CHAPTER 2

RULES GOVERNING VACCINATION AGAINST AND SURVEILLANCE FOR BRUCELLOSIS

Section 1. Authority.

Pursuant to the authority vested in the Wyoming Livestock Board by virtue of W.S. §11-18-

103 (v), Wyoming Statutes 1977, the following rules and regulations are hereby promulgated.

Section 2. Purpose.

These rules and regulations are adopted to enhance the marketability of Wyoming Bovine, address certain issues regarding the eradication of Brucellosis and preserve Wyoming’s Brucellosis Class Free Status. It is imperative that Wyoming livestock producers and veterinarians statewide continue to be proactive in Brucellosis surveillance and prevention.

Section 3. Penalty.

Penalties for a violation of any portion of these rules will be pursuant to W.S. §11-19-102.

Section 4. Reference/Recognition/Compliance.

The Wyoming Livestock Board recognizes, references and complies with the most recent edition of the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service’s Brucellosis Eradication Uniform Methods and Rules, and the Code of Federal Regulations (Part 9) to the extent that they are not inconsistent, do not contradict or interfere with the meaning and implementation of these rules and the applicable laws of the State of Wyoming.

Section 5. Definitions.

The following definitions are applicable for these rules. If not defined, or listed below, refer to the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service’s Brucellosis Eradica- tion Uniform Methods and Rules.

1. (a) “Accredited Veterinarian” means an individual who is licensed to practice veterinary medicine and is accredited by the USDA/APHIS.
2. (b) “Approved Livestock Market” means a livestock market that is approved by the State of Wyo- ming to handle cattle under conditions required by the Cooperative State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication Program.
3. (c) “B Brand” means a 2" X 3" hot iron single B character brand applied to either side of thetail- head of a Bovine indicating that the animal is infected with Brucellosis.
4. (d) “Board” means the Wyoming Livestock Board, state agency 051, 2020 Carey Avenue, 4th Floor, Cheyenne WY 82002-0051, (307) 777-7515.
5. (e) “Board Approved Individual Identification” means a permanent, metal USDA/APHIS tag placed in the ear of a Bovine.
6. (f) “Bovine” means all Bovine animals in the genus Bos, regardless of age or gender.
7. (g) “Brand Inspector” means personnel approved by the Board to execute the duties prescribed by law, rules, regulations and orders, including determination of ownership of livestock and review of Bovine Brucellosis status documentation.
8. (h) “Brand Inspection Form” means a document created by the Board, filled out by a Brand Inspec- tor and used to document change of ownership or animal movement.
9. (i) “Brucellosis” means an infectious disease of animals and humans caused by Brucella abortus.
10. (j) “CFR” means the - United States Code of Federal Regulations, Part 9.
11. (k) “Commuter Agreement” means a written agreement between adjacent states which allows for the movement of Bovine between Wyoming and adjacent states. A Commuter Agreement does not substi- tute for a valid certificate of veterinary inspection or Brand Inspection and must be approved by state animal health officials.
12. (l) “Direct Movement” means movement in which the Bovine are not unloaded en route to their final destination.
13. (m) “Exposed Bovine” means any Bovine, which has been exposed to a Reactor Bovine.
14. (n) “Herd” means all Bovine under common ownership or supervision that are grouped on one or more parts of any single premises; or all Bovine under common ownership or supervision on two or more premises that are geographically separated but in which the animals have been interchanged or had contact with animals from different premises. It will be assumed that contact between animals of the same species on the different premises has occurred unless the owner establishes otherwise and the results of the epide- miologic investigation are consistent with the lack of contact between premises.
15. (o) “Immediate Slaughter” means the slaughter of a Bovine within three working days at a Recog- nized Slaughter Establishment.
16. (p) “K-Lot Agreement” means a contractual agreement with the Board and feedlot operator which allows for the feeding of non vaccinated, female Bovine twenty four months (24) of age and older in a feedlot based upon the operation’s compliance with the provision of the Agreement. These Bovine are not to remain in Wyoming for more than 120 days and must be shipped in Direct Movement to Immediate Slaughter. All Bovine will be branded with a 2" X 3" hot iron single character K brand on either side of the tail-head upon arrival. Bovine from a Class A State will be tested negative for Brucellosis prior to entry.

17. (q) “O-Lot Agreement” means a contractual agreement with the Board and feedlot operator which allows for the feeding of non vaccinated, female Bovine under twenty four months (24) of age in a feedlot based upon the operation’s compliance with the provision of the Agreement. These Bovine are not to remain in Wyoming for more than 120 days and must be shipped in Direct Movement to Immediate Slaughter.

    All Bovine will be branded with a 2" X 3" hot iron single character K brand on either side of the tail-head upon arrival. Bovine from a Class A State will be tested negative for Brucellosis prior to entry.

18. (r) “Official Vaccinate” means a female Bovine that has been inoculated subcutaneously with an approved Brucella vaccine by a State or Federal representative or an Accredited Veterinarian using the approved vaccination procedure outlined in the UMR. The Bovine must have been properly identified as a vaccinate by Board Approved Individual Identification and a vaccination tattoo and must have been reported on the appropriate certificate to the appropriate State and Federal animal health agency. Verifica- tion of official vaccinate status requires evidence of the vaccination shield.
19. (s) “Parturient” means a Bovine that is visibly prepared to give birth or within two weeks of giving birth.
20. (t) “Permit” means an official document (VS Form 1-27) that is issued by a State or Federal representative or by an Accredited Veterinarian. The Permit is required to accompany all Brucellosis Reactor Bovine and Brucellosis Exposed Bovine that are being moved to a specified destination.
21. (u) “Post Parturient” means a Bovine that has recently given birth.
22. (v) “Quarantine” as used in these rules, means an official document, issued by the Board, which restricts the movement of specific Bovine and may set forth requirements regarding their testing.
23. (w) “Reactor Bovine” means any Bovine which the designated Brucellosis epidemiologist classi- fies as Reactor based on the serological results as defined in the UMR or from which a field strain isolate of Brucella Abortus has been confirmed by a recognized laboratory.
24. (x) “Recognized Slaughter Establishment” means any slaughter establishment operating under the provisions of the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the Wyoming Wholesome Meat Act of 1969.
25. (y) “Replacement Bovine” means female Bovine intended as breeding stock.
26. (z) “S Brand” means a 2" X 3" hot iron single S character brand applied to either side of the tail- head of a Bovine signifying that the animal is a Brucellosis suspect.
27. (aa) “Test-Eligible” means all Bovine eighteen (18) months of age and over (as evidenced by the loss of the first pair of temporary incisor teeth), except steers, spayed heifers and official calfhood vacci- nates of the dairy breeds under twenty (20) months of age, and official calfhood vaccinates of beef breeds under twenty four (24) months of age. (Presence of the first pair of fully erupted permanent incisor teeth is evidence that the animal has reached twenty four (24) months of age.) All Bovine that are Parturient or Post Parturient are test eligible regardless of age.
28. (bb) “UMR” means the Brucellosis Eradication Uniform Methods and Rules, published by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service.
29. (cc) “USDA/APHIS/VS” means the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services.
30. (dd) “Vaccination Eligible” means sexually intact female bovine between the ages of four (4) and twelve (12) months of age.

Section 6. Mandatory Vaccination of Female Bovine.

Before import into Wyoming any female Bovine must be an Official Vaccinate. Before a change in ownership can occur for any Wyoming origin female Bovine born in Wyoming after March 1, 1998, the Bovine must be an Official Vaccinate. The vaccination status for change of ownership will be documented by the livestock producer signing an affidavit attesting to the vaccination status of the animals at the time of brand inspection.

1. (a) Exemptions:

   1. (i) Bovine consigned for Immediate Slaughter at a Recognized Slaughter Establishment and moving under Direct Movement from the farm or ranch of origin to the Recognized Slaughter Estab- lishment.
   2. (ii) Spayed female Bovine which have a blue metal eartag, supplied by the Board and placed in the right ear.
   3. (iii) Bovine which are moving under Direct Movement to an approved K-Lot.
   4. (iv) Bovine which are moving under Direct Movement to an approved O-Lot.
   5. (v) Bovine which are moving under Direct Movement to an Approved LivestockMarket where they will be vaccinated upon arrival.
   6. (vi) Bovine which are moving under Direct Movement to an Approved Livestock Market where they will be sold and destined to a state or nation which will accept non vaccinated Bovine.
   7. (vii) Bovine consigned directly to a state or nation which will accept non vaccinated Bo- vine.

Section 7. Imported Bovine.

Wyoming does not allow the importation of female Bovine which are not Official Vaccinates.

1. (a) Exemptions:

   1. (i) Bonafide Wyoming origin heifers of Vaccination Eligible age may return to Wyoming if they are being imported pursuant to a Commuter Agreement. Following their return, these bovine are subject to mandatory vaccination requirements as described in Section 6.
   2. (ii) Bovine which are moving under Direct Movement to an approved K-Lot.
   3. (iii) Bovine which are moving under Direct Movement to an approved O-Lot.

Section 8. Voluntary Testing of Replacement Bovine.

As per recommendations from the 1998 USDA/APHIS Wyoming Brucellosis Station Review Re- port, testing of Test Eligible Replacement Bovine at change of ownership is strongly encouraged by the Board on a voluntary basis. This voluntary testing of Replacement Bovine will be done on a statewide basis and is to protect the Wyoming Bovine industry from the disease Brucellosis and to enhance market- ability of Wyoming Bovine. If adequate surveillance numbers are maintained, this testing will remain voluntary. The Board will continually monitor this surveillance to determine its effectiveness.

Section 9. Identification of Bovine Moving from Farm or Ranch of Origin.

It is the livestock owner’s responsibility to ensure that all Test Eligible Bovine which leave the farm or ranch of origin are identified with Board Approved Individual Identification prior to leaving the farm or ranch of origin or, at least, at the first point in the marketing chain away from the farm or ranch of origin. Bovine already identified with a Brucellosis vaccination tag or a silver USDA/APHIS identifica- tion tag do not need any additional identification tags placed in their ear. Livestock market veterinarians will verify this identification on bovine moving through a licensed livestock market. This identification shall be reported to the cooperating animal health agencies on forms provided by the Board. Identification can only be removed upon written approval of theBoard.

Section 10. Brucellosis Ring Test of Dairy Herds.

All dairy Herds will be submitted to quarterly Brucellosis Ring Tests and results will be reported to the Board and other necessary state and federal officials in accordance with the UMR.

Section 11. Testing of Bovine/Suspicious Reaction.

Bovine which are tested in Wyoming and give a suspicious reaction to an official blood test for Brucellosis shall be Quarantined in a pen at the farm or ranch of origin and subject to an official retest made not less than thirty (30) nor more than sixty (60) days from the date of collecting the blood sample with the suspicious reaction, and shall be dealt with in a manner which is consistent with procedures outlined in the UMR, insofar as those procedures are not inconsistent with the rules, regulations and laws of the State of Wyoming. All Bovine which are tested and give a suspicious reaction will have a Board Approved Iden- tification tag placed in their left ear which may only be removed upon negative test results for Brucellosis and release of Quarantine by the Board.

Section 12. Quarantined Bovine.

The Board, or its authorized representative, shall issue a Quarantine of all Reactor Bovine and the Herd associated with the Reactor Bovine. Reactor Bovine and other Bovine in the associated Herd shall be held subject to the Quarantine and shall not be offered for sale, or given away except with written permis- sion of the Board or its authorized representative. Quarantined Bovine must be detained at the farm or ranch of origin and may be slaughtered in accordance with W.S. §11-19-104.

Upon written approval of the Board, Quarantined Bovine may be slaughtered on premise by the owner.

Section 13. Movement of Quarantined Bovine.

Movement of Quarantined Bovine will only be allowed by Permit as outlined in the UMR, insofar as those procedures are not inconsistent with the rules, regulations and laws of the State of Wyoming.

Reactor Bovine must be B Branded prior to movement. All other Exposed Bovine must be S Branded prior to movement. A Permit may only be issued under the following conditions:

1. (a) Direct Movement to a Recognized Slaughter Establishment for Immediate Slaughter.
2. (b) Direct Movement to an Approved Livestock Market, to be sent to a Recognized Slaughter Establishment for Immediate Slaughter.
3. (c) Direct Movement to a Quarantined Feedlot (S branded Bovine only).
4. (d) Direct Movement to a research facility as specifically approved by the Board.

Section 14. Release of Quarantine.

Release of Quarantine is contingent upon satisfactory completion of all conditions set forth in the UMR for handling infected or restricted Herds, and with approval of state and federal animal health offi- cials.