Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024
Section 61-1-12 - Establishment and Maintenance of a Certified Brucellosis Free Herd12.1. For the purpose of this section, the term "herd" means one (1) or more cattle six (6) months of age or older that are cows or bulls. No steers or spayed heifers or official vaccinates that are less than 20 months of age for dairy animals or 24 months of age for beef animals shall be considered to be part of a herd. A herd shall be located on a farm and may consist of animals located in separate fields of a farm. The animals in a herd may have several owners. 12.2. Establishment of Herd Status. 12.2.a. The owner, or owners, of the herd must sign an agreement with the Commissioner that they will comply with W. Va. Code §§ 19-9-20 through 24 and with the provisions of this rule. 12.2.b. The Commissioner and the United States Department of Agriculture shall certify the herd as brucellosis free after two (2) series of tests for brucellosis between 10 and 14 months apart show that all animals in the herd are free from brucellosis. 12.2.c. The Commissioner and the United States Department of Agriculture shall then issue a certificate for the Certified Brucellosis Free herd. The certificate is valid for 1 year unless revoked by the commissioner for non-compliance with the provisions of W. Va. Code §§ 19-9-20 through 24 or with the provisions of this rule. 12.3. Maintenance of Herd Status. 12.3.a. The Commissioner and the United States Department of Agriculture shall renew a certificate for a Certified Brucellosis Free Herd for the period of one (1) year when the herd has shown no reactors after a complete herd test.12.3.b. The owner, or owners, of the herd shall cause any animal in a certified herd that is suspected of having brucellosis to be segregated from the herd. The animal shall be retested between 30 and 60 days after the initial test. If the animal tests negative to the retest, it can be returned to the herd and the animal will not be the cause for non-renewal of the certified herd certificate. The Commissioner recommends that all animals in the herd be tested at 180 days under these conditions. 12.3.b.1. If the suspect animal tests as a reactor during the subsequent test, then all animals in the herd shall be tested again for brucellosis. 12.3.c. If more than one (1) reactor is found in a herd, the Commissioner shall refuse to renew, and shall revoke the certificate and the owner of the herd must reapply for herd status. 12.3.c.1. The Commissioner shall quarantine the herd until brucellosis testing has been performed to establish the status of the herd and the animals in the herd. 12.3.d. Addition of animals. 12.3.d.1. The owner, or owners, of the herd may add animals to the herd during the period of establishment of herd status or while the herd is certified under the following conditions: 12.3.d.1.A. The animal is from a herd that is certified as free of brucellosis. The Commissioner will not require the animal to have had a test for brucellosis prior to entry; or 12.3.d.1.B. The animal is over 6 months of age and is from a herd that is in the process of establishing brucellosis certification. The animal must have a negative brucellosis test within 30 days of importation into the herd. The animal must be separated from other animals in the herd until they show a negative brucellosis test at 60 days after importation into the herd and segregation.