# Title 48.1 — State Board of Animal Health

## Article 48.1-05 — Cattle

## Chapter 48.1-05-01 — Cattle

Exemptions
### § 48.1-05-01-01. Importation requirements - Certificate of veterinary inspection - Identification

- Exemptions.
1. Cattle imported into the state must be accompanied by an official certificate of veterinary
inspection except:
a. Cattle originating directly from a producer's premises, not diverted en route, and
consigned to an auction market approved by the board;
b. Cattle consigned to a state or federally inspected slaughtering establishment;
c. Cattle granted an exception by the board, if in the determination of the state veterinarian
the animals are free of contagious or infectious diseases;
d. Cattle 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 cattle as otherwise provided for by these rules.
2. Certificates of veterinary inspection for cattle must include an importation permit number
issued by the state veterinarian before entering the state. Cattle imported on an approved
electronic certificate of veterinary inspection platform, not originating in an area classified as
infected with contagious disease 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 cattle:
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. Has not met any pre-entry quarantine conditions imposed by law;
c. Has 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. Cattle entering the state must be officially identified by a method approved by the state
veterinarian.
5. Cattle 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.
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. Cattle infected, or recently exposed to any contagious or infectious disease, may not be
imported.
8. Calves, under four months of age, not accompanying dams, may not be resold within sixty
days of importation. Purchasers shall take possession of imported calves at the premises of
the seller.
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
### § 48.1-05-01-02. Importation disease testing and vaccination requirements.

1. Brucellosis.
a. Test-eligible cattle, as determined by the board, must have a negative brucellosis test
within thirty days prior to entry into North Dakota and must comply with uniform methods
and rules in control of brucellosis as published by USDA-APHIS-VS.
b. A valid test for brucellosis must be a blood test conducted by a state or federal laboratory
or by a veterinarian approved in the state of origin.
2. Scabies.
a. Cattle originating from states where, in the determination of the board, scabies treatment
is necessary must be treated with a method approved by the board:
(1) Two dippings, ten to fourteen days apart.
(2) In lieu of dipping, cattle may be treated with an approved avermectin administered
by a licensed accredited veterinarian.
b. Scabies affected or exposed cattle must be quarantined and treated with an approved
avermectin.
3. Trichomonas foetus.
a. Bulls over twenty-four months of age and all nonvirgin bulls over twelve months of age
must have three consecutive, weekly, negative Trichomoniasis foetus culture tests or one
negative PCR test prior to importation.
(1) Regulatory testing must be performed in a laboratory approved by the state
veterinarian.

(2) No breeding is to occur between the time of the tests and the time a bull is sold,
loaned, or leased.
b. A certificate of veterinary inspection for bulls covered under this rule must bear one of the
following statements:
"Trichomonas foetus has not been diagnosed in the herd of origin."
or
"The bull(s) represented on this Certificate of Veterinary Inspection have three
consecutive negative Trichomonas foetus culture tests that were at least a week
apart or one negative PCR test within sixty days prior to entry and there has been
no female contact since the first qualifying test."
c. No nonvirgin and nonpregnant female cattle may be imported for breeding or grazing
purposes into the state.
d. The following may be exempt from Trichomonas foetus testing or importation restriction:
(1) Virgin bulls aged twenty-four months of age or less. A signed statement from the
owner or manager stating that bulls have had no potential breeding contact with
females must be listed on certificate of veterinary inspection.
(2) Bulls imported into the state for immediate slaughter only or those consigned
directly to a licensed slaughter establishment or to a licensed livestock market and
then directly to a licensed slaughter establishment.
(3) Bulls imported into the state and held in confinement, including exhibition and/or
rodeo purposes, based upon a risk assessment by the state veterinarian.
(4) Bulls imported as part of a state veterinarian-approved seasonal grazing operation
without change of ownership, based upon a risk assessment by the state
veterinarian.
(5) Nonvirgin and nonpregnant female cattle to be used in confined dairy operations,
based upon a risk assessment by the state veterinarian.
(6) Nonvirgin and nonpregnant female cattle, each accompanied by its own offspring
and prior to rebreeding.
(7) Cattle used in embryo transplant or semen collection operations, based upon a risk
assessment by the state veterinarian.
4. Tuberculosis.
a. Dairy breed cattle sixty days of age or older, other than steers and spayed heifers, must
be negative to an official test for tuberculosis within thirty days prior to entering the state.
b. United States-born cattle used for rodeo or timed events must have a negative bovine
tuberculosis test within the last twelve months prior to importation into the state.
c. Cattle of Mexican origin, M-branded or MX-branded, entering the state, must be
accompanied with proof of two negative bovine tuberculosis tests by USDA-accredited
veterinarians with the last test within sixty days prior to importation into the state.
(1) Cattle of Mexican origin need a negative whole herds tuberculosis test on the birth
herd of origin.

(2) Cattle of Mexican origin require 484 electronic identification tags, or another United
States department of agriculture-approved electronic method that clearly indicates
they are Mexican origin, for identification.
d. Cattle entering the state that originate from any modified accredited state, or any other
area where in the determination of the board tuberculosis may exist, 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. The following may be exempt from the tuberculosis test requirement, but
must still be officially identified:
(1) Steers;
(2) Spayed females;
(3) Cattle originating from a tuberculosis accredited-free herd;
(4) Cattle originating from a closed herd which have been whole-herd tested negative
for tuberculosis within twelve months prior to importation; and
(5) Nursing calves accompanying negative-tested dams.
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, 36-14-01, 36-14-04.1
### § 48.1-05-01-03. Disease control.

1. Anthrax.
a. Cattle susceptible to anthrax located on farms where anthrax has been diagnosed must
be vaccinated. Animals shall 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 cattle 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 cattle.
(1) The state veterinarian shall determine when an animal is infected with
brucellosis, and if infected, shall condemn the animal.
(2) Cattle that 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 bovine animals may be vaccinated from four through twelve months
(one hundred twenty through three hundred sixty-five 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 cattle out of brucellosis-infected herds. Herds of cattle infected with
brucellosis must be quarantined, with the quarantine prohibiting sale of all intact bulls
and females, except to licensed, monitored feedlots or for immediate slaughter, under
written permit. Such cattle must be held separate and apart. The state veterinarian
may grant an exception to the quarantine by official permit based upon an
epidemiological risk assessment.
e. Collection of milk or cream samples. Collection of milk and cream samples for
conducting the brucellosis ring test is required. A producer of cream or milk shall
furnish samples of the cream or milk to an agent of the board and, upon request,
shall allow board agents to enter the premises and collect samples.
3. Tuberculosis.
a. Uniform methods and rules - Tuberculosis. The current uniform methods and rules on
bovine 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 cattle.
(1) The state veterinarian shall determine when an animal is infected with
tuberculosis, and if infected, shall condemn the animal.
(2) Cattle that are determined to be infected with tuberculosis must be marked in
accordance with a method prescribed by the state veterinarian.
(3) 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
### § 48.1-05-01-04. 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 36-01-08
