1. (a) Definitions.

   1. (1) “Premises” means any place where swine have been or are kept.
   2. (2) “Swine or animal” means the domestic hog of the family Suidae.
   3. (3) “Vaccine” means any vaccine produced by a laboratory licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture or California Department of Public Health for use in preventing and/or treatment of brucellosis in animals.
   4. (4) “Swine brucellosis” means the disease of swine caused by “Brucella” microorganisms.
   5. (5) “Official inspector” means an inspector in the employ of the United States Department of Agriculture, State Department of Agriculture, or the County Veterinarian's Office.
   6. (6) “Accredited veterinarian” means a veterinarian who is so designated by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department.
   7. (7) A “herd test” means a swine brucellosis test on all segregated breeding swine over six (6) months of age on a premise.
   8. (8) “Reactor” means any swine that discloses a complete agglutination reaction in the blood titer dilution of 1/100 or higher; and any swine in an infected herd or herd of unknown status disclosing complete agglutination reaction in the blood titer dilution of 1/25 or higher, or any swine disclosing a positive card test reaction.
   9. (9) “Infected herd” means a herd that discloses one or more swine with a complete agglutination reaction in the blood titer dilution of 1/100 or higher, or a positive reaction to the brucellosis card test.
   10. (10) “Negative herd” means a herd that has been herd tested and discloses no animal reacting to the brucellosis card test or revealing more than incomplete blood titer dilutions of 1/100, or a herd in which at least ten (10) percent of the breeding swine have been tested annually in the Market Swine Testing Program for three consecutive years and no reactors disclosed.

   11. (11) “Negative swine or animal” means an animal from:

       1. (A) A validated brucellosis-free herd; or
       2. (B) A herd with a negative herd test within the previous 30 days unless otherwise classified by Department officials; or
       3. (C) A herd of unknown or infected status and negative to the brucellosis card test, or disclosing less than complete agglutination in the blood titer of ¹/₂₅ or higher.
   12. (12) “Market Swine Testing Program” means the testing of breeding swine marketed for slaughter.

2. (b) Tests.

   1. (1) Collection of Samples.

      Blood samples shall be collected by accredited veterinarians or official inspectors. Reports of bleeding shall be on forms prescribed by the Department.

   2. (2) Identification of Animals.

      All breeding swine officially tested under this regulation shall be identified by ear tag, or tattoo, or registration number, or other means prescribed by the Department.

   3. (3) Testing.

      All tests conducted under this regulation shall be conducted in laboratories of the Federal or State Departments of Agriculture, University of California School of Veterinary Medicine, an approved County Veterinarian's laboratory, or by such persons as may be authorized to conduct the brucellosis card test.

   4. (4) Infected Herds.

      1. 1. Market the entire infected herd for slaughter under official supervision.
      2. 2. Clean and disinfect the swine houses and equipment in accordance with (c) of this section. Such houses and premises are to be kept free of swine for 60 days.

      3. 3. Replace with (a) breeding stock from validated brucellosis-free herds or, (b) swine which have passed a negative test for brucellosis conducted within 30 days prior to entry onto the premises. Such swine shall be maintained under hold order on the premises, separate from other swine, until they pass two negative tests for brucellosis not less than 90 days apart after date of entry onto the premises.

         PLAN B. MAY BE USED WHEN ONLY A FEW REACTORS ARE FOUND AND NO CLINICAL SYMPTOMS OF BRUCELLOSIS HAVE BEEN NOTED

      4. 1. Remove reactors from farm to slaughter under official supervision.

      5. 2. Retest herd at 30-day intervals, removing reactors, until entire herd is negative.

         Following two negative herd tests at least 90 days apart, the herd may be released from hold order.

      When a herd has been found to be infected, all breeding swine in the herd shall be maintained under hold order in accordance with Section 9565 of the Agricultural Code until the herd qualifies as negative in accordance with one of the following plans or such other means specified by the Department:

      PLAN A. TO BE USED WHEN BRUCELLOSIS IS WELL ESTABLISHED IN THE HERD

   Blood tests shall be conducted on swine that will qualify herds as negative herds and “validated brucellosis-free herds” and control areas as “validated brucellosis-free areas.” When requested by an official inspector, any owner of swine in a Swine Brucellosis Control Area shall confine and restrain all swine on his premises for bleeding and failure to do so shall be regarded as a violation of this section.

3. (c) Cleaning and Disinfecting.

   Premises shall be cleaned and disinfected under supervision or proper direction of an official inspector following removal of reacting animals.

4. (d) Biological Products.

   Owners shall not allow the use of any biological product or vaccine for the prevention or treatment of brucellosis in a herd, unless authorized by the Department.

5. (e) Validated Herds.

   When two consecutive herd tests 60 to 90 days apart are negative, the herd may be declared a validated brucellosis-free herd for a period of 12 months or such other length of time that the department may specify, provided all swine on the farm kept for feeding purposes shall be segregated from the breeding herd until moved for slaughter. A certificate will be issued to the owner by the cooperating Federal-State officials designating the herd as brucellosis-free. Validation is made annually or at such other time specified by the Department by passing a negative herd test.

6. (f) Validated Brucellosis-Free Areas.

   1. (1) All breeding herds in the area have been included in one of the following within 18 months immediately preceding the declaration of the validated brucellosis-free area status.

      1. (A) Declared a validated brucellosis-free herd;
      2. (B) A complete herd test;
      3. (C) Market Swine Testing Program for at least three years, except newly assembled herds; such herds shall be in the Market Swine Testing Program a length of time specified by the Department.
   2. (2) All herds in which the existence of brucellosis has been established are handled according to the provisions of (b) (4).
   3. (3) Not more than three percent of the herds, or one herd, whichever is greater, shall have been found to be infected on the most recent test conducted during the 18 months immediately preceding the declaration of the validated brucellosis-free area status.

   Areas may be declared validated brucellosis-free for a period of three years, provided:

7. (g) Maintaining Validated Brucellosis-Free Areas. Validated brucellosis-free areas may be validated at the end of each period of validation provided all the herds in the area are handled according to the provisions of (f) and the herd infection rate does not exceed five percent during the three-year validation period.

8. (h) Additions to Swine Brucellosis Control Areas and to Validated Brucellosis-Free Herds.

   1. (1) Replacement animals may be added without test if procured directly from a validated brucellosis-free herd currently listed or a negative herd in a validated brucellosis-free area.
   2. (2) All other replacement breeding animals shall have passed a negative agglutination test within 30 days and be held in isolation until passing a second negative agglutination test. The second test shall be at least 90 days after the first, in the case of boars and open gilts, or after farrowing in the case of bred sows and gilts.

On or after July 1, 1962, the Department may, after hearing establish and maintain swine brucellosis control areas within the State wherein the Department shall examine and test such swine for brucellosis as the Director may specify and limit the movements of swine from herds found to be infected with brucellosis to bring about the control and eradication of swine brucellosis within such control ares. When a county has been established as a swine brucellosis control area, the following shall apply:

Note: New authority cited: Sections 407 and 10781, Food and Agricultural Code.

History

1. New section filed 3-5-62; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 62, No. 5).

2. Amendment filed 1-15-68; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 68, No. 3).

3. Renumbering from 795.6 filed 7-27-71; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 71, No. 31).