Code of Vermont Rules › Agency 20 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND MARKETS › Sub-Agency 022 - LIVESTOCK DIVISION › Chapter 010 - RULES GOVERNING THE CONTROL AND ERADICATION OF EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANEMIA › Section 20 022 010 - RULES GOVERNING THE CONTROL AND ERADICATION OF EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANEMIA

Current through June, 2024
Section I
			 AUTHORITY
6 V.S.A. Section
				1181,
				1182,
				1183
				and
				1461
3 V.S.A. Chapter 25
Section II DEFINITIONS
A. "Accredited Veterinarian" means
			 any veterinarian who is approved by the U.S. Department of
			 Agriculture and the Livestock Sanitary Official in the State or
			 Country of origin to inspect domestic animals and issue Certificates
			 of Veterinary Inspection.
B. "Approved Equine Quarantine
			 Facility" means a facility or paddock for holding equines of unknown
			 EIA status in quarantine prior to and during the time the animals are
			 undergoing testing for EIA.
C. "Approved Laboratory" means a
			 laboratory approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and
			 Markets to perform official tests for equine infectious
			 anemia.
D. "Approved
			 holding area for equine animals for slaughter" means an area approved
			 by the commissioner in which equine animals are confined prior to
			 shipment to a slaughter plant.
E. "Commissioner" means the
			 Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Markets or
			 his or her designee.
F.
			 "Department" means the Vermont Department of Agriculture, Food and
			 Markets.
G. "Directly to
			 Slaughter" means the equine animal must move directly to an approved
			 plant or approved commission market authorized to handle equine
			 animals for slaughter purposes.
H. "Equine Animal" means any member
			 of the equine family which includes horses; ponies, mules, asses and
			 zebras.
I. "Equine
			 Animals of Unknown EIA Status" means equine animals not known to be
			 tested for EIA and equine animals waiting for the results of blood
			 samples collected for EIA testing.
J. "Equine Infectious Anemia" (EIA)
			 also known as swamp fever, means a viral disease of equine animals
			 which is infectious and may be spread from animal to animal by blood
			 sucking insects, unsterile surgical instruments and community use of
			 equipment that may produce cuts or abrasions.
K. "Freeze Brand" means a metal
			 brand or other device utilizing cold temperatures to produce a
			 permanent mark with a configuration of 13A that is 3" in height and
			 is applied to the left neck or shoulder area of equines that are
			 positive to the EIA test.
L. "Import" means any act of
			 transporting domestic animals into Vermont from any state or country.
			 The term import does not apply to domestic animals residing in
			 Vermont that temporarily leave the state for not more than 30 days,
			 return to the premises of origin and have complied with the health
			 requirements of the state of destination.
M. "Isolation" means confinement to
			 an enclosure or pasture whose boundaries are not closer than 200
			 yards from other pastures or enclosures which harbor equine animals.
			 Enclosures or pastures, whose boundaries are closer than 200 yards
			 from other pastures or enclosures, may be approved for isolation of
			 an EIA reactor if, in the judgement of the Commissioner, the
			 enclosures are sufficiently screened to preclude entry of biting
			 insects.
N. "Livestock
			 Dealer" means any person who is licensed and bonded in accordance
			 with 6 V.S.A. Chapter 63, Sections 762 and 764 to buy, sell, lease,
			 or transport livestock, or to operate a livestock auction or sales
			 ring.
O. "Official Test"
			 means any test used for detection of equine infectious anemia that is
			 approved by the United States Department of Agriculture including but
			 not limited to a Coggins test, which is a serological test that is
			 also known as an agar-gel immunodiffusion test (AGID test).
P. "Owner" means any person,
			 partnership or corporation who holds legal title to the equine
			 animal.
Q. "Physical
			 Exam" means an inspection by an accredited veterinarian for the
			 purpose of certifying that an animal is free from signs of
			 infectious, contagious or communicable disease other than EIA.
R. "Quarantine" means
			 restriction of movement of animals from a premise to prevent a
			 contagious or infectious disease from spreading.
S. "Reactor" means an equine animal
			 whose blood serum reacts positively to an approved serological test
			 for equine infectious anemia.