Texas Administrative Code
Title 4 - AGRICULTURE
Part 2 - TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION
Chapter 60 - SCRAPIE
Section 60.2 - Animal Identification and Record Keeping
Universal Citation: 4 TX Admin Code ยง 60.2
Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) The following classes of sheep and goats shall be identified using official identification eartags and applied before they are moved from the farm for intrastate or interstate commerce, exhibition, or to be commingled with animals from other farms.
(1) Animals to be identified:
(A) All sheep 18 months of age and
older
(B) All breeding sheep
regardless of age
(C) Sexually
intact show or exhibition animals
(D) All breeding goats, except low risk
goats
(E) If the animals are
registered, an acceptable alternative to premise identification eartag is the
registration tattoo when the animal(s) are accompanied by the registration
papers.
(F) All exposed,
Scrapie-positive, suspect, test-positive, and high-risk animals
(2) Wethers or commercial goats
that haven't had contact with sheep, are exempt from identification
requirements.
(b) Animals shall be identified with premises identification prior to commingling with animals from other farms.
(c) Issuance of premises identification numbers:
(1) The TAHC will issue a premises
identification number to each sheep and goat owner upon request. The premises
identification will consist of the State Postal abbreviation (TX) followed by
up to five alphanumeric digits.
(2)
Livestock auction markets, slaughter establishments, and owner agents (such as
agriculture science instructors, veterinarians, and Texas Cooperative Extension
Agents representing 4 H clubs) may also request and receive premises
identification.
(d) Official identification:
(1) Only USDA
provided or approved tags shall be used.
(2) Premises eartags shall not be removed,
and required records must be maintained (see 60.2 (e)).
(3) If the animals are registered, an
acceptable alternative to an official eartag is the registration tattoo when
the animal(s) are accompanied by the registration papers.
(e) Eartag application and associated record keeping is the responsibility of any person handling animals under this regulation. Animals do not need to be retagged unless previous tag is lost. Records shall be maintained on all retagged animals.
(f) Record Keeping:
(1) General Requirements:
(A) For the purpose of officially identifying
animals that are changing ownership, the person acquiring the animals may act
as an agent for the person disposing of or selling these animals. Each person
who buys or sells sheep or goats covered under this regulation for his or her
own account, or as the agent of the buyer or seller, transports, receives for
transportation, offers for sale or transportation, or otherwise handles sheep
or goats must insure that the animals are identified as required and must
maintain records relating to the transfer of ownership, shipment, or handling
of said animals such as auction market drive-in documents, yarding receipts,
sale tickets, invoices and waybills.
(B) Animals that lose their official
identification may be retagged, provided that all possible flocks of origin are
listed in the record describing the new identification that is applied. Persons
who buy or sell animals that are required to be officially identified must
identify the animals if not already officially identified and must maintain
records as described in paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(C) Said records shall be maintained for a
minimum of five years after transaction or transport takes place by the
person(s) stipulated in (A).
(D)
Said records shall be made available to State or APHIS representatives, or an
authorized accredited veterinarian, upon request.
(E) Premises identification numbers on
scrapie suspect, positive, exposed, and high risk animals shall be recorded on
VS form 5-20, or other acceptable documents, and forwarded to the Designated
Scrapie Epidemiologist.
(2) Information required of persons applying,
or recording, premises identification numbers prior to movement, or sale, of
animals from the premises.
(A) Date
officially identified
(B) Date of
movement
(C) Number of animals
identified
(D) Premises number
applied
(E) If born after January
1, 2002:
(i) If not already identified to the
flock of birth, insert premises eartag of current owner and record the name and
address of the owner of the flock of birth with the individual animal
identification number on the premises identification number.
(ii) If bearing that premises identification
number was applied at the flock of birth, that premises identification number,
and (if known) the name and address of the flock of birth shall be
recorded.
(3)
Records required of persons who acquire or who sell or dispose of animals.
(A) following records:
(i) The number of animals acquired.
(ii) The date of purchase or
acquisition.
(iii) The name and
address of the person, or market, from whom the animals were purchased or
otherwise acquired.
(iv) The
species and breed or class of animal.
(B) Persons who sell or dispose of sheep or
goats must maintain the following records:
(i) The number of animals sold or disposed
of.
(ii) The date of
sale.
(iii) The name and address of
the buyer or person who acquired the animals.
(iv) The species and breed or class of
animal.
(4)
Records required of persons (such as accredited veterinarians, markets,
dealers, or agents) who apply premises identification that is not assigned to
the owner of the premises of origin must record the following information
(eartags do not have to be applied in animals already bearing premises
identification) and maintained for a minimum of 5 years: For animals without
official identification.
(A) The date
tagged.
(B) The number of sheep and
the number of goats identified.
(C)
The serial numbers applied.
(D) The
name and address of the owner of the flock of origin.
(E) If the person who currently owns the
animals is different from the owner of the flock of origin or birth, the
current owner's name and address.
(F) If the owner of the flock of birth is
different from the owner of the flock of origin, and if the animals were born
after January 1, 2002, the name and address of the owner of the flock of birth
if known.
(5) Records
required of persons overseeing terminal feedlots:
(A) Must be maintained for a minimum of 5
years after the animal leaves the feedlot
(B) Shall include the name and address of the
person consigning the animal to the feedlot
(C) Shall include the name and address of the
slaughter establishment to which the animal is consigned
(D) These records must be made available,
upon request, to a TAHC or APHIS representative.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Texas 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.
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