Annex 24

**USER'S GUIDE**

A. Introduction

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B. Terrestrial Code content

1)	Key terms and expressions used in more than one chapter in the *Terrestrial Code* are defined in the Glossary, in the case where common dictionary definitions are not deemed to be adequate. The reader should be aware of the definitions given in the Glossary when reading and using the *Terrestrial Code*. Defined terms appear in italics. In the on-line version of the *Terrestrial Code*, a hyperlink leads to the relevant definition.

2)	The term “(under study)” is found in some rare instances, with reference to an article or part of an article. This means that this part of the text has not been adopted by the World Assembly of Delegates and the particular provisions are thus not part of the *Terrestrial Code*.

3)	The standards in the chapters of Section 1 are designed for the implementation of measures for the diagnosis, surveillance and notification of diseases, infections and infestations. The standards include procedures for notification to WOAH and procedures for the recognition of the animal health status of a country, zone or compartment.

4)	The standards in Section 2 are designed to guide the importing country in conducting import risk analysis in the absence of WOAH recommendations on particular pathogenic agents or commodities. The importing country should also use these standards to justify import measures which are more stringent than existing WOAH standards.

5)	The standards in the chapters of Section 3 are designed for the establishment, maintenance and evaluation of Veterinary Services, including veterinary legislation and communication. These standards are intended to assist the Veterinary Services and Veterinary Authority of Member Countries to meet their objectives of improving terrestrial animal health and welfare and veterinary public health, as well as to establish and maintain confidence in their international veterinary certificates.

6)	The standards in the chapters of Section 4 are designed for the implementation of measures for the prevention and control of pathogenic agents. Measures in this section include animal identification, traceability, zoning, compartmentalisation, disposal of dead animals, disinfection, disinsection and general hygiene precautions. Some chapters address the specific sanitary measures to be applied for the collection and processing of semen and embryos of animals.

7)	The standards in the chapters of Section 5 are designed for the implementation of general sanitary measures for trade. They address veterinary certification and the measures applicable by the exporting, transit and importing countries. A range of model veterinary certificates is provided to facilitate consistent documentation in international trade.

8)	The standards in the chapters of Section 6 are designed for the implementation of preventive measures in animal production systems. These measures are intended to assist Member Countries in meeting their veterinary public health objectives. They include ante- and post-mortem inspection, control of hazards in feed, biosecurity at the animal production level, and the control of antimicrobial resistance in animals.

9)	The standards in the chapters of Section 7 are designed for the implementation of animal welfare measures. The standards cover production, transport, and slaughter or killing, as well as the animal welfare aspects of free-roaming dog population control and the use of animals in research and education.

10)	The standards in each of the chapters of Sections 8 to 16, i.e. disease-specific chapters, are designed  mainly to prevent the pathogenic agents of WOAH listed diseases~~, infections or infestations~~ from being introduced into an importing country or from spreading within a country. Some chapters include specific measures to prevent and control the infections of global concern. Sections 8 to 16 each relate to the host species of the pathogenic agent: multiple species or species of Apinae, Aves, Bovinae, Equidae, Leporidae, Caprinae, Suidae and Camelidae. Although WOAH aims to include a chapter for each WOAH listed disease, not all WOAH listed diseases have been covered yet by a specific chapter. This is work in progress, depending on available scientific knowledge and the priorities set by the World Assembly of Delegates.

~~The standards take into account the nature of the traded commodity, the animal health status of the exporting country, zone or compartment, and the risk measures applicable to each commodity.~~

A disease-specific chapter covers some or all of the following components:

· Chapter title and number;

· Article on general provisions, including definitions of disease and its occurrence;

· Article on safe commodities;

· Articles on provisions for animal health status;

· Articles on recommendations for safe trade;

· Articles on inactivation of the pathogenic agents; and

· Articles on surveillance.

Not all disease-specific chapters include all these components and some chapters may include the first article on definition of occurrence for the purpose of notification to WOAH. Each chapter includes only those provisions considered, at the time of adoption, relevant to address WOAH Members’ needs with regards to the specific disease; and that are supported by sound scientific and technical knowledge. 

The recommendations in these chapters that are related to international trade ~~These standards~~ assume that the agent is either not present in the importing country or is the subject of a control or eradication programme. ~~Sections 8 to 16 each relate to the host species of the pathogenic agent: multiple species or species of Apinae, Aves, Bovinae, Equidae, Leporidae, Caprinae, Suidae and Camelidae. Some chapters include specific measures to prevent and control the infections of global concern. Although WOAH aims to include a chapter for each WOAH listed disease, not all WOAH listed diseases have been covered yet by a specific chapter. This is work in progress, depending on available scientific knowledge and the priorities set by the World Assembly of Delegates.~~The sanitary measures recommended in the standards take into account the nature of the moved or traded commodity, the animal health status of the exporting country, zone or compartment of origin, and the risk mitigation measures applicable to each commodity.

C. Specific issues

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Report of the Meeting of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission/September 2023	1

D. Name of animal species

In the *Terrestrial Code*, common terms (in bold in the table below) referring to animals are based on scientific names as shown below.

In each chapter of the *Terrestrial Code*, scientific names of the animals are provided when the vernacular names used in the chapter do not include all the species as described in this table, e.g. ‘bovines (*Bos indicus*, *B. taurus*, *B. grunniens, Bubalus bubalis* and *Syncerus caffer*)’, which in that example does not include animals of genus bison, or when the list of animals is very long, e.g. ‘animals of the families *Suidae* and *Cervidae*, the subfamilies *bovinae*, *caprinae* and *antilopinae* of the family *Bovidae*, and *Camelus bactrianus*’.