1. (a) Purpose. The purpose of these rules is to ensure that the animals at the Texas Department of Agriculture livestock facilities are secured in quarters that meet the requirements and guidelines established by the United States Department of Agriculture and the receiving country.

2. (b) Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in these sections, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

   1. (1) Department--Texas Department of Agriculture.
   2. (2) Livestock facilities--The Texas Department of Agriculture livestock export, import, inspection and processing facilities located in Brownsville, El Paso, Houston, Eagle Pass, and Laredo.
   3. (3) Consignor--Owner, broker, or other person consigning livestock to the livestock facilities or otherwise engaging the services of the facilities.
   4. (4) Exotic livestock--Grass-eating or plant-eating, single-hoofed or cloven-footed mammals that are not indigenous to this state and are known as ungulates, including animals from the swine, horse, tapir, rhinoceros, elephant, deer and antelope families.
   5. (5) Exotic fowl--Any avian species that is not indigenous to this state.

Source Note:The provisions of this §17.30 adopted to be effective May 28, 1993, 18 TexReg 3093; amended to be effective March 5, 1996, 21 TexReg 1526; amended to be effective January 10, 2013, 38 TexReg 241.