Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1)
Cattle and bison owners are required to practice sound herd management and
sanitation procedures necessary to maintain herds free from infection as
recommended by representatives of the department.
(2) Cleaning and disinfection of infected
premises. Premises shall be cleaned and disinfected under regulatory
supervision within 15 days following removal of reactors, or the entire herd,
for slaughter. An extension of time may be considered under extenuating
circumstances. Exemptions from cleaning and disinfection requirements, when
indicated, may be authorized by state and federal regulatory
officials.
(3) Quarantine and
retest of infected herds.
(a) A brucellosis
infected herd shall be quarantined and retested in accordance with an
individual herd plan. Under routine conditions, retests will be conducted at
approximately 30-day intervals until the herd has had a negative complete herd
test occurring not less than 30 days after removal and sale for slaughter of
the last reactor, and then another test to occur not less than 180 days
following the removal of the last reactor. The herd test shall include all
test-eligible animals in the herd. The releasing test and the six-month post
quarantine test must include all nonneutered animals six months of age or
older, including all animals which have been officially vaccinated for at least
six months. Continuation of testing at 30-day intervals between the first and
second negative herd tests is strongly recommended. Exceptions on the intervals
between tests required for release of quarantine are allowable only when
Brucella abortus strain 19 organisms have been isolated from the reactor
animal(s) or all epidemiologic evidence is consistent with a Brucella abortus
strain 19 infection and not with field strain infection. Herds with a possible
strain 19 reactor on an initial herd test must be retested not less than 30
days after removal of the on-farm reactor to qualify for early quarantine
release. Herds of origin of market cattle test reactors which test negative
will be retested in 30 to 90 days if deemed necessary by the designated
epidemiologist.
(b) An additional
blood test of all test-eligible animals in the herd is required not less than
six months after release of an infected herd from quarantine or not less than
10 months nor more than 16 months after removal of the last reactor.
(c) A herd management and testing plan (herd
plan) for the elimination of brucellosis from each infected herd shall be
developed by the herd owner, his veterinarian if so requested, and a regulatory
veterinarian. The herd plan shall be formalized as a memorandum of agreement
between the owner and the state-federal animal health officials, and may be
reevaluated and changed as agreed to by all parties concerned to fit the
individual cattleman's need. The herd plan will utilize those veterinary
procedures most applicable and the proven herd management procedures necessary
to assist in preventing the spread of brucellosis within the herd and thereby
eradicating the disease from the herd. It shall be the responsibility of all
parties to the agreement to adhere to the plan throughout the period of
eradication of the disease from the herd.
(4) Services to owner. Services shall be
rendered without expense to the livestock owner as long as funds for such
purposes are available; however, owners are to provide for handling of their
animals. Brucellosis vaccine shall be distributed without cost to owners of
cattle in Florida, as long as funds for such purposes are available, and
administered by employees of the department, accredited veterinarians, and
approved agents of the state and federal governments. Contracts with accredited
veterinarians, non-professionals, other state and federal agencies, or with the
management of privately owned firms are to be used as needed to assist state
and federal animal health personnel accomplish necessary sample collections,
animal identification and other activities.
Rulemaking Authority 585.002(3), 585.08(2) FS. Law
Implemented 585.08(1), (3), 585.11(1), (2), 585.155(1), (2), (3), (4)
FS.
New 6-1-92.