See reverse for instructions.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

VETERINARY SERVICES

REPORT OF TUBERCULOSIS LESIONS OR THORACIC 

GRANULOMAS IN REGULAR KILL ANIMALS

1. TYPE OF INSPECTION

STATE FEDERAL

2. ESTABLISHMENT NUMBER

3. SPECIES BOVINE CERVINE PORCINE BISON

OTHER (Specify)

4. DATE SLAUGHTERED 5. LOT NUMBER 6. NUMBER IN LOT 7. NUMBER WITH LESIONS

8. ESTABLISHMENT NAME AND ADDRESS (Include ZIP Code) 9. NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNER (Include ZIP Code)

ESTABLISHMENT PHONE NUMBER ESTABLISHMENT FAX NUMBER

10. NAME AND ADDRESS OF SHIPPER (Include ZIP Code) 11. NAME AND ADDRESS OF MARKET OR BUYER (Include ZIP Code)

12. ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION (Place all ID devices in box with tissues to National Veterinary Services Laboratories)

A. OFFICIAL PERMANENT ID/EAR TAG D. CARCASS NUMBER

B. SALE/BACK TAG NUMBER E. RETAIN TAG NUMBER

C. OTHER ID (Brand, Tattoo, Bangle Tag) F. AGE G. SEX H. BREED/COLOR

13. POST MORTEM REPORT

WEIGHT SCALE ESTIMATED KEY: / = SLIGHT \ = WELL MARKED X = EXTENSIVE CS = CASEOUS CL = CALCIFIED

HEAD

(A)

CERVICAL

(B)

BRONCHIAL

(C)

MEDIASTINAL

(D)

LUNG

(E)

PORTAL

(F)

MESENTERI

C (G)

OTHER

(H)

14. DRESSED

CS CL CS CL CS CL CS CL CS CL CS CL CS CL 15. LIVE

16. COMMENTS

17. CHECK IF CARCASS RETAINED 

PENDING LAB RESULTS 

18. SEND TEST REPORT TO (Select One):

ESTABLISHMENT FAX NUMBER (BLOCK 8) ESTABLISHMENT POSTAL ADDRESS (BLOCK 8) 

OTHER FAX OR EMAIL (Specify) _______________________________________________________________

19. NAME OF FOOD INSPECTOR (Type or Print) 20. NAME OF VETERINARIAN (Type or Print) 21. DATE COMPLETED

LABORATORY USE ONLY

22.ACCESSION NUMBER 23. ID ENCLOSED

YES NO

24. PRESERVATIVE 25. DISTRIBUTION 26. RECIEVED BY

27. TRACKING NUMBER 28. LABORATORY COMMENTS

VS FORM 6-35 MAR 2014 

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 

information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0579-0146. The time 

required to complete this information collection is estimated to average .16 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching 

existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

OMB Approved

0579-0146

EXP: 03/31/2023
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING VS FORM 6-35

The information in this report is needed for effective monitoring and 

management of the Tuberculosis and Brucellosis Federal-State Cooperative 

Programs (9 CFR 51 and 77). 

Use VS Form 6-35 to submit specimens from regular kill animals only, not

reactor or suspect cattle. Use VS Form 10-4 when tissues are submitted

from TB reactors or suspects. Both forms are available at 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/nvsl. Click on link to Lab-Related Forms.

1. TYPE OF INSPECTION 

Specify whether the slaughter plant is federally or State inspected.

2. ESTABLISHMENT NUMBER

Enter the FSIS establishment number for the slaughter plant. 

3. SPECIES

Indicate the animal species from which the sample was obtained.

4. DATE SLAUGHTERED

5-7. LOT NUMBER, NUMBER IN LOT, NUMBER WITH LESIONS

8. ESTABLISHMENT NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, FAX NUMBER

Enter the contact information for the establishment where the sample was 

collected. Do NOT enter a personal phone or fax for the submitting veterinarian 

or the phone/fax number of another location. Use Block 18 if the test report 

should be sent elsewhere.

9. NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNER

Enter the name/address of the owner of the animal from which the samples were 

taken.

10. NAME AND ADDRESS OF SHIPPER

Enter the name/address of the shipper that brought the animal to slaughter.

11. NAME AND ADDRESS OF MARKET OR BUYER

Enter the name/address of the market or buyer from which the animal was 

obtained. 

12. ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION

A-E. Provide all identification associated with the animal (e.g., official USDA ID, 

backtag, ear tag, brands, tattoos, carcass number, retain tag number).

F-H. Enter the age of the animal, if known. Indicate the sex/gender (M or F). 

Enter the animal breed if known; if unknown, enter the primary color(s) of the 

animal.

13. POST MORTEM REPORT

An accurate description of the lesion, including the lymph node or tissue in which 

it occurred, is important. Describe lesions using the key shown on the form. 

14-15. DRESSED and LIVE WEIGHT

Enter the dressed and live weight of the carcass, noting whether the weight was 

measured (scale) or estimated.

16. COMMENTS

Use this block for any additional information about the submission. 

17. PENDING LAB RESULTS

Check only if carcass is held pending laboratory results. For quickest turnaround 

when box 17 is checked, use the enclosed FED-EX billable stamp to ship tissue 

overnight to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories. 

18. SEND TEST REPORT TO: Test reports may be faxed OR sent by email.

Please specify ONE destination to which the test report should be sent. If the 

report is to be sent by email, more than one email address may be specified.

19-21. NAMES AND DATE COMPLETED

Provide the name of the food inspector and veterinarian involved with the 

submission and the date the submission was made (completed).

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING TUBERCULOSIS LESIONS AND/OR 

THORACIC GRANULOMAS

See 

www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_diseases/tuberculosis/downloads/tb_

guidebook.pdf for instructions on submitting tuberculosis lesions and/or thoracic 

granulomas.

I. TISSUE SAMPLING AND PRESERVATION

A. Apply the enclosed sample ID stickers to this form and the formalin 

and borate jars.

B. AVOID CONTAMINATION. 

C. Remove excess fat. 

D. Divide lesions in half. Place one portion in formalin for histopathology 

and place the remaining portion in borate for culture.

E. BUFFERED FORMALIN PORTION: Cut specimen, including normal 

tissue surrounding lesion, into slices approximately 1 cm (1⁄2 inch) 

thick prior to placing in formalin.

F. BORATE PORTION: Place the intact portion of the sample into 

borate. Do NOT cut the sample into slices.

G. Maximum tissue to preservative ration: Formalin – 1:10

 Borate – 1:1

II. IDENTIFYING DEVICES

Place all identifying devices, along with a dime-sized amount of attached tissue, 

from each animal (except branded reactors) in a plastic bag and send to the 

National Veterinary Services Laboratories in the box with the specimens.

III. SHIPPING CONTAINERS

A. Use special 2-bottle TB mailer, available from the National Veterinary 

Services Laboratories, for each carcass. Contact the shipping 

department at 515-337-7530 or NCAH.Shipping@aphis.usda.gov. 

B. No refrigeration required. DO NOT FREEZE; freezing damages the

specimens. 

C. PREVENT LEAKAGE – Tighten and tape cap.

D. ABSORBENT PAD – Leave in place to absorb any leakage.

E. IDENTIFYING DEVICES – Leave in plastic bag on top of absorbent 

pad.

F. LEAK-PROOF LINING – Insert polystyrene container in lined 

corrugated box and seal.

G. BLOOD SAMPLE – If a blood sample is collected for concurrent 

brucellosis testing, send to regular brucellosis laboratory but identify it 

as a TB 6-35 animal, using VS Form 1-16 (orange TB ID card). 

H. SUBMISSION FORMS – Place between sealed polystyrene container 

and outside mailer.

I. RETURN ADDRESS – Provide complete return address and 

establishment number on enclosed FED-EX mailing label.

Ship submissions to:

USDA APHIS 

NATIONAL VETERINARY SERVICES LABORATORIES

1920 DAYTON AVE

AMES, IOWA 50010

TELEPHONE NUMBER: 515-337-7212