Section 345IAC2.5-5-4. Accredited herd status for cervid herds

   (a) Owners of cervid herds in the state may obtain and maintain an accredited herd status for tuberculosis by complying with the requirements in this section.

  (b) To qualify for accredited herd status, the owner of a cervid herd must do each of the following:

(1) Complete, sign, and abide by the terms of an accredited herd status agreement provided by the state veterinarian.

(2) Procure the services of an accredited veterinarian to test each animal in the herd for tuberculosis twice, the second tuberculosis test to be conducted between nine (9) months and fifteen (15) months after the first test is conducted. All test eligible animals in the herd must test negative for tuberculosis.

(3) All animals added to the herd meet the requirements in subsection (e).

The state veterinarian will issue the owner of an accredited herd an accreditation certificate or notice indicating the accredited herd status. Herd accreditation status is valid for three (3) years from the date it is earned and then it expires unless the herd is reaccredited under subsection (c).

  (c) The owner of a herd that is accredited may maintain the herd's accredited status by procuring the services of an accredited veterinarian to test each animal in the herd for tuberculosis. The reaccreditation herd test must be completed between thirty-three (33) and thirty-six (36) months from the date the second herd test was completed under subsection (a). A herd is in suspended status from thirty-six (36) to thirty-nine (39) months from the date the second herd test was completed under subsection (a) during which time the herd owner may complete the reaccreditation requirements. After thirty-nine (39) months, the herd owner must reapply for the accreditation program as a new herd.

  (d) A herd that is being tested for accreditation or reaccreditation must test the following animals for tuberculosis:

(1) All cervids twelve (12) months of age and older.

(2) All cervids that were not born into the herd regardless of age.

(3) All natural additions shall be identified and recorded on the test report as members of the herd at the time of the annual test even if they are less than twelve (12) months of age and not tested.

  (e) Animals that are added to a herd must meet the following:

(1) The animal must not have been exposed during the ninety (90) days prior to its movement to any tuberculosis livestock or to a captive cervid from a herd with a lower classification status than its own.

(2) One (1) of the following sets of criteria must be met:

(A) The animal is a natural addition born into the herd.

(B) The animal to be added is moved directly from an accredited herd.

(C) The animal to be added is moved directly from a qualified or monitored herd and meets the following:

(i) The animal is tested negative to an official tuberculosis test within ninety (90) days prior to movement to the premises of the accredited herd.

(ii) The animal is isolated from all members of the accredited herd until it tests negative to an official tuberculosis test conducted at least ninety (90) days following the date of arrival at the premises of the accredited herd.

(iii) Cervids that are moved in a group may be kept together, but no member of the group may be added to the accredited herd until all members of the group meet the requirements for accredited status.

(D) The animal to be added is moved from an unclassified herd and meets the following:

(i) The animal is tested negative to two (2) official tuberculosis tests conducted at least ninety (90) days apart, and the second test must be conducted within ninety (90) days prior to movement to the premises of the accredited herd.

(ii) The animal is isolated from all members of the accredited herd until it tests negative to an official tuberculosis test conducted at least ninety (90) days following the date of arrival at the premises of the accredited herd.

(iii) Cervids that are moved in a group may be kept together, but no member of the group may be added to the accredited herd until all members of the group meet the requirements for accredited status.

(Indiana State Board of Animal Health; 345 IAC 2.5-5-4; filed Jul 23, 2008, 1:01 p.m.: 20080820-IR-345070824FRA; filed Nov 3, 2009, 3:28 p.m.: 20091202-IR-345090491FRA; readopted filed Nov 1, 2011, 3:50 p.m.: 20111130-IR-345110312RFA)