Disease free zone, animal movement requirements

Contact: Dr. Larry Granger (517) 241-2460

Disease Free Zone - Surveillance Herd Testing and Animal Movement Requirements

The following whole herd testing for surveillance will become effective on October 1, 2002, for all counties in the Disease Free Zone. Please note these requirements do not negate the required whole herd test before December 31, 2003.

• All herds in the Disease Free Zone must obtain a premises identification number issued by the department before any movement of livestock from such herds may occur.
• All herds identified by premises identification number in the Disease Free Zone will be placed into a database from which herds will be randomly selected for whole herd testing to accomplish surveillance throughout the zone.
• Proportional samples of beef and dairy farms will be selected from each Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service agriculture district based on the total number of farms in that district.
• Selection will occur on a two-year cycle over a six-year period.
• Selected herds shall be subject to whole herd testing upon request of the director and shall be quarantined unless testing is completed within 90 days after the person responsible for herd management receives notification from the director that a whole herd test under this surveillance program is due and necessary.

Under authority of the director as described in Section 9(22) of P.A. 466 of 1988, as amended, the Animal Industry Act, being MCL 287.709, this order will suspend bovine TB movement testing requirements described in Section 9(22)(a)(b)(c) until such time as this order is amended.

This order supplements the order that established zones dated March 10, 2002, and does not replace or revise that order.

MDA will issue the following order for the Infected Zone and Surveillance Zone regarding animal identification.

• All cattle (bovine) being tested as part of a whole herd test to satisfy surveillance herd testing requirements shall be identified with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) "electronic" ear tags except under special circumstances approved by the director. In such cases, other official identification may be substituted.

This order supplements the order that established zones effective March 10, 2002, and does not replace or revise that order.