Bovine tuberculosis

Article 11.5.1.

General provisions

The recommendations in this chapter are intended to manage the human and animal health risks associated with Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis)infection in domestic (permanently captive and owned free-range) bovines including cattle (Bos taurus, B. indicus and B. grunniens), water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) and wood bisons (Bison bison and B. bonasus).

Standards for diagnostic tests are described in the Terrestrial Manual.

Article 11.5.2.

Country or zone free from bovine tuberculosis

To qualify as free from bovine tuberculosis, a country or zone should satisfy the following requirements:

1. M. bovisinfection in domestic (permanently captive and owned free-range) bovines including cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons is a notifiable disease in the country;
   

2. an ongoing awareness programme should be in place to encourage reporting of all cases suggestive of bovine tuberculosis;
   

3. regular and periodic testing of all cattle, water buffalo and wood bison herds demonstrated that M. bovisinfection was not present in at least 99.8% of the herds and 99.9% of the cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons in the country or zone for three consecutive years;
   

4. a surveillance programme should be in place to detect bovine tuberculosis in the country or zone through ante- and post-mortem inspection as described in Chapter 6.2.;
   

5. if the surveillance programme described in points 3 and 4 above demonstrated that M. bovisinfection was not present in at least 99.8% of the herds and 99.9% of the cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons in the country or zone for five consecutive years, surveillance may be maintained through ante- and post-mortem inspection as described in Chapter 6.2.;
   

6. cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons introduced into a country or zone free from bovine tuberculosis should be accompanied by a certificate from an official veterinarian attesting that they come from a country, zone, compartment or herd free from bovine tuberculosis or comply with the relevant provisions in Article 11.5.5. or in Article 11.5.6.

Article 11.5.3.

Compartment free from bovine tuberculosis

To qualify as a compartment free from bovine tuberculosis, all cattle, water buffaloes or wood bisons in a compartment should be certified by the Veterinary Authority as satisfying the following requirements:

1. the cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons:

   1. showed no sign of bovine tuberculosis or lesions at ante- or post-mortem inspections for at least three consecutive years;

   2. were over six weeks of age at the time of the first test and have shown a negative result to at least two tuberculin tests carried out at an interval of a minimum of six months, the first test being performed at least six months following the slaughter of the last affected animal;

   3. met one of the following conditions:

      1. showed a negative result to a tuberculin test carried out twice yearly to ensure the continuing absence of bovine tuberculosis if the annual percentage of herds confirmed as infected with tuberculosis is more than 1% of all herds in the country or zone during the last two years; or

      2. showed a negative result to an annual tuberculin test to ensure the continuing absence of bovine tuberculosis if the annual percentage of herds confirmed as infected with tuberculosis is more than 0.2% but not more than 1% of all herds in the country or zone during the last two years; or

      3. showed a negative result to a tuberculin test every three years to ensure the continuing absence of bovine tuberculosis if the annual percentage of herds confirmed as infected with tuberculosis is not more than 0.2% of all herds in the country or zone during the last four years; or

      4. showed a negative result to a tuberculin test every four years to ensure the continuing absence of bovine tuberculosis if the annual percentage of herds confirmed as infected with tuberculosis is not more than 0.1% of all herds in the country or zone during the last six years;

2. cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons introduced into the compartment come from a herd free from bovine tuberculosis. This condition may be waived for animals which have been isolated for at least 90 days and which, prior to entry into the compartment, were subjected to at least two tuberculin tests carried out at a six-month interval with negative results with the second tuberculin test performed during the 30 days prior to entry into the compartment;

3. cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons in a compartment free from bovine tuberculosis are protected from contact with wildlife reservoirs of bovine tuberculosis and are managed under a common biosecurity plan protecting them from contamination with M.  bovis, and the compartment has been approved by the Veterinary Authority in accordance with Chapters 4.3. and 4.4.

Article 11.5.4.

Herd free from bovine tuberculosis

To qualify as free from bovine tuberculosis, a herd of cattle, water buffaloes or wood bisons should satisfy the following requirements:

1. the herd is in a country, zone or compartment free from bovine tuberculosis and is certified free by the Veterinary Authority; or

2. cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons in the herd:

   1. showed no sign of bovine tuberculosis or lesions at ante- or post-mortem inspections for at least one year;

   2. were over six weeks of age at the time of the first test and have shown a negative result to at least two tuberculin tests carried out at a minimal interval of six months; in case of regaining of free status after an outbreak, the first test should be performed at least six months following the slaughter of the last affected animal;

   3. to maintain the free status, met one of the following conditions:

      1. showed a negative result to an annual tuberculin test to ensure the continuing absence of bovine tuberculosis; or

      2. showed a negative result to a tuberculin test every two years to ensure the continuing absence of bovine tuberculosis if the annual percentage of herds confirmed as infected with tuberculosis is not more than 1% of all herds in the country or zone during the last two years; or

      3. showed a negative result to a tuberculin test every three years to ensure the continuing absence of bovine tuberculosis if the annual percentage of herds confirmed as infected with tuberculosis is not more than 0.2% of all herds in the country or zone during the last four years; or

      4. showed a negative result to a tuberculin test every four years to ensure the continuing absence of bovine tuberculosis if the annual percentage of herds confirmed as infected with tuberculosis is not more than 0.1% of all herds in the country or zone during the last six years;

3. cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons introduced into the herd come from a herd free from bovine tuberculosis. This condition may be waived for animals which have been isolated for at least 90 days and which, prior to entry into the herd, were subjected to at least two tuberculin tests carried out at a six-month interval with negative results with the second tuberculin test performed during the 30 days prior to entry into the herd.

Article 11.5.5.

Recommendations for the importation of cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons for breeding or rearing

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animals:

1. showed no sign of bovine tuberculosis on the day of shipment;

2. originate from a herd free from bovine tuberculosis that is in a country, zone or compartment free from bovine tuberculosis; or

3. were subjected to the tuberculin test for bovine tuberculosis with negative results during the 30 days prior to shipment and come from a herd free from bovine tuberculosis; or

4. have been isolated for at least 90 days prior to entry into the herd including protection from contact with wildlife reservoirs of bovine tuberculosis and were subjected to at least two tuberculin tests carried out at a six-month interval with negative results with the second tuberculin test performed during the 30 days prior to entry into the herd.

Article 11.5.6.

Recommendations for the importation of cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons for slaughter

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animals:

1. showed no sign of bovine tuberculosis on the day of shipment;

2. originated from a herd free from bovine tuberculosis or were subjected to a tuberculin test for bovine tuberculosis with negative results during the 30 days prior to shipment;

3. were not being eliminated as part of an eradication programme against bovine tuberculosis.

Article 11.5.7.

Recommendations for the importation of semen of cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that:

1. the donor animals showed no sign of bovine tuberculosis on the day of collection of the semen and either:

   1. were kept in an artificial insemination centre free from bovine tuberculosis in a country, zone or compartment free from bovine tuberculosis and which only accepts animals from free herds in a free country, zone or compartment; or

   2. showed negative results to tuberculin tests carried out annually and were kept in a herd free from bovine tuberculosis;

2. the semen was collected, processed and stored in accordance with Chapters 4.5. and  4.6.

Article 11.5.8.

Recommendations for the importation of embryos/ova of cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that:

1. the donor females and all other susceptible animals in the herd of origin showed no sign of bovine tuberculosis during the 24 hours prior to embryo collection; and either

   1. originated from a herd free from bovine tuberculosis in a country, zone or compartment free from bovine tuberculosis; or

   2. were kept in a herd free from bovine tuberculosis, and were subjected to a tuberculin test for bovine tuberculosis with negative results during an isolation period of 30 days in the establishment of origin prior to collection;

2. the embryos/ova were collected, processed and stored in accordance with Chapters 4.7., 4.8. and 4.9., as relevant.

Article 11.5.9.

Recommendations for the importation of fresh meat and meat products of cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the entire consignment of meat comes from animals which have been subjected to ante- and post-mortem inspections as described in Chapter 6.2.

Article 11.5.10.

Recommendations for the importation of milk and milk products of cattle, water buffaloes and wood bisons

Veterinary Authorities of importing countries should require the presentation of an international veterinary certificate attesting that the consignment:

1. has been derived from animals in a herd free from bovine tuberculosis; or

2. was subjected to pasteurisation; or

3. was subjected to a combination of control measures with equivalent performance as described in the Codex Alimentarius Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products.