Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 125 - Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission
Rule 125.00.02-005 - Arkansas Health Requirements Governing the Entry of Livestock, Poultry, and Exotic Animals

Universal Citation: AR Admin Rules 125.00.02-005

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 2, February 2024

General Requirements

No animal, including poultry or birds of any species, that is affected with or that has been recently exposed to any infectious, contagious or communicable disease or that originates from a quarantined area, or area of lesser disease status, shall be shipped or in any manner transported or moved into Arkansas until written permission for such entry is first obtained from the State Veterinarian, except those animals affected with such diseases or conditions which are approved for interstate shipment by USDA-APHIS, Veterinary Services for immediate slaughter.

Livestock and poultry moving into Arkansas found to be in non-compliance with Arkansas laws and regulations shall be quarantined to nearest facility until all requirements are met on said animals to meet specifications. Expenses for all costs, including feed, hauling, rent, death loss, etc. shall be born by the owner, shipper or responsible person involved, before animals may be released.

All classes of livestock entering the State of Arkansas must be shipped in accordance with the requirements outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations, (those sections relating to interstate movement).

Specific requirements for exhibition livestock and poultry are covered in the Arkansas Livestock Exhibition Regulations.

Permits

1. Permits are required on all swine, zoo, fur-bearing and other wild and/or exotic animals, ratites, camelids, cervids, passerine birds, psittacine birds, and all other avian except poultry entering the State of Arkansas. Rodeo bulls are required to have an entry permit unless they are brucellosis tested within thirty (30) days of entry.

2. Requests for all permits, when required shall be directed to the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, P.O. Box 8505, #1 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72215, and shall contain the following information:

a. Number and kind of animals

b. Origin of shipment

c. Proposed date of shipment

d. Destination of shipment (complete address)

e. Name and address of consignor and consignee

f. Method of transportation

3. Permits shall be issued upon the condition that the consignee, owner, or purchaser hold the imported livestock, upon arrival in this State, pending compliance with the provisions of the permit. Animals are not to be diverted enroute.

4. All permits are invalid unless accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection except owner-shipper permits.

5. Owner-shipper permits (certificates) shall be valid only for shipments of livestock from a farm of origin in an adjacent state to federally inspected stockyards, specifically approved markets, or to approved slaughtering establishments for immediate slaughter.

6. Telephone numbers for obtaining permits: Monday - Friday: (501) 907-2400, 8:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m.

Certificate of Veterinary Inspection

1. A certificate of veterinary inspection shall be issued to accompany the following species of livestock and poultry into Arkansas: cattle, swine, sheep, horses, goats, cats, dogs, turkeys, chickens, domesticated fowl, ratites, camelids, cervids, psittacine birds, passerine birds, all other avian species, zoo, fur-bearing and other wild and/or exotic animals as outlined in the following sections. NPIP certified flocks of turkeys, chickens, and domesticated fowl entering on a VS 9-3 or NPIP flock certification form or similar certificate or those covered by a commuter flock agreement are exempt from the requirement of a certificate of veterinary inspection unless a state of emergency has been declared.

2. A certificate of veterinary inspection is defined as a certificate issued by a licensed graduate, accredited veterinarian after a physical examination has been conducted certifying that the livestock described are free from symptoms of contagious, infectious, or communicable diseases and shall include a statement certifying the origin of the livestock. The certificate shall include the name and address of the caretaker of such livestock if the owner's residence is other than the premises where the livestock are to be maintained.

Duties of Carriers

1. Owners and operators of railway cars, trucks and other conveyances shall not move any livestock into or within the State of Arkansas except in compliance with the provisions set forth in these regulations.

2. Owners and operators of railway cars, trucks and other conveyances that have been used to move any livestock or poultry affected with or exposed to any infectious or contagious disease or to scabies or fever tick infestation, shall be required to have such cars, trucks and other conveyances thoroughly cleaned and disinfected under official supervision before further use for the transportation of livestock or poultry.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

CATTLE :

All cattle entering Arkansas must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection showing individual identification by ear tag, fire brand, or ear tattoo number, except for those cattle moving directly to a recognized slaughtering establishment or to an approved livestock market which can be moved on a waybill (or, owner-shipper permit) if such waybill shows: the name and address of shipper, point of origin, destination, number and type of animals covered by the waybill, and purpose of movement.

Brucellosis

1. Test Requirements:

A. All intact male or female animals, eighteen (18) months of age or older (any age if they have already calved, or are in third stage of pregnancy) must have been tested negative for brucellosis within thirty (30) days prior to movement into Arkansas except for those originating out of Certified Brucellosis Free Herds. The Certified Free Herd Number, and date of last herd test must be recorded on the certificate. Rodeo bulls participating in a recognized and organized performance group may enter with a negative test for brucellosis within twelve (12) months if they are individually identified and accompanied by an entry permit.

B. Animals originating out of Class Free states, provided that the entire state is classified as such, are exempt from testing requirements, provided proper documentation is present.

C. All such tested cattle from a Class B State shall be quarantined to the point of destination upon arrival and shall be retested, at the owner's expense, for brucellosis not sooner than forty-five (45) nor more than one hundred and twenty (120) days after arrival.

D. When required, the quarantine and retest provision shall apply to out-of-state cattle tested at Arkansas livestock markets.

2. Vaccination Requirements

A. Heifers in the age range of between four and twelve (4 and 12) months must be calfhood vaccinated prior to entry into Arkansas.

B.
(1) Intact beef females, born after January 1, 1985 over one (1) year of age that have not been officially calfhood vaccinated may not enter Arkansas unless they are S-branded prior to entry into Arkansas and consigned to slaughter or a quarantined feedlot, or they may be S-branded and consigned to an approved market to be sold for slaughter or to a quarantined feedlot.

(2) Intact dairy females, regardless of age, must be officially calfhood vaccinated prior to entry into Arkansas, or be S-branded.

(3) Cattle from Certified Free Herds, Class Free States, or Class Free Countries are exempt from vaccination requirements.

C. "Officially calfhood vaccinated" animals are determined either by the presence of a legible calfhood vaccination tattoo in the right ear, or vaccination certificate.

HORSES & OTHER EQUIDAE:

1. Must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection with identification and temperature of the horse(s) shown.

2. Negative EIA Test within twelve (12) months prior to entry for all equidae over six (6) months of age. For sale purposes, negative EIA test must be within six (6) months. Case number and lab must be shown on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. Weanlings or foals under six (6) months old that the status of the dam is unknown, or the dam is positive must have a negative test to enter. Foals under six (6) months old may enter with or without dam if dam has a negative test within twelve (12) months of entry.

SWINE:

All swine, not under the authority of a commuter swine agreement, must have an official premise identification, be individually identified, and be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection and permit number obtained from the State Veterinarian's office, except those consigned to federally inspected stockyards, specifically approved markets, or approved slaughtering establishments for immediate slaughter.

All swine not going direct to slaughter will be quarantined upon arrival.

Pseudorabies vaccinates may not enter.

Testing requirements of all breeding swine not under the authority of a commuter swine agreement are as follows:

Brucellosis

Breeding swine six (6) months of age and older shall be negative for brucellosis within thirty (30) days prior to importation unless from a validated brucellosis free herd or a swine brucellosis free state.

Pseudorabies

Breeding swine of any age, except from pseudorabies qualified herds or from areas designated as pseudorabies free, shall be tested and found negative for pseudorabies by a USDA approved test within thirty (30) days prior to movement. Tests for gene-deleted vaccines are not acceptable.

Retest Provisions: All breeding swine will be quarantined and must be retested thirty to sixty (30-60) days after arrival at owner's expense for brucellosis and pseudorabies.

All feeder pigs, not under the authority of a commuter swine agreement, being imported into the state must have an official premise identification, be individually identified, and be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and permit number. Pseudorabies vaccinates may not enter. Testing requirements and allowable movements of all feeder pigs not under the authority of a commuter swine agreement are as follows:

(1) Direct shipment from a farm of origin or a market in a Stage IV or V State/Area;

OR

(2) Direct shipment from a qualified pseudorabies-negative herd;

OR

(3) Entry is allowed into Stage IV states from Stage III States/Areas or from feeder-pig-monitored herds in Stage II States on the following conditions:
a. That the swine enter on permit directly to a designated feedlot and not through an all-class market;

b. That the swine originate from an approved feeder-pig market or direct from a qualified-negative (QN) herd, or a feeder-pig-monitored (FPM) herd;

c. That the swine be quarantined to slaughter only;

d. That the designated feedlot have no breeding swine on the premises and no breeding herds within two (2) miles;

e. That the feeding herd must be part of the feeder-pig surveillance system required for Stage IV with testing of a sample of pigs from the feedlot, using the official random-sample test (95/10), and the test be conducted in each such feedlot at least every six (6) months, and at owner expense.

Sampling rate for 95/10 is:

Less than 100 head - test 25

100-200 head - test 27

201-999 head - test 28

1,000 and over - test 29

FERAL SWINE:

Definition: Swine that have lived part of their lives free-roaming. Feral swine may be reclassified as domestic swine by a negative official brucellosis and pseudorabies test conducted after at least sixty (60) days' confinement separate and apart from any infected or free-roaming swine.

Feral swine may not be moved into Arkansas until they have become domesticated.

MARKET SWINE:

Entry for sale at Arkansas market:

(1) As of July 1, 2001, all swine entering Arkansas for sale at an Arkansas market shall be identified by an official premise identification and
a. be tested negative for pseudorabies and brucellosis within 30 days prior to sale;

b. or originate directly from a qualified-validated herd;

c. or originate directly from a feeder-pig-monitored herd;

d. or meet the requirements for an Arkansas surveyed herd.

(2) As of July 1, 2001, any swine entering Arkansas for sale at an Arkansas market that do not meet these requirements shall be:
a. individually identified;

b. isolated from all tested swine;

c. tested at the market at the owner's (seller') expense;

d. and sold for slaughter only at the end of the sale.

SHEEP:

Scabies

Sheep must be from a State-Federal approved scabies free area. If not from a scabies free area, must be dipped in a USDA approved dip within ten (10) days of importation; and will be held in quarantine at destination one hundred eighty (180) days.

All sheep importations shall be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection.

No sheep known to be infected with scrapie, and no progeny of sheep known to be infected with scrapie, may be moved into Arkansas.

GOATS:

Certificate of Veterinary Inspection required. Goats to be examined, with individual identification on certificate and those showing evidence of abscesses or other infectious diseases shall not be allowed to enter Arkansas.

No goat known to be infected with scrapie, and no progeny of goats known to be infected with scrapie, may be moved into Arkansas.

Dairy goats over six (6) months of age that have been imported into the United States must be tested negative for brucellosis within thirty (30) days prior to movement into Arkansas.

DOGS AND CATS:

Dogs and Cats: All dogs and cats transported or moved into Arkansas for any purpose must be accompanied by an official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and have been vaccinated against rabies not more than twelve (12) months prior to entry. Dogs and cats under three (3) months of age are exempt.

PSITTACINE BIRDS, PASSERINE BIRDS, AND ALL OTHER NON-POULTRY AVIAN SPECIES: Certificate of veterinary inspection issued within thirty (30) days, and entry permit required.

POULTRY, WATERFOWL, HATCHING EGGS:

All poultry, which includes game birds, quail, pheasants, peafowl, turkeys, and waterfowl shall have originated from a US Pullorum clean flock or have had a negative pullorum test within ninety (90) days of entry. All turkeys shall also have originated from a US MG clean flock or have had a negative MG test within thirty (30) days of entry. All the preceding information must be documented on a valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, NPIP Federal Form VS 9-3, 90-Day certificate, NPIP Flock Certification Form or similar certificate. These forms must indicate that the flocks from which the eggs or chicks or poults originated have been produced under the supervision of the National Poultry Improvement Plan will be deemed to have met with the requirements of these regulations, provided all of the requirements of NPIP are complied with and applicable NPIP forms accompany birds. All non-certified poultry must be individually identified, either by a permanent leg or wing band or tattoo. Wrap-around plastic bands are not acceptable. NPIP certified flocks of turkeys, chickens, and domesticated fowl entering on a VS 9-3 or NPIP flock certification form or similar certificate or those covered by a commuter flock agreement are exempt from the requirement of a certificate of veterinary inspection unless a state of emergency has been declared.

Slaughter

Healthy poultry may be shipped into Arkansas without a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection when shipped direct to an approved slaughtering establishment.

Diseased birds can be shipped into Arkansas for slaughter upon approval by the Arkansas State Veterinarian.

No poultry can be imported into Arkansas from flocks where infectious Laryngotracheitis has been active or been diagnosed during the last thirty (30) days. Inter-company flocks will be exempt when consigned for slaughter.

RATITES (OSTRICHES, EMUS, RHEAS, ETC.)

All ratites must have a negative test for avian influenza within thirty (30) days prior to entry unless a state of emergency has been declared. They must be individually identified with a form of permanent identification, and listed on a certificate of veterinary of inspection with an entry permit number.

CERVIDAE (ELK, DEER, CARIBOU, MOOSE, ETC.)

(1) All out-of-state cervidae must be individually identified, shall have a valid certificate of veterinary inspection and a permit number prior to entry and meet testing requirements for brucellosis and tuberculosis.

(2) Brucellosis:

All cervidae over six (6) months of age shall have a negative test for brucellosis within thirty (30) days; or originate from a Certified Brucellosis-Free Cervid Herd; or originate from a Brucellosis-Monitored Cervid Herd within ninety (90) days prior to movement.

(3) Tuberculosis:

All cervidae shall have two (2) negative single cervical tuberculosis tests conducted no less than ninety (90) days apart with the second test conducted within ninety (90) days prior to movement; or originate from an Accredited Tuberculosis Free Cervid Herd; or originate from a Qualified Tuberculosis Cervid Herd with a negative test conducted within ninety (90) days prior to movement, except that cervidae under twelve (12) months from a Qualified herd are exempt from testing; or originate from a monitored tuberculosis cervid herd with a negative tuberculosis test within ninety (90) days prior to movement except that cervid under twelve (12) months from a Monitored Tuberculosis Cervid Herd are exempt from testing.

BISON:

Same as cattle.

CAMELIDS: (LLamas, Alpaca, Guanacos, Vicunas, etc.)

All camelids shall be individually identified, and have a certificate of veterinary inspection within thirty (30) days of entry. Registration papers when accompanied by registry photographs of the animal are acceptable identification.

EXOTIC RUMINANTS:

Most required to have negative brucellosis and tuberculosis test within thirty (30) days prior to entry.

ZOO, FUR-BEARING, & OTHER WILD ANIMALS:

See General Requirements. Tests pertinent to the species and permit are also required.

SEMEN & FROZEN EMBRYOS:

See General Requirements.

BIOLOGICS, MICROORGANISMS, & PARASITES:

See General Requirements.

EMERGENCY PROVISIONS:

See General Requirements.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Arkansas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.