Chapter 02. Eradicating Brucellosis in Cattle in Maryland
Regulation .01 Definitions.LinkCopy Citation
A.
“Brucellosis exposed animal” means a bull, cow, or calf that:
(1)
Is part of a herd known to be infected with brucellosis;
(2)
Has been in contact with a brucellosis reactor in marketing or other channels for 24 hours or more; or
(3)
Has been in contact with a brucellosis reactor for less than 24 hours if the brucellosis reactor has aborted or calved within the preceding 30 days, or the reactor has a vaginal or uterine discharge.
B.
“Department” means Maryland Department of Agriculture.
C.
“Official brucellosis test” means a test or combination of tests performed in an approved State-federal brucellosis laboratory and approved by the Secretary.
D.
“Reactor”. The definition of a reactor in “Uniform Methods and Rules” shall apply.
E.
“Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary’s designee.
F.
“Suspect”. The definition of a suspect in “Uniform Methods and Rules” shall apply.
G.
“Uniform Methods and Rules” means the latest published edition of “Recommended Uniform Methods and Rules--Brucellosis Eradication” as adopted and published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture following recommendations of the Brucellosis Committee of the United States Animal Health Association.
Regulation .02 Herd Tests.LinkCopy Citation
Individual tests of any or all animals in a herd will be carried out whenever the Secretary has reason to suspect brucellosis infection may exist among the animals or they have been exposed to the infection. Tests of any or all herds may be done whenever the Secretary, in his judgment, deems it necessary to prevent the spreading of this disease.
Regulation .03 Dairy Herds.LinkCopy Citation
At least three times per year, a sample of milk or cream will be collected at the milk plant, creamery, or other location from each herd offering milk or cream for sale, by the office of Animal Health, personnel or by other persons approved by the Director, and the milk sample will be subjected to the milk ring test. Additional samples may be taken at the farm, if deemed advisable by the Director, and subjected to the milk ring test. A herd from which a suspicious or positive milk sample is received will immediately be placed under such restriction or quarantine as the Secretary shall order, until it has been established by official individual animal testing whether brucellosis exists in the herd.
Regulation .04 Slaughter Animals.LinkCopy Citation
A.
All cattle 2 years old and older, except steers, consigned to slaughter shall be identified at the first point of concentration by an official market cattle identification tag or other method approved by the Secretary. The official identification may not be removed from any animal until slaughtered.
B.
Every slaughtering establishment in Maryland shall collect at the time of slaughter a blood sample together with all man-made identification from all cattle 2 years old or older, except steers, regardless of whether they bear official identification. The blood sample shall be protected from conditions causing deterioration, and along with all man-made identification of the animal, shall be submitted to a Department animal health laboratory for brucellosis testing.
Regulation .05 Handling Brucellosis Reactor and Exposed Cattle.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Brucellosis Reactors. Brucellosis reactors, revealed by an official brucellosis test, shall be tagged, within 15 days of the date of the test, in the left ear with a reactor tag, and branded on the left jaw with the letter “B”, no smaller than 2 inches or larger than 3 inches in height. Reactors shall be shipped to slaughter under written permit or disposed of in another manner approved by the Secretary within 15 days after branding. The remainder of the herd shall be placed under quarantine and handled as exposed cattle.
B.
Exposed Cattle. Brucellosis exposed cattle shall be quarantined and may be moved from the premises only for immediate slaughter and upon written permit. In addition, exposed cattle shall be heat branded on the left jaw with the letter “S” at least 2 inches by 2 inches and identified with an approved metal ear tag at the first point of concentration in Maryland or before leaving the original premises to pass interstate. The following exceptions apply:
(1)
Calves under 6 months old which are nursed by brucellosis exposed cows in a herd known to be infected with brucellosis, which herd has been brucellosis tested negative within 10 days before movement; calves under 6 months old that have been weaned from a brucellosis reactor or exposed cows for not less than 30 days immediately preceding the movement may be moved without a brand provided the calves are accompanied by a permit.
(2)
Steers and spayed heifers over 6 months old may be moved without restriction. Exposed animals shall remain under quarantine until sent to slaughter or subjected to tests at intervals the Secretary may require to determine if they are free of brucellosis infection.
Regulation .06 Brucellosis Suspects.LinkCopy Citation
Suspects will be quarantined to the premises where revealed until retested negative or sent to slaughter under permit. Herds containing one or more suspects may be quarantined or placed under such restriction as the Secretary may require.
Regulation .07 Indemnities.LinkCopy Citation
Federal and State indemnities will be paid to owners of brucellosis reactors depending upon the allocation of funds. Owners of purebred reactors shall surrender registration papers at the time of appraisal.
Regulation .08 Shipment.LinkCopy Citation
While in transit, all brucellosis suspects, reactors, and exposed cattle shall be accompanied by an official shipping permit issued by a regulatory official. These animals shall be shipped for immediate slaughter and may not be diverted in transit. Animals transported with a reactor shall be consigned to immediate slaughter unless the reactors are kept separate from the other animals by a partition securely affixed to the sides of the vehicle.
Regulation .09 Disinfection.LinkCopy Citation
The premises from which a reactor is removed shall be cleaned and disinfected with an approved disinfectant under regulatory supervision within 15 days after removal of the reactor, unless the procedure is considered unnecessary by the Secretary.
Regulation .10 Official Vaccination of Calves with Strain 19 Brucella Vaccine.LinkCopy Citation
On and after July 1, 1976, the age for official vaccination of calves with Strain 19 Brucella Vaccine shall be as follows:
A.
All heifers, regardless of breed--2 to 6 months (60 through 179 days) old;
B.
Heifers vaccinated after July 1, 1976, older than 179 days will not be eligible for indemnity if found to be reactors on a blood test after the animal is 24 months old.
Regulation .11 Procedures and Policies not Covered in the Regulations.LinkCopy Citation
In all procedures and policies relating to the eradication of brucellosis in cattle not covered above, the latest published edition of “Recommended Uniform Methods and Rules” shall apply.
Chapter annotations
Authority: Agriculture Article, §3-101, Annotated Code of Maryland
History: Effective date: March, 1968
History: Regulations .01, .04B, .05, .08, .09, and .10 amended effective
History: December 2, 1977 (4:25 Md. R. 1915)