\nIn-State Rules Effective Jan. 1, 2010
\n<\/strong><\/div>\nBeginning April 1, 2009, breeding bulls entering Texas from any other state must be either 24 months of age or younger and certified as a virgin, or be tested negative for cattle trichomoniasis within 30 days prior to entry.\u00a0 The entry requirements are part of a regulatory package adopted by the commissioners for the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) February 24 to address trichomoniasis, a venereal disease of cattle that causes infertility and abortions,\u00a0 and results in extended breeding seasons and diminished calf crops, which costs livestock producers valuable income.\u00a0 Cattle trichomoniasis is not a human health issue.\u00a0 The second phase of the program, which will address in-state movement of Texas breeding bulls, will go into effect January 1, 2010.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndustry members had significant input into the development of these regulations,\u201d said TAHC Commissioner Coleman Locke, who represents the beef industry on the commission and headed the Trichomoniasis Working Group, comprised of producers, market operators, veterinarians, laboratory representatives and educators.\u00a0 \u201cThe 74 comments we received from associations and individuals regarding the proposed regulations were reviewed carefully, and adaptations to the proposed rules were made in the adopted regulations to make the program workable for the producers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have worked for months with industry members, veterinarians and the working group, to gather information, develop the proposed regulations, and following the conclusion of the comment period, considered all comments to develop a viable, cost-effective program to address this disease that can drain a cattle producer\u2019s profits,\u201d said Dr. Bob Hillman, executive director of the TAHC, the state\u2019s livestock and poultry health regulatory agency.\u00a0 \u201cIndustry associations and producers asked us to work with them to develop a program that would stop the introduction and unchecked spread of this protozoal disease.\u00a0 At least 15 other states in the western half of the United States have developed similar trichomoniasis programs to address the disease in their states.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe regulatory components of the Texas\u2019 Cattle Trichomoniasis Program will focus only on breeding bulls, which, even when infected, continue to appear and act normally. Under the new regulations, Trichomoniasis also becomes a reportable disease in Texas, which will give us more information on where and how much infection already is in the state,\u201d explained Dr. Hillman.\u00a0 \u201cThere is no effective treatment or vaccine for bulls, and as they age, the surface of their organs becomes more hospitable to the protozoa, perpetuating the infection.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough the primary impact of the disease is on cows, which can become infected during breeding and lose the fetus, the cow herd is not included in the regulations.\u00a0 The majority of infected cows will clear the infection, if they are given 120 \u2013 150 days of sexual rest.\u00a0 A vaccine also can be administered to infected cows to help control the disease in the cow herd. The majority of producers who commented on the proposed rule and members of the working group recommended that the disease in the cow herd be managed through information and education efforts.\u00a0 Producers with infected herds should consult with their veterinarian to determine the most appropriate measures to employ to eliminate the disease from their herds.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Hillman explained that the interstate, or state-to-state movement, phase of the trichomoniasis regulations will begin April 1, 2009. Breeding bulls entering Texas must be officially identified, and may come certified as virgins, provided they are 24 months of age or younger, and have not commingled with female cattle.\u00a0 A breeder\u2019s certificate must accompany the virgin breeding bull, signed by the breeder, and the information also must be included on the certificate of veterinary inspection. Routine documents also are required, including the certificate of veterinary inspection, and other applicable tuberculosis or brucellosis entry requirements must be met, depending on the state of origin, or if the bull is a beef or dairy animal.<\/p>\n
Non-virgin breeding bulls or bulls older than 24 months of age entering Texas on and after April 1 must be tested negative for trichomoniasis within 30 days prior to entry.\u00a0 During the test period and prior to shipment, the bulls must have no contact with female cattle. Like virgin bulls, the non-virgin bulls must be officially identified with a breed registry tattoo or brand, a USDA metal ear tag, official RFID tag, official trichomoniasis ear tag from the state of origin, or other official identification.\u00a0 The animal must be accompanied by a completed trichomoniasis test document, certificate of veterinary inspection and other routine health documents.<\/p>\n
In-State Breeding Bull Regulations Begin Jan. 1, 2010
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\nThe second phase of\u00a0 the Texas Cattle Trichomoniasis Program will begin January 1, 2010, and will require that Texas breeding bulls offered for sale, lease, exchange or otherwise change possession for breeding within the state be certified as virgin bulls or be tested negative prior to selling, loaning, exchanging, giving or otherwise changing the possession of a breeding bull.\u00a0 (No test or certification is required for bulls shipped or sold directly to slaughter.)<\/p>\n\u201cThe TAHC Commissioners delayed the implementation of the intrastate, or in-state movement requirements, to January 1, 2010, to provide time to certify veterinarians to perform all components of the Trichomoniasis program, and to ensure producers are familiar with the disease, its implication to herd health, and the requirements for testing or certifying the virgin status of Texas breeding bulls undergoing change of possession,\u201d noted Dr. Hillman.\u00a0 \u201cWe will be working closely with cattle industry organizations, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association and the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratories to develop and deliver an effective information and education effort for cattle producers in Texas.\u00a0 We will be attending and making presentations at local, area and state producer and veterinary meetings to review the requirements and to ensure that producers are aware of the disease program.<\/p>\n
When the program is implemented, Texas breeding bulls undergoing change of possession must be officially identified with a USDA ear tag, official RFID tag, or breed registry tattoo or brand.\u00a0 The animals may be certified by the breeder to be virgins until the age of 24 months, as indicated by the presence of the animal\u2019s two permanent central incisors in wear, or more simply, by the birth date recorded on the animals\u2019 breed registry papers.\u00a0 The bull\u2019s virgin status can be extended to 30 months, which was requested by commenters, provided the breeder and the herd\u2019s accredited veterinarian certify on a breeder\u2019s certificate that the bull facility is sufficient to prevent contact with female cattle.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter carefully considering the comments on the proposed regulations and discussions with the Trichomoniasis Working Group, the testing requirements for non-virgin bulls in Texas were revised to require only one PCR (Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction test) on the non-virgin bull undergoing a change of possession, or alternatively, three consecutive culture tests, each conducted not less than seven days apart.
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\n<\/strong>Dr. Hillman noted that samples for testing must be collected by accredited veterinarians certified to conduct cattle trichomoniasis work, and tests will be run at the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL).\u00a0 \u201cSeminars will be offered around Texas for accredited veterinarians to become certified, to ensure that the collection methods, paperwork completion, sample submission, disease reporting and management of infected bull herds\u00a0 are uniform throughout the state,\u201d said Dr. Hillman.<\/p>\n\u201cPayment for sample collection and laboratory costs will be the responsibility of the producer,\u201d explained Dr. Hillman.\u00a0 Bulls of unknown status may be sold for breeding with one negative RT-PCR test or three negative culture tests, each conducted not less than one week apart. The breeding bulls must remain separated from female cattle during the testing.\u00a0 Negative test results will be valid for 30 days, but only if the tested breeding bulls continue to be separated from heifers or cows.
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\n\u201cInfected bulls will be restricted to movement for slaughter only, as there is no effective treatment for this disease,\u201d said Dr. Hillman.\u00a0 \u201cThe remaining bulls in the herd will be held, isolated from female cattle, until they are tested, at least once more by PCR test, or twice more by culture, each culture conducted at least a week apart.\u00a0 If the remaining bulls test negative (each non-virgin bull in an infected herd must have at least two consecutive negative RT-PCR tests or at least three consecutive negative culture tests in order to be classified as negative), they are free to move.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cProducers who have encountered cattle trichomoniasis in their herd know how devastating this disease can be to their calf crop and production,\u201d stressed Dr. Hillman. \u201cThis program is directly in response to producer and association requests for help to stop the spread of this insidious disease, and to stop the importation of infected bulls into the state. It is important to note that since this is an industry-requested program, input from the cattle industry is critical to the effective functioning of the program. To this end the rules contain provisions for the program to be reviewed annually by a broad-based Trichomoniasis Review Working Group, which can make recommendations on changes or even abolishment of the program.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy enacting the interstate requirements now, we can address the importation of disease immediately,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cDelaying the intrastate regulations until the first of next year will ensure that everyone can be \u2018on board\u2019 to attack this disease and protect their herds.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"News Release Texas Animal Health Commission Box l2966 * Austin, Texas 78711 * (800) 550-8242 * FAX (512) 719-0719 Bob Hillman, DVM * Executive Director For info, contact Carla Everett, information officer, at 1-800-550-8242, ext. 710, or\u00a0ceverett@tahc.state.tx.us For immediate release— In-State Rules Effective Jan. 1, 2010 Beginning April 1, 2009, breeding bulls entering Texas from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,14,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-government","category-industry","category-watching"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2028"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2029,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2028\/revisions\/2029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}