(a)
Test Samples. Blood, milk, or other samples for brucellosis eradication program
testing shall be taken from cattle only by accredited veterinarians licensed to
practice veterinary medicine in California, designated representatives from
federal, state, or county governments, or persons authorized by the Department
or USDA at recognized slaughtering establishments. Test samples shall be
collected from brucellosis suspect or reactor animals at slaughter when
requested by the District or Designated Epidemiologist. All cattle tested for
the brucellosis program shall be individually identified using official
eartags, or other methods of identification approved as satisfactory for
individual identification by the Department. Each individual identification
recording shall include the brucellosis vaccination status of the animal from
which the sample was taken. All specimens submitted for brucellosis program
testing shall be accompanied with sufficient information to identify the
owner's name, address, location of the animals, animal description and official
identification, and the purpose of the test. As an aid to brucellosis disease
surveillance in California, a diagnostic laboratory may test any non-program
specimens submitted for analysis by any person for the presence of signs of
Brucella species.
(b) Official
Tests and Procedures. All brucellosis test protocols, procedures, and methods
approved by the Department and the USDA as being suitable to detect the
presence of Brucella, or Brucella antibodies or components shall be regarded as
official.
(c) Testing Laboratories.
Tests for brucellosis shall be made only by persons approved by the Department
or by the USDA as proficient in brucellosis testing in a laboratory or facility
of the following:
(1) USDA.
(2) Department.
(3) University of California, California
Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System.
(4) A County Veterinarian when approved by
the Department.
(5) The designated
veterinarian of an Approved Livestock Marketing Facility.
(6) Those possessing a permit from the
California Department of Public Health.
(d) Test Reporting. Every positive
brucellosis test shall be reported by telephone to the Animal Health Branch
within 24 hours after completion by the laboratory conducting the test. All
other results shall be reported within five (5) business days of the
test.
(e) Blood Test Eligible.
(1) Female cattle six (6) months of age and
over are eligible for testing.
(2)
Bulls over 18 months of age (as evidenced by the loss of the first pair of
temporary incisor teeth) are eligible for testing.
(3) Steers and identified spayed heifers are
exempt from brucellosis testing.
(4) As determined by the Designated or
District Epidemiologist on a case-by-case basis in exposed or affected herds
where testing of animals might be indicated as part of the epidemiological
disease evaluation.
Notes
Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 3, §
752.3
1. New
section filed 5-24-99; operative 6-23-99 (Register 99, No. 22).
2.
Amendment of section heading, section and NOTE filed 2-27-2017; operative
4-1-2017 (Register 2017, No. 9).
Note: Authority cited: Sections
407,
10324,
10326
and
10327,
Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Sections
461,
520,
521,
527,
5006,
9101,
9531,
9532,
9561,
9562,
9564,
9569,
9570,
10301,
10302,
10303,
10304,
10305,
10306,
10307,
10308,
10309,
10310,
10311,
10321,
10322,
10323,
10325,
10381,
10382,
10383,
10384,
10385,
10387
and
10493,
Food and Agricultural Code.
1. New section filed
5-24-99; operative 6-23-99 (Register 99, No. 22).
2. Amendment of
section heading, section and Note filed 2-27-2017; operative
4/1/2017
(Register
2017, No. 9).
