Md. Code Regs. 15.11.18.10 - Management of Flocks that Have Received Exposed or High Risk Animals

A. When a flock of sheep or goats is determined by State or federal animal health official to have received a scrapie exposed or high risk animal, the following steps shall be taken:

(1) The flock owner shall be contacted by a State or federal veterinary medical officer;

(2) The State or federal animal health officer shall place the scrapie exposed or high risk animal and the entire flock under a hold order until the status of the flock is determined;

(3) A State or federal animal health official shall officially identify the exposed or high risk animal and the entire flock; and

(4) A DSE or a designated veterinary medical officer of the Department or APHIS-VS shall determine the status of animals within the flock by identifying the high risk and exposed animals and restricting the movement of any animal that is determined to be high risk.

B. The flock owner shall allow a State or federal animal health official to officially identify the animals and to collect and submit animal tissues for diagnostic testing from all animals in the flock to a laboratory authorized by APHIS-VS to conduct scrapie testing or scrapie genetic susceptibility testing. The owner shall report immediately to a State or federal animal health official if an exposed or high risk animal dies or is in danger of dying.

C. If an animal in the flock is euthanized or dies, the appropriate State or APHIS-VS official shall ensure that appropriate tissues are collected for scrapie testing and that the carcass is completely destroyed by one of the following means:

(1) Proper disposal by the owner on the owner's premises; or

(2) A disposal of the carcass by the owner at a Department-approved facility.

Notes

Md. Code Regs. 15.11.18.10

Regulation .10 adopted effective 43:13 Md. R. 713, eff. 7/4/2016