Tuberculosis Testing and Control
The current rule lists most of the provisions relating to Tuberculosis testing and control in a general Tuberculosis testing and control section as it pertains to all animals. The current rule also lists Tuberculosis requirements under bovine and farm-raised deer portions of the rule. The proposed rule will consolidate all the Tuberculosis testing and control requirements into the general Tuberculosis testing and control section.
Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI)
The current rule requires the number, species, breed, sex, and age of animals included in a shipment to be listed on the CVI. The proposed rule requires that the purpose of movement also be listed on the CVI.
The current rule requires the veterinarian that signed the CVI for imported animals to file copies with the department and the chief livestock health official in the state of origin within 7 days after movement. The proposed rule reflects federal requirements by requiring the veterinarian to file copies with the chief livestock health official in the state of origin within 7 calendar days of issuance and requires the chief livestock health official (rather than the veterinarian) to file the certificate with the department within 7 calendar days of receipt. If the state of origin does not have a chief livestock health official who submits certificates of veterinary inspection for a particular species, the veterinarian who signs the certificate must file copies with the department within 7 calendar days after issuance.
The current rule requires a Wisconsin certified veterinarian who issues a CVI for export or intrastate movement of Wisconsin animals to file copies with the department within 7 days after the export or intrastate movement. If the animals are being exported, the veterinarian must also file a copy of the CVI with the chief livestock health official of the state of destination. The proposed rule reflects federal requirements by requiring the veterinarian to file copies with the department within 7 calendar days after issuance. If the animals are being exported, the department (rather than the veterinarian) must file a copy of the CVI with the chief livestock health official of the state of destination within 7 calendar days of issuance.
Federally Approved Livestock Marketing Facilities
The current rule requires federally approved livestock marketing facilities to meet certain requirements in order to qualify as such a market. The proposed rule also requires these facilities to:
Be licensed as a Class A animal market.
Be medically separated.
Test animals for specified diseases prior to import.Intermediate Livestock Handling Facility Certification
The current rule specifies requirements to be approved as an intermediate livestock handling facility under bovine imports. The proposed rule moves these requirements to the general import section because these facilities may handle a variety of imported species, including bovine. The proposed rule also specifies that the department will grant or deny an intermediate livestock handling facility certificate within 60 days after a complete application is filed and charge a nonrefundable fee of $140 for the certificate. The certificate will expire June 30, annually. The proposed rule specifies the reasons for which a certificate may be denied, suspended, or revoked; allows the department to make certificates conditional; and requires that animals imported to a certified handling facility be tested for diseases specified under the rule prior to import.
Tuberculosis-Free Herd Certification
The current rule allows a herd of bovines, farm-raised deer, and goats to be certified as tuberculosis-free. The proposed rule clarifies that all commingled species must be of comparable tuberculosis status or risk suspension or revocation of certification.
Johne’s Disease Certified Veterinarians
The current rule requires that veterinarians recertify for Johne’s risk assessment or management plans (RAMPs) and Johne’s vaccination every five years, and pay an initial and renewal fee of $50. The proposed rule eliminates the renewal requirement and the fee for initial certification.
Bovine Identification
The current rule specifies slaughter identification requirements under Wis. Admin. Code ch. ATCP 10 that differ slightly from the requirements under Wis. Admin. Code ch. ATCP 12. The proposed rule will make the provisions the same, including deleting the requirement of where a back tag must be placed. Swine Slaughter Identification
The current rule requires a slaughtering establishment operator to apply (if the swine does not already have it) an official back tag, premises identification number ear tag, or other approved slaughter identification if the animal does not already have official identification. The following information must be recorded: The animal’s identification, date of receipt, name and address of the person from whom the animal was received, and the swine’s class.
The proposed rule will require a slaughtering establishment to apply identification to swine only if the animal does not pass the inspection process completed by state or federal inspectors or if the animal is tested for disease at the facility. Information must be recorded only if the animal is required to have identification applied.
The current rule requires that slaughtering establishments record the date identification was applied to the swine, if applicable, or a note that the swine already had identification upon arrival. The proposed rule no longer requires this information to be recorded.
Bovine Animal and Goat Imports
The current rule specifies bovine and goat import requirements. Except bovine animals and goats going directly to slaughter, no person may import a bovine animal or goat originating from a tuberculosis modified accredited state or a modified accredited zone in a state which has split multiple tuberculosis statuses (as determined by USDA) unless that person meets certain requirements.
One of those requirements is to obtain an import permit which will require the owner of a bovine animal or goat imported from a tuberculosis modified accredited state to have the animals tested for tuberculosis. The proposed rule clarifies that this provision pertains to owners of bovine animals and goats imported from a modified accredited zone as well.
Swine Disease Testing
Diseases to be tested. The current rule requires that swine be tested for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and the Swine Enteric Coronavirus Disease (SECD) within 90 days prior to movement into or within Wisconsin.
The proposed rule requires swine to be tested for Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) rather than SECD. Testing for SECD includes testing for the Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), Transmissible Gastroenteritis (TGE), and PEDv. At the time the rule requirements were originally developed, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) required reporting of PEDv and PDCoV. However, recently, the USDA discontinued the required reporting of these diseases. Although no longer required to be reported, PEDv remains a devastating disease in swine, causing diarrhea and vomiting, and death of 50-100 percent of infected piglets. Thus, the proposed rule will require that swine continue to be tested for PEDv. While harmful, PDCoV and TGE are not nearly as damaging, so testing for these diseases will no longer be required. Since the current rule became effective, all of the SECD positive cases for which herd plans have been developed have been for weak positive for PDCoV. It has also been found that birds carry their own Delta coronaviruses that can interfere/cross-react with the swine tests. There is no cost effective or reasonable test for producers to differentiate between the avian and porcine viruses. The state veterinarian granted an order waiving requirements for PDCoV testing on March 27, 2018.
Number of swine tested in pooled samples. The current rule specifies requirements for pooled sample testing of swine for PRRS and SECD. Again, except for PEDv, swine will no longer be tested for the diseases that fall under SECD. Currently, if using the method of collecting a pooled sample of swine by hanging a cotton rope in a group of swine:
Herds with less than 150 swine must have one pooled sample of swine collected and tested. The number of swine to be pooled for samples is determined by the owner in consultation with the herd veterinarian.
Herds with 150 or more swine must have three pooled samples of at least five swine collected and tested.The proposed rule maintains the testing requirements for herds with less than 150 swine, but changes the requirements for testing herds with 150 or more swine as follows:
Herds with 150 to 299 swine must have two pooled samples of swine collected and tested.
Herds with 300 or more swine must have three pooled samples of swine collected and tested.
The number of swine to be pooled for samples in either scenario must be determined by the owner in consultation with the herd veterinarian.Imports. The current rule requires that swine imported to Wisconsin, with some exceptions, test negative for PRRS and the SECD within 90 days prior to import. Swine that test positive or that are not tested may be imported to Wisconsin with an import permit. Upon arrival to Wisconsin, the swine imported and/or swine at the premises will be quarantined until a herd plan is developed by a Wisconsin certified, accredited, licensed veterinarian and approved by the department.
The proposed rule:
Allows the herd plan to be developed by an accredited veterinarian in another state, but the plan must still be approved by the department.
Exempts swine imported to a licensed animal market from having to test for PRRS and PEDv (formerly SECD) prior to import if all swine on the market premises the day of sale are shipped directly to slaughter. However, under this scenario, the swine must still be accompanied by a CVI unless going to a federally approved livestock market.
Clarifies that swine imported directly to a federally approved livestock marketing facility do not have to get an import permit if there is a negative PRRS and PEDv (formerly SECD) test from the swine’s herd of origin conducted within 90 days prior to movement.Movement within Wisconsin. For intrastate movement, the current rule requires that documentation of negative PRRS and SECD test reports be made available to the department upon request. The proposed rule requires test reports of PRRS and PEDv to be made available at the time of sale as well as to the department upon request.
The current rule provides PRRS and SECD testing exemptions for swine moving intrastate. The proposed rule adds an exemption for commercial swine moving directly to an animal market if all the swine on the market premises the day of the sale are shipped directly to slaughter.
The current rule requires the exhibitor of commercial exhibition swine that originate from Wisconsin and return to Wisconsin after an exhibition in another state to notify the department before returning to Wisconsin. The proposed rule exempts exhibitors from providing this notification if the out-of-state exhibition organizer requires all participating swine to have originated from herds that have tested negative for PRRS and PEDv (formerly SECD) within 90 days prior to the event.
Also see swine information under “Fairs and Exhibitions.”
Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)
The current rule requires, with some exceptions, EIA testing when purchasing, selling, or transferring ownership of any equine animal. EIA testing is not required when:
An equine animal is consigned to an animal dealer or market, or sold to an animal market operator for sale directly to slaughter, or
The dealer/market has the animal tested for EIA within 10 days after the animal is received/purchased. The provisions relating to markets are unclear, and the usage of the term consigned for animal dealers (and markets) versus sold for market operators is confusing. Also, markets are required to remove animals from the premises within 4 days of receipt (unless awaiting test results). Thus, it is not permissible for markets to wait 10 days to test an animal.
