# Title 48.1 — State Board of Animal Health

## Article 48.1-04 — Bison

## Chapter 48.1-04-01 — Bison

Exemptions
### § 48.1-04-01-01. Importation requirements - Certificate of veterinary inspection - Identification

- Exemptions.
1. Bison imported into the state must be accompanied by an official certificate of veterinary
inspection except:
a. Bison originating directly from a producer's premises, not diverted en route, and
consigned to an auction market approved by the board;
b. Bison consigned to a state or federally inspected slaughtering establishment;
c. Bison granted an exception by the board, if in the determination of the state veterinarian
the animals are free of contagious or infectious diseases;
d. Bison leaving the state for exhibition or competition with a valid certificate of veterinary
inspection may return to the state with the same certificate of veterinary inspection if the
animal has not been out of the state for more than thirty days; and
e. Other bison as otherwise provided for by these rules.
2. Certificate of veterinary inspection for bison must include an importation permit number issued
by the state veterinarian before entering the state. Bison imported on a nationally approved
electronic certificate of veterinary inspection platform, not originating in an area classified as
infected by contagious disease, as determined by the board or state veterinarian, may be
exempt from the requirement for an importation permit number.
3. The state veterinarian may deny a request for an importation permit number if the state
veterinarian has information that bison:
a. Have not met the disease testing, vaccination, or identification requirements set forth in
North Dakota Century Code title 36 or this title, or as otherwise required by the state
veterinarian;
b. Have not met any pre-entry quarantine conditions imposed by law;
c. Have been exposed to, may have been exposed to, is infected with, or may be infected
with any contagious or infectious disease;
d. Is or may originate from an area or premises under quarantine or other form of official or
regulatory action relating to contagious or infectious disease; or

e. May be a threat to the health and well-being of the human or animal population of the
state, or both.
4. Bison entering the state must be officially identified by a method approved by the state
veterinarian.
5. Bison from foreign countries must be permanently, officially identified with a method
prescribed by the state veterinarian and an electronic identification compatible with the federal
animal identification plan.
a. Bison from Canada can be imported into the state with either a CAN tattoo in an ear or a
CAN brand on the right hip, as the form of permanent identification. Bison that meet
United States department of agriculture electronic identification requirements may be
exempt from tattoo or brand requirements.
b. Bison from other countries will be permanently identified as prescribed by the state
veterinarian.
6. The state veterinarian may require additional disease testing, treatment, vaccination, or
identification if the state veterinarian has reason to believe that other health risks are present.
7. Any bison that is infected, or recently exposed to any contagious or infectious disease, may
not be imported.
History: Effective July 1, 2016; amended effective July 1, 2024.
General Authority: NDCC 36-01-08
Law Implemented: NDCC 36-01-08, 36-01-12, 36-14-04.1
### § 48.1-04-01-02. Importation disease testing and vaccination requirements.

1. Brucellosis. Bison over eighteen months of age must have a negative brucellosis test within
thirty days prior to entry into the state. The following may be exempt from the brucellosis test
requirement:
a. Steers;
b. Spayed females; and
c. Bison originating from brucellosis-free states or areas, as approved by the board.
2. Scabies. Bison originating from states where, in the determination of the board, scabies
treatment is necessary must be treated with a method approved by the board:
a. Two dippings, ten to fourteen days apart.
b. In lieu of dipping, bison may be treated with an approved avermectin administered by a
licensed accredited veterinarian.
3. Tuberculosis.
a. Bison entering the state must be accompanied by documentation that each animal was
tested for tuberculosis within thirty days prior to entry into the state, and that the results
of the test were negative for tuberculosis.
(1) Bison, sixty days of age or older, that originate from any area, where in the
determination of the board, tuberculosis may exist, must:

(a) Be negative to an official test for tuberculosis within thirty days prior to entering
the state; or
(b) Originate from a tuberculosis accredited-free herd (date of last test and
accredited herd number listed on certificate of veterinary inspection).
b. The following may be exempt from the tuberculosis test requirement:
(1) Nursing calves accompanying negative-tested dams.
(2) Bison originating from tuberculosis-free states or areas, as approved by the board.
(3) Steers and spayed females that are:
(a) Officially identified prior to entry;
(b) Listed by official identification individually on a certificate of veterinary
inspection; and
(c) Have undergone an epidemiological risk assessment and determined to be low
risk by the state veterinarian.
History: Effective July 1, 2016; amended effective July 1, 2024.
General Authority: NDCC 36-01-08, 36-01-12
Law Implemented: NDCC 36-01-08, 36-01-12, 36-14-04.1
### § 48.1-04-01-03. Disease control.

1. Anthrax.
a. Bison located on farms where anthrax has been diagnosed must be vaccinated. Bison
must be quarantined for thirty days after the death of the last animal or thirty days
following vaccination, whichever occurs last.
b. Sale of hides removed from bison infected with anthrax is prohibited.
2. Brucellosis.
a. The recommended brucellosis eradication uniform methods and rules as they appear in
publication of USDA-APHIS-VS are hereby adopted and constitute a rule of the board,
unless otherwise ordered by the board.
b. Condemnation of infected bison.
(1) The state veterinarian shall determine when an animal is infected with brucellosis,
and if infected, shall condemn the animal.
(2) Bison which are condemned due to brucellosis must be marked in accordance with
a method prescribed by the state veterinarian.
(3) Animals must be slaughtered within thirty days following condemnation.
c. Brucellosis vaccination of calves.
(1) Female bison animals may be vaccinated from four through eighteen months (one
hundred twenty through five hundred forty-seven days) of age with a vaccine
approved by the state veterinarian.

(2) Vaccinated animals must be marked in accordance with a method approved by the
state veterinarian.
(3) The accredited veterinarian shall submit reports of vaccination, on the appropriate
form provided by USDA-APHIS-VS, to the board within thirty days.
d. Sale of bison out of brucellosis-infected herds. Herds of bison infected with brucellosis
must be quarantined, with the quarantine prohibiting sale of all intact bulls and females
except to licensed, monitored feedlots or for slaughter under written permit. Such bison
must be held separate and apart. The state veterinarian may grant an exception by
official permit as provided in this section.
3. Tuberculosis.
a. Uniform methods and rules - Tuberculosis. The current uniform methods and rules on
bison tuberculosis eradication as they appear in publication of USDA-APHIS-VS are
hereby adopted and constitute a rule of the board, unless otherwise ordered by the
board.
b. Condemnation of infected bison.
(1) The state veterinarian shall determine when an animal is infected with tuberculosis,
and if infected, shall condemn the animal.
(2) All bison that are determined to be infected with tuberculosis must be marked in
accordance with a method prescribed by the state veterinarian.
(3) All animals must be slaughtered within thirty days following condemnation.
c. Reactors to tuberculosis must be accompanied by the proper official permit and are to be
slaughtered in slaughter establishments under the supervision of the federal government
or in another facility approved by the state veterinarian.
History: Effective July 1, 2016; amended effective July 1, 2024.
General Authority: NDCC 36-01-08
Law Implemented: NDCC 36-01-08
### § 48.1-04-01-04. Removal or damaging of official identification.

Official identification may not be removed or tampered with without approval by the state
veterinarian.
History: Effective July 1, 2016; amended effective July 1, 2024.
General Authority: NDCC 36-01-08
Law Implemented: NDCC 33-01-08
