(a) Brucellosis requirements. All cattle must meet
the requirements contained in §35.4 of this title (relating to
Entry, Movement, and Change of Ownership). Cattle which are parturient,
postparturient or 18 months of age and over (as evidenced by the loss
of the first pair of temporary incisor teeth), except steers and spayed
heifers being shipped to a feedyard prior to slaughter, shall be officially
individually identified with a permanent identification device prior
to leaving the state of origin.
(b) Tuberculosis requirements.
  (1) All beef cattle, bison and sexually neutered dairy
cattle originating from a federally recognized accredited tuberculosis
free state, or zone, as provided by Title 9 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 77, Section 77.8, or from a tuberculosis accredited
herd are exempt from tuberculosis testing requirements.
  (2) All beef cattle, bison and sexually neutered dairy
cattle originating from a state or zone with anything less than a
tuberculosis free state status and having an identified wildlife reservoir
for tuberculosis or that have never been declared free from tuberculosis
shall be tested negative for tuberculosis in accordance with the appropriate
status requirements as contained in Title 9 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 77, Sections 77.10 through 77.19, prior to entry
with results of this test recorded on the certificate of veterinary
inspection. All beef cattle, bison and sexually neutered dairy cattle
originating from any other states or zones with anything less than
free from tuberculosis shall be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary
inspection.
  (3) All dairy breed animals, including steers and spayed
heifers, shall be officially identified prior to entry into the state.
All sexually intact dairy cattle, that are two months of age or older
may enter provided that they are officially identified, and are accompanied
by a certificate of veterinary inspection stating that they were negative
to an official tuberculosis test conducted within 60 days prior to
the date of entry. All sexually intact dairy cattle that are less
than two months of age must obtain an entry permit from the Commission,
as provided in §51.2(a) of this chapter (relating to General
Requirements), to a designated facility where the animals will be
held until they are tested negative at the age of two months. Animals
which originate from a tuberculosis accredited herd, and/or animals
moving directly to an approved slaughtering establishment are exempt
from the test requirement. Dairy cattle delivered to an approved feedlot
for feeding for slaughter by the owner or consigned there and accompanied
by certificate of veterinary inspection with an entry permit issued
by the commission are exempt from testing unless from a restricted
herd. In addition, all sexually intact dairy cattle originating from
a state or area with anything less than a tuberculosis free state
status shall be tested negative for tuberculosis in accordance with
the appropriate requirements for states or zones with a status as
provided by Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 77, Sections
77.10 through 77.19, for that status, prior to entry with results
of the test recorded on the certificate of veterinary inspection.
  (4) All "M" brand steers, which are recognized as potential
rodeo and/or roping stock, being imported into Texas from another
state shall obtain a permit, prior to entry into the state, in accordance
with §51.2(a) of this chapter and be accompanied by a certificate
of veterinary inspection which indicates that the animal(s) were tested
negative for tuberculosis within 12 months prior to entry into the
state.
  (5) All other cattle from foreign countries, foreign
states, or areas within foreign countries defined by the Commission,
with comparable tuberculosis status, would enter by meeting the requirements
for a state with similar status as stated in paragraphs (1), (2) and
(3) of this subsection.
  (6) All sexually intact cattle, from any foreign country
or part thereof with no recognized comparable Tuberculosis status.
    (A) To be held for purposes other than for immediate
slaughter or feeding for slaughter in an approved feedyard or approved
pen, must be tested at the port of entry into Texas under the supervision
of the port veterinarian, and shall be under quarantine on the first
premise of destination in Texas pending a negative tuberculosis test
no earlier than 120 days and no later than 180 days after arrival.
The test will be performed by a veterinarian employed by the commission
or APHIS/VS.
    (B) When destined for feeding for slaughter in an approved
feedyard, cattle must be tested at the port-of-entry into Texas under
the supervision of the port veterinarian; moved directly to the approved
feedyard only in sealed trucks; accompanied with a VS 1-27 permit
issued by commission or USDA personnel; and "S" branded prior to or
upon arrival at the feedlot.
  (7) Cattle originating from Mexico.
    (A) All sexually intact cattle shall meet the requirements
provided for in paragraph (6) of this subsection.
    (B) Steers and spayed heifers from Mexico shall meet
the federal importation requirements as provided in Title 9 of the
Code of Federal Regulations, Part 93, Section 93.427, regarding importation
of cattle from Mexico. In addition to the federal requirements, steers
and spayed heifers must be moved under permit to an approved pasture,
approved feedlot, or approved pens.
    (C) Cattle utilized as rodeo and/or roping stock shall
meet the requirements set out in paragraph (6)(A) of this subsection
and the applicable requirement listed in clauses (i) and (ii) of this
subparagraph:
      (i) All sexually intact cattle shall be retested annually
for tuberculosis at the owner's expense and the test records shall
be maintained with the animal and available for review.
      (ii) All sexually neutered horned cattle imported from
Mexico are recognized as potential rodeo and/or roping stock and must:
        (I) be tested for tuberculosis at the port of entry
under the supervision of the USDA port veterinarian;
        (II) be moved by permit to a premise of destination
and remain under Hold Order, which restricts movement, until permanently
identified by methods approved by the commission, and retested for
tuberculosis between 60 and 120 days after entry at the owner's expense.
The cattle may be allowed movement to and from events/activities in
which commingling with other cattle will not occur and with specific
permission by the TAHC until confirmation of the negative post entry
retest for tuberculosis can be conducted; and
        (III) be retested for tuberculosis annually at the
owner's expense and the test records shall be maintained with the
animal and available for review.
    (D) Regardless of reproductive status, test history,
or Mexican State of origin, Holstein and Holstein cross cattle are
prohibited from entering Texas.
    (E) All cattle moved into Texas from Mexico shall be
identified with an "M" brand prior to moving to a destination in Texas.
    (F) A copy of the certificate issued by an authorized
inspector of the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service, for the movement of Mexico cattle
into Texas must accompany such animals to their final destination
in Texas, or so long as they are moving through Texas.
    (G) Any certificate, form, record, report, or chart
issued by an accredited veterinarian for cattle that originate from
Mexico, have resided in Mexico or are "M" branded shall include the
statement, "the cattle represented on this document are of Mexican
origin."
(c) Trichomoniasis Requirements:
  (1) A breeding bull that is 12 months of age or older
may enter the state provided the bull is officially identified as
provided by §38.1 of this title (relating to Definitions) and
accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection stating the
bull tested negative for Trichomoniasis with an official Real Time
Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test as provided by §38.6
of this title (relating to Official Trichomoniasis Tests) within 60
days prior to the date of entry.
  (2) A breeding bull that is 12 months of age or older
is exempt from the testing requirement of paragraph (1) of this subsection
if the bull meets one of the following requirements:
    (A) The bull enters on and is moved by a permit, issued
prior to entry, from the commission, in accordance with §51.2(a)
of this chapter, for the purpose of participating at a fair, show,
exhibition or rodeo, remains in the state for less than 60 days from
the date of entry, and is isolated from female cattle at all times.
The certificate of veterinary inspection shall include the entry permit
number. A bull that is in this state on or after the 60th day from
the date of entry shall test negative for Trichomoniasis with an official
RT-PCR test.
    (B) The bull enters on and is moved by a permit, issued
prior to entry, from the commission, in accordance with §51.2(a)
of this chapter, directly to a feedyard that has executed a Trichomoniasis
Certified Facility Agreement. The certificate of veterinary inspection
shall include the entry permit number.
    (C) The bull enters on and is moved by a permit, issued
prior to entry from the commission, in accordance with §51.2(a)
of this chapter, directly to a facility that tests the gain and feed
conversion of cattle (bull test station) that isolates the bull from
female cattle at all times. The certificate of veterinary inspection
shall include the entry permit number. The bull shall return to the
out-of-state premises destination directly from the bull test station
or test negative for Trichomoniasis with an official RT-PCR test.
    (D) A Texas bull that is enrolled in an out-of-state
facility that tests the gain and feed conversion of cattle (bull test
station) and isolates the bull from female cattle at all times may
move directly to the Texas premises of origin. The certificate of
veterinary inspection shall state the bull was enrolled in a bull
test station and was isolated from female cattle.
    (E) The bull is enrolled at an out-of-state semen collection
facility, which complies with Certified Semen Services Minimum Requirements
for Disease Control of Semen Produced for Artificial Insemination,
that isolates the bull from female cattle at all times and the bull
is moved directly from a semen collection facility into the state.
The certificate of veterinary inspection shall state the bull was
enrolled in a semen collection facility and was isolated from female
cattle.
    (F) The bull originates from a herd that is enrolled
in a Certified Trichomoniasis Free Herd Program or other certification
program that is substantially similar, as determined by the Executive
Director, to the program requirements provided by §38.8 of this
title (relating to Herd Certification Program--Breeding Bulls).
    (G) The bull is 18 months of age or younger and accompanied
by a commission or any state approved Trichomoniasis virgin status
certificate and a certificate of veterinary inspection that includes
a statement reflecting the bull's virgin status.
  (3) All breeding bulls entering from a foreign country
shall enter on and be moved by a permit, issued prior to entry from
the commission, in accordance with §51.2(a) of this chapter,
to a premises of destination in Texas and shall be placed under Hold
Order and officially tested for Trichomoniasis with not less than
three official culture tests conducted not less than seven days apart,
or an official RT-PCR test, within 30 days after entry into the state.
All bulls shall be isolated from female cattle at all times until
tested negative for Trichomoniasis. The Hold Order shall not be released
until all other post entry disease testing requirements have been
completed. All bulls tested for Trichomoniasis shall be officially
identified at the time the initial test sample is collected. The identification
shall be recorded on the test documents.


Source Note: The provisions of this §51.8 adopted to be effective June 3, 2002, 27 TexReg 5182; amended to be effective March 16, 2005, 30 TexReg 1439; amended to be effective September 11, 2005, 30 TexReg 5322; amended to be effective March 4, 2007, 32 TexReg 753; amended to be effective October 14, 2007, 32 TexReg 7043; amended to be effective August 25, 2008, 33 TexReg 6795; amended to be effective April 1, 2009, 34 TexReg 1985; amended to be effective October 15, 2009, 34 TexReg 7066; amended to be effective November 2, 2010, 35 TexReg 9691; amended to be effective August 14, 2011, 36 TexReg 5091; amended to be effective February 5, 2013, 38 TexReg 497; amended to be effective February 4, 2014, 39 TexReg 490;amended to be effective June 3, 2014, 39 TexReg 4240; amended to be effective October 9, 2014, 39 TexReg 7915; amended to be effective October 28, 2015, 40 TexReg 7401