take the positive T. foetus bull directly to the regional livestock sale yard.

      1. a. The producer shall immediately notify the sale yard of the positive T. foetus bull. Failure to notify the sale yard of the positive T. foetus bull will result in a violation of this Section and the producer shall be subject to the penalties of A.R.S. § 3-1205(D).
      2. b. Prior to sale at the sale yard, a Livestock Officer shall verify the official identification of the positive T. foetus test bull.
      3. c. After the official identification is verified, the bull shall be branded with an official “S” brand adjacent to the tailhead on the right hip. The branding shall be done under direct supervision of a Livestock Officer or Livestock Inspector.
   7. 7. If a bull arrives at a livestock auction without an Official T. foetus bull test, the bull shall be quarantined at the auction and tested at the expense of the owner or shall be branded with an “S” brand and be sold only for slaughter.

4. D. Disposal of bull testing positive.

   1. 1. A bull testing positive for T. foetus or branded with the official “S” brand shall go direct to slaughter or shall be placed under State Quarantine and fed in a restricted feeding pen within a designated feedlot according to R3-2-406.
   2. 2. The T. foetus positive bull shall not be commingled with any other female bovine. The bull shall go from the testing premises to direct slaughter or to the restricted feeding pen within 30 days of the positive T. foetus test.
   3. 3. All remaining herd bulls shall be under a Trichomonas Herd Management Program overseen by the Herd Veterinarian until two negative T. foetus tests are performed and documented.
   4. 4. “S” branded bulls purchased at a sale yard shall go direct to a slaughter plant without unloading or commingling prior to arrival.

5. E. Trespassing or Stray Bulls

   1. 1. In the event of a trespassing or stray bull, the herd owner who locates the bull, may request an Official T. foetus bull test for that bull. In the event of a positive Official T. foetus bull test, subsections (B) and (C) shall apply.
   2. 2. The cost of the veterinary services and Official T. foetus bull test shall be the responsibility of the herd owner. In the event of a stray bull, the animal will be subject to A.R.S. §§ 3-1401 et seq.

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Historical Note

New Section adopted by final rulemaking at 6 A.A.R. 25, effective December 8, 1999 (Supp. 99-4). December 8, 1999 effective date corrected to reflect what is on file in the Office of the Secretary of State; correct effective date is January 1, 2000 (Supp. 01-1). Repealed by final rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 781, effective June 8, 2020; new Section made by final rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 812, effective June 8, 2020 (Supp. 20-2).