In 2008, after bovine tuberculosis (TB) was discovered at three Central Valley dairies, several states immediately implemented export testing requirements for cattle leaving the state. This cre-ated sudden impacts for California cattle producers who export many feeder and breeding cattle each year. In the time since, CCA has worked diligently to minimize restrictions on sale and regu-lar movement of animals to pasture and feeding out of state.

Armed with the information that no beef cattle have been linked to the TB investigation and that only eight TB-positive animals have been identified in California dairies through more than 370,000 tests, CCA has closely coordinated with the California Department of Food and Agricul-ture (CDFA) to encourage other states to allow movement of beef cattle without test requirements. Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho and Wyoming have agreed to remove or clarify blanket test requirements and establish conditions under which feeder cattle – and certain classes of breeding animals – are allowed to be sent out of state without a test. Additionally, CCA is currently working with the states of Montana, Nebraska and Washington to establish protocols for moving cattle to those states without a test.

CCA Tuberculosis Update

www.calcattlemen.orgApril 17, 2009

1221 H StreetSacremento, CA 95814

(916) 444-0845

CCA has also actively engaged with producers, state ani-mal health representatives and the United States Depart-ment of Agriculture (USDA) to work toward modernizing the federal TB program, which was written in 1917 and continues to result in states losing TB-free status based on as few as two affected herds. While maintaining a regu-lar dialogue with states of concern, CCA also attended the United States Animal Health Association Meeting Tuber-culosis committee meeting last October, offered comments at a USDA listening session in Sacramento in December and participated in a meeting on March 17 with the head of the federal TB program in Washington, D.C.

At each of these events, CCA has discussed producer steps to mitigate the risk ofTB, needed program enhancements to reduce the current program’s burden on producers and the critical need to fund development of an improved of-ficial test that would be more efficient, more accurate and eliminate the need to quarantine test cattle for 72 hours before receiving results.

In the continuing effort to eliminate restrictions on sale and regular movement of California cattle to pasture and feeding out of state, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, working closely with CCA members and staff has developed a permitting system to facilitate movement of all classes of California feeder cattle to pasture in Colorado, Montana and Washington without a Tuberculosis test requirement.

As of mid-April, a TB Test Exemption Import Certificate for cattle moved either under the same ownership or sold to Colorado, Montana and Washington will eliminate previously existing re-quirements that subjected cattle to costly and time-intensive TB testing for producers who provide official, individual identification of cattle. For the purposes of these permits, cattle must be rec-ognized source and age verified or have official indentification consisting of an official brucellosis calfhood vaccination tag, USDA silver brite tag (available through your veterinarian) or a USDA 840 RFID or USDA 840 visual tag. Producers shipping under the import certificate to Colorado will also need to provide a USDA Premise ID number for both the premise in California and Colorado. Copies of the permits for cattle movement can be obtained by contacting the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Animal Health office in Sacramento at (916) 651-6278.

The following table indicates the current requirements for moving to states California cattle are of-ten transported to. However, because rules can change quickly and without notice, CCA suggests verifying rules with your veterinarian and the state of destination in advance of shipping breeding or feeder cattle.

If you have questions or need more information about the impacts of TB or movement of cattle out of the state, please contact Matt Byrne in the CCA office at (916) 444-0845 or look for updates on the CCA Web site, www.calcattlemen.org.

TB TESTING REQUIREMENTS BY STATE FOR CATTLE LEAVING CALIFORNIA STATE STEERS SPAYED HEIFERS INTACT HEIFERS

Nevada, Oregon and Idaho (feeder cattle) No test for steers or heifers going to pasture or feedlot. Nevada, Oregon and Idaho (pasture-to-pasture cattle) No test required under pasture-to-pasture permit for feeder and breeding cattle.

Colorado, Montana, Washington No test required for approved feedlots; TB Test Exemption Permit and individual officialIDrequiredforfeedercattlemovingtopasture.

Kansas, Texas No test required if going to an approved feedlot or with approved individual ID and appropriate permits. Wyoming No test required for animals under 18 months.

Nebraska No test required for steers or spayed heifers. Test required for intact heifers over 2 months.

Arizona Test required for all cattle over 2 months of age with the exception of feeder steers.