Code of Maine Rules › 01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY › 001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL › Chapter 206 - PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF CERTAIN DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS AND POULTRY › Section 001-206-4 - IMPORTATION REQUIREMENTS

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A.
IMPORTATION OF CATTLE
(including bison)
1. A permit is required for all cattle
				imported into the State. This does not apply to cattle imported from Canada
				consigned to a slaughter establishment.
2. All cattle imported into the State, except
				cattle consigned to a slaughter establishment, shall be accompanied by a
				certificate of veterinary inspection issued within the 30 days preceding
				importation.
3. All cattle shall be
				identified by permanent official ear tag approved by the state of Maine
				indicating the state of origin.
4.
Brucellosis Requirement
a.
Cattle originating in brucellosis class free states
1) There is no brucellosis test requirement
				for cattle being imported directly from a farm of origin provided those cattle
				have resided in that brucellosis free area for the previous 365 days and that
				fact is documented on the certificate of veterinary inspection.
2) Cattle that have not resided in a
				brucellosis free area for the previous 12 months are subject to the following
				requirements:
a) USDA officially vaccinated
				female cattle 545 days of age and older shall be tested negative to an official
				test for brucellosis conducted within the 30 days preceding
				importation.
b) USDA female cattle
				not officially vaccinated, and all male cattle, 180 days of age and older shall
				be tested negative to an official test for brucellosis conducted within the 30
				days preceding importation.
c) No
				brucellosis test is required for cattle, originating directly from the farm of
				origin, which are under 180 days of age.
3) Cattle originating in auctions are subject
				to the following requirements:
a) USDA
				officially vaccinated female cattle 545 days of age and older shall be tested
				negative to an official test for brucellosis conducted within the 30 days
				preceding importation. An official calfhood vaccination tattoo must be visible
				to qualify as an official vaccinate.
b) USDA female cattle not officially
				vaccinated, and all male cattle, 6 months of age and older shall be tested
				negative to an official test for brucellosis conducted within the 30 days
				preceding importation.
c) No
				brucellosis test is required for cattle, originating directly from the farm of
				origin, who are under 180 days of age.
b. Cattle originating in Class "A" States and
				Class "B" States are subject to the following requirements:
1) There is no brucellosis test required for
				cattle originating from a USDA certified brucellosis free herd.
2) Vaccinated female cattle over 180 days of
				age shall be negative to an official brucellosis test conducted within the 30
				days preceding importation.
3) All
				male cattle over 180 days of age shall be negative to an official brucellosis
				test conducted within the 30 days preceding importation.
4) Unvaccinated female cattle less than 180
				days of age may enter the state without an official brucellosis test provided
				they are born into a certified brucellosis free herd. All unvaccinated female
				cattle that are not born into a certified brucellosis free herd, are ineligible
				for import.
5) Male cattle less
				than 180 days of age may enter the state without an official brucellosis test
				provided they are born into a certified brucellosis free herd.
6) USDA officially vaccinated female cattle
				less than 545 days of age may enter the state without an official brucellosis
				test provided they are born into to a certified brucellosis free
				herd.
c. Cattle
				originating in Class "C" States shall not be imported into Maine.
d.
Steers and spayed heifers
1) There is no brucellosis test
				requirement.
e.
Cattle for immediate slaughter
1) Cattle for immediate slaughter, except
				cattle from Canada for immediate slaughter, shall be imported under permit and
				must be identified by ear tag, tattoo or other identification as the
				commissioner may direct. Slaughter cattle shall not be diverted en route and
				shall be unloaded only at the designated slaughter establishment within 24
				hours of importation.
5.
Tuberculosis testing
				requirements
a. Cattle originating in
				an accredited free state are required to meet the following requirements:
1) There is no tuberculosis test requirement
				for cattle being imported directly from a farm of origin in state/countries
				classified as USDA accredited free of tuberculosis or an equivalent
				certification, determined by the USDA, provided those cattle have resided in
				that area for the previous 365 days and that fact is documented on the
				certificate of veterinary inspection.
2) All cattle 180 days of age and older that
				have not resided in an accredited free area during the previous 180 days shall
				be negative to an official test for tuberculosis conducted within the 60 days
				preceding importation. Exception: cattle originating directly from an
				accredited free herd are not required to have an official test for
				tuberculosis.
3) All cattle
				originating in any auction must be negative to an official test for
				tuberculosis conducted within the 60 days preceding importation.
b. Cattle originating in states
				other than accredited free states are subject to the following requirements:
1) No tuberculosis test is required for
				cattle that are identified as members of a USDA tuberculosis accredited free
				herd and were included in the most recent test.
2) All cattle 180 days of age or older shall
				be negative to an official test for tuberculosis conducted within the 60 days
				preceding importation.
6. Bluetongue Requirements are as follows:
a. Cattle originating in USDA bluetongue low
				incidence/free states:
1) No blood test is
				required for cattle who have continuously resided since birth in a bluetongue
				low incidence/free state.
2) Cattle
				over 180 days of age originating from, but not native to, a bluetongue low
				incidence/free state that have not resided since birth in the bluetongue low
				incidence/free state shall have a negative blood test conducted within the 30
				days preceding importation.
b. Cattle originating in areas other than
				USDA bluetongue low incidence/free:
1) Cattle
				over 180 days of age shall have a negative blood test within the 30 days
				preceding importation into Maine.
7.
Importation of cattle into a
				quarantined cattle feedlot
a. There
				are no test requirements for steers and spayed heifers imported directly to a
				quarantined cattle feedlot provided the following criteria are met.
1) An annual application to operate a
				quarantined cattle feedlot must be submitted to the department.
2) A permit shall be obtained from the
				commissioner prior to moving cattle into or out of a quarantined cattle
				feedlot.
3) A certificate of
				veterinary inspection shall accompany all imports into a quarantined cattle
				feedlot.
4) Steers and spayed
				heifers shall originate in tuberculosis accredited free states.
5) Cattle originating in states that are USDA
				bluetongue high incidence shall not be eligible for importation. In addition,
				the certificate of veterinary inspection shall contain the statement signed by
				an accredited veterinarian "To the best of my knowledge the animals on this
				certificate have not been exposed to bluetongue for the past year."
6) Only steers and/or spayed heifers may be
				imported without test. All other animals shall be imported as per the
				importation requirements.
7) Cattle
				may be inspected when unloaded at the quarantined cattle feedlot at the
				discretion of the commissioner.
8)
				All cattle leaving a quarantined cattle feedlot must go directly to slaughter
				unless prior relevant importation tests from the original state of origin are
				conducted and are negative.
9)
				Management practices must conform to current acceptable federal, state and
				local standards to provide for emergency and routine carcass disposal, manure
				removal and/or utilization, and prevention of ground and surface water
				contamination.
10) Cattle in a
				quarantined cattle feedlot shall be maintained separately and apart from other
				classes of cattle.
11) Cattle found
				to be in violation of the requirements of the quarantined cattle feedlot may be
				subject to immediate slaughter or immediate return to the state of
				origin.