USDA APHIS VETERINARY SERVICES STRATEGY & POLICY

PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF 

WATER BUFFALO (Bubalus bubalis) AND YAK (Bos grunniens) 

FOR IMMEDIATE SLAUGHTER FROM CANADA TO THE UNITED STATES

February 2022

1

This protocol describes the conditions required to import domestic water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and 

domestic yak (Bos grunniens) from Canada according to regulations found in 9 CFR Part 93, and the 

new rule, Importation of Sheep, Goats, and Certain Other Ruminants, published December 3 2021, 

Federal Register :: Importation of Sheep, Goats, and Certain Other Ruminants.

1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 

1.1. A USDA import permit is not required if the animals are moved through a land border 

port; otherwise, the importer must obtain an import permit from: 

USDA APHIS Veterinary Services

Strategy & Policy

Unit 39, 4700 River Road 

Riverdale, MD 20737-1231 

Telephone: (301) 851-3300, Option 2 

Fax: (301) 734-4704 

The import permit application (VS 17-129) may be found online: VS 17-129,

Instructions to compete the VS 17-129 form: 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/animals/downloads/vs17_129inst.pdf.

The completed import application form 17-129 may be faxed to 301-734-4704 or 

emailed to: laipermits@usda.gov

1.2. The importer must obtain an appointment in advance of entry from the APHIS port 

veterinarian. The port veterinarian will assign a time and place for the importation to take 

place, if mutually satisfactory arrangements can be made for the purpose of inspecting the 

animals. 

1.3. An official health certificate is required. The official health certificate must be issued by a 

veterinarian designated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and must be 

endorsed by a veterinarian employed by the CFIA attesting to the certifications and tests 

required in this protocol. 

1.4. The official health certificate must include: 

1.4.1. name and address of the importer.

1.4.2. species, breed, and number of animalsto be imported.

1.4.3. purpose of the importation.

1.4.4. individual identification, including the official Canadian eartag number or other 

approved forms of individual identification, and any other identification present on 

the animal, including registration number and brands.

1.4.5. description of the animals, age (including age in monthsfor juveniles), sex, breed, 

and markings (if any).

1.4.6. region/country of origin.

1.4.7. address or other means of identifying the premises of origin and any other premises 

where the animals resided immediately prior to export.
USDA APHIS VETERINARY SERVICES STRATEGY & POLICY

PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF 

WATER BUFFALO (Bubalus bubalis) AND YAK (Bos grunniens) 

FOR IMMEDIATE SLAUGHTER FROM CANADA TO THE UNITED STATES

February 2022

2

1.4.8. specific physical location of the APHIS-approved slaughtering establishment, 

including the applicable Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) establishment 

number for immediate slaughter animals.

1.4.9. name and address of the exporter.

1.4.10. port of embarkation in Canada, the mode of transportation, route of travel (slaughter 

animals), and port of entry in the United States. 

2. IDENTIFICATION 

2.1. All water buffalo or yaks must be individually identified with an official eartag of the 

country of origin traceable to the premises of origin of the animal (birthplace), and a 

secondary tag must be placed. The official eartag must be tamper-resistant and provide 

unique identification for the individual animal and either use the country code as a prefix or 

have a mark unique to official eartags of the country of origin. The official eartags must 

have one of the following numbering systems: 

2.1.1. National Uniform Eartagging System; or 

2.1.2. Animal identification number, composed of the 3-digit country code and a 12-digit 

number unique to the animal; or 

2.1.3. Premises-based number system.

2.1.4. The use of UHF tags is encouraged, to expedite border inspection procedures.

2.2. No person may alter, deface, remove, or otherwise tamper with the official 

identification while the animal is in the United States or moving into or through the 

United States, except the identification may be removed at the time of slaughter. 

3. CERTIFICATION STATEMENTS: The following statements must be on the health 

certificate: 

3.1. Canada is free of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Rinderpest, Surra, and Contagious Bovine 

Pleuropneumonia. 

3.2. The animals have been inspected and found to be free from any evidence of 

communicable disease, and, as far as can be determined, have not been exposed to any 

such disease during the preceding 60 days. 

3.3. The animals were born in the United States or Canada or were legally imported into 

Canada from a region recognized by the USDA as a region not restricted due to BSE and

have been under no movement restrictions within Canada or the United States for at least 

60 days prior to importation into the United States. 
USDA APHIS VETERINARY SERVICES STRATEGY & POLICY

PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF 

WATER BUFFALO (Bubalus bubalis) AND YAK (Bos grunniens) 

FOR IMMEDIATE SLAUGHTER FROM CANADA TO THE UNITED STATES

February 2022

3

3.4. The animals for export were part of Canada’s national herd for a minimum period of 

time. Paragraphs 3.4.1 and 3.4.2 describe how the United States defines “part of the 

national herd” and the length of time the animals must be part of the national herd.

3.4.1. If the animals for export were imported from countries recognized by USDA as 

free of FMD, then these animals must have been free of any import quarantine 

restrictions and able to move freely within Canada's national herd for a 

minimum of 60 days prior to export or isolation for export.

3.4.2. If the animals were imported from a country not recognized by USDA as free of 

FMD, then the animals for export must have been free of any import quarantine 

restrictions and able to move freely within Canada's national herd for a 

minimum of 90 days prior to export or isolation for export.

3.4. The animals are not in quarantine or under movement restriction in Canada. 

3.5. The animals were born on or after March 1, 1999, the date determined by APHIS to be the 

effective enforcement of a ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban. 

3.6. The animals have been individually identified with an official Canadian eartag, and a 

secondary tag, applied prior to each animal’s entry into the United States. 

3.7. The animals are from a brucellosis and TB- free herd or from a brucellosis and TB- free 

region of Canada. 

3.8. The animals in this shipment were loaded onto a clean and disinfected conveyance for 

direct transportation from the assembly point to the port of entry

4. PORT OF ENTRY INSPECTION 

4.1. Animalsfor U.S. entry must be presented to the port of entry by appointment and 

accompanied by a health certificate. The port veterinarian shall conduct a visual health 

examination of the animalsto verify identification and the accuracy of the health 

certificate. 

4.2. Animalsfor immediate slaughter must be inspected and moved directly from the port of 

entry to the APHIS approved slaughtering establishment in conveyances that are sealed 

with seals of the U.S. government at the port of entry. The route of travel from the port 

of entry to the approved slaughtering establishment must be listed on the health certificate. 

4.3. The seals may be broken only at the APHIS approved slaughtering establishment by an 

authorized USDA representative. 
USDA APHIS VETERINARY SERVICES STRATEGY & POLICY

PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF 

WATER BUFFALO (Bubalus bubalis) AND YAK (Bos grunniens) 

FOR IMMEDIATE SLAUGHTER FROM CANADA TO THE UNITED STATES

February 2022

4

4.4. The animals must be accompanied from the port of entry to the APHIS approved 

slaughtering establishment by VS Form 17-30, VS Form 17-33, and the official Canadian 

health certificate. 

4.5. The animals for immediate slaughter must be slaughtered within 14 days of entry to

the U.S.

5. REFUSED ENTRY 

Any animal refused entry into the United States for noncompliance with the requirements of 

this protocol must be removed from the United States within a time period specified by the 

Administrator or will be considered abandoned by the importer. Pending removal or 

abandonment, the animal will be subject to such safeguards as the APHIS inspector 

determines necessary to prevent the possible introduction of ectoparasites or disease into the 

United States. If an animal that has been refused entry is not removed from the United States 

within a prescribed time period or is abandoned, it may be seized and destroyed, or 

otherwise disposed of as the Administrator determines necessary to prevent the possible 

introduction of disease into the United States.

6. ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES 

Please check the animal health regulations of the importing state of destination for possible 

additional regulations and requirements for the proposed import (State Regulations and Import 

Requirements).