USDA APHIS VETERINARY SERVICES

STRATEGY & POLICY

PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF 

FARMED CERVIDS FROM CANADA

August 2013, Updated Jan 2021

1

This protocol describes the conditions required to import farmed cervids from Canada according to 

regulations found in 9 CFR Part 93.

1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1.1. No import permit is required if the cervids are offered for entry at a Canadian land border port. 

In any other cases, 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 application (VS Form 17-129, Application for Import or In-Transit Permit,) can be 

obtained by writing or telephoning NIES, or by downloading it from the APHIS web site: 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/permits/

1.2. An official health certificate is required, must be issued by an accredited veterinarian designated 

by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and endorsed by a CFIA veterinarian. 

1.3. Cervids described on the health certificate must be captive farmed animals. Animals born 

in the wild are ineligible for entry under this protocol. Properly identified cervids under six 

(6) months of age, (traveling at the side of their dam or not), are exempted from the test 

requirements in Section 3. 

1.4. All cervids must be identified with an official unique individual eartag or tattoo, and have a large 

readable bangle eartag allowing the bangle numbers to be read without offloading the animals. 

Bangle tag numbers and corresponding official tag or tattoo numbers must be recorded on the 

health certificate. 

1.5. The health certificate must contain the certification statements as listed in the following section. 

The dates and results of testing for bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis, referred to 

hereafter as TB) and brucellosis (Brucella abortus) required under Section 3 must be recorded on 

the health certificate. 

2. CERTIFICATION STATEMENTS

2.1. Canada is free of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Rinderpest, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, and 

Surra. 

2.2. The cervids offered for entry at a Canadian land border port must meet one of the following 

conditions: (a) were born in the U.S. or Canada and have been in no other region, or (b) were 

legally imported into Canada from another region and have been unconditionally released and 

eligible to move freely within Canada for at least 60 days after such release. 
USDA APHIS VETERINARY SERVICES

STRATEGY & POLICY

PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF 

FARMED CERVIDS FROM CANADA

August 2013, Updated Jan 2021

2

2.3. Continuous records (from the time of birth until export) of animal identification and herds of 

residence of the animal(s) being exported were verified on the export health certificate by the 

issuing accredited veterinarian. 

2.4. Herd of origin status: 

2.4.1. The herd is enrolled in the Canadian Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Voluntary Herd 

Certification Program and has achieved Fully Certified status. 

2.4.2. CWD has never been diagnosed in the enrolled herd and/or the herd of origin (if different). 

2.4.3. The herd of origin is a herd officially recognized as free of TB and brucellosis according to 

the provisions of the CFIA captive ungulate program, and there has been no direct or 

indirect contact between the herd of origin and any known TB and brucellosis infected 

source. 

2.4.4. The herd of origin is not known to have been exposed to any wild population infected with 

TB, brucellosis or CWD. 

2.4.5. The herd of origin does not contain animals from any herd where TB or brucellosis has ever 

been diagnosed. 

2.4.6. Neither tuberculosis nor brucellosis has been diagnosed on the premises of origin during 

the five (5) years preceding the start of testing for export. 

2.4.7. On the premises of origin, all TB or brucellosis susceptible ruminants have either attained 

the status of a herd officially recognized free by the CFIA of TB and brucellosis; or are 

from a herd of negative status for TB and brucellosis under the Canadian Animal Health 

Program for Farmed Cervids. 

2.4.8 The official health certificate must include: 

• name and address of the importer; 

• species, breed, and number of cervids to be imported; 

• 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; 

• description of the animals, including age in months, sex, breed, and markings (if 

any); 

• region/country of origin; 

• address or other means of identifying the premises of origin and any other premises 

where the animals resided prior to export; 

• name and address of the exporter; 

• port of embarkation in Canada, the mode of transportation, route of travel, and port 

of entry in the United States. 
USDA APHIS VETERINARY SERVICES

STRATEGY & POLICY

PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF 

FARMED CERVIDS FROM CANADA

August 2013, Updated Jan 2021

3

2.5 The animal(s) intended for export is/are not the direct offspring of an animal that has been 

diagnosed with CWD; and has/have not resided at any time in a herd where the disease has been 

diagnosed. 

2.6 If less than one year of age, any animals intended for export were natural additions to the herd of 

origin. 

2.7 During the 60 days prior to export to the United States, the cervids selected for export, and the 

herd of origin, remained free from symptoms of infectious or contagious disease, and free of any 

known exposure to such disease. 

2.8 Animals intended for export added to the herd of origin, except natural additions or animals from 

other herds officially recognized as free of TB (or from U.S. Accredited Free herds), have been 

included in a TB recertification test conducted every 5 years. 

2.9 Animals intended for export added to the herd of origin, except natural additions or animals from 

other herds of negative brucellosis status have been included in a brucellosis recertification test 

within 5 years immediately preceding export. 

3. TESTING REQUIREMENTS

3.1. Tuberculosis: Within 60 days prior to export, each cervid must be tested with negative results 

for bovine tuberculosis (TB) using the Canadian Mid-Cervical Test (MCT). 

3.1.1. MCT: Any cervid classified as a responder to the MCT is permanently ineligible for 

entry. However, if the TB-negative status of all responders can be established by 

comparative cervical testing (CCT) or by post-mortem examination and tissue culture, 

negative contact animals may be considered for entry. 

3.1.2. NOTE: APHIS’ TB program testing protocols for cervids requires CCT testing of 

single cervical tuberculin test responders within 10 days or more than 90 days after 

single cervical tuberculin injection. The Canadian TB Program requires CCT testing 

at least 60 but not more than 100 days after a response. For the purposes of this import 

protocol, APHIS will accept CCT result performed in accordance with CFIA protocols 

to determine the status of MCT responders. 

3.2. Brucellosis: Within 30 days prior to export, cervids must test negative to a Rapid Automated 

Presumptive (RAP) test or Buffered Acidified Plate Antigen (BAPA) test for Brucella abortus; 

or to another primary test for brucellosis if OIE approved (see recommendations

https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahm/3.01.04_BRUCELLOSIS.pdf

and if this test is acknowledged by USDA APHIS for domestic cervid program use: 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_diseases/brucellosis/downloads/aphis_ap 

proved_br_sero_labs_sop.pdf.

3.2.1. Animal(s) testing positive for brucellosis by the primary approved test are permanently 

ineligible for entry. 
USDA APHIS VETERINARY SERVICES

STRATEGY & POLICY

PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF 

FARMED CERVIDS FROM CANADA

August 2013, Updated Jan 2021

4

3.2.2. Any contact/cohort animals to the primary test-positive animal(s) must be removed 

from the group and must subsequently test negative to a confirmatory test in order for 

the remaining animals to be considered for entry, if the initial “ nonnegative” animal 

does not/ do not clear the secondary, confirmatory test. 

3.2.3. Primary Confirmatory Test: Fluorescent Polarization Assay (FPA). 

3.2.4. Secondary Confirmatory Test: Complement Fixation (CF). 

3.2.5. Summary of official testing protocol: 

• Either the RAP or BAPA test be performed as the initial screening test. If the 

screening test is negative, then no more testing is done. 

• If the screening test is non-negative, then the FPA test is performed in series as a 

primary confirmatory test. If the FPA test conclusion is negative, then no more 

testing is done. 

• If, however, the FPA test result is greater than 20mP, then the CF test is performed 

as a secondary confirmatory test to provide additional information regarding the 

sample. 

4. PORT OF ENTRY INSPECTION

Importers must contact the VS port veterinarian, at least 72 hours in advance of intended importation, 

to make an appointment for presentation for entry and to arrange for payment of inspection fees. The 

port veterinarian shall conduct a visual health examination of the cervids without offloading, verify 

individual identification and the accuracy of the health certificate. Individual animals or the entire 

load may be refused entry at the discretion of VS port personnel. 

 

5. ADDITIONS TO U.S. TB ACCREDITED HERDS

U.S. importers adding farmed cervids from Canada not meeting the TB testing requirements listed 

under 9 CFR 77.35 (c) applicable to U.S. TB- accredited captive cervid herds could jeopardize the 

accredited herd’s status. Importers should consult with their VS area office regarding accreditation or 

movement questions relating to additions to TB- accredited herds. 

6. ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

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).
USDA APHIS VETERINARY SERVICES

STRATEGY & POLICY

PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF 

FARMED CERVIDS FROM CANADA

August 2013, Updated Jan 2021

5

7. ANIMALS 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 

ectoparasites or disease into the United States.