LIVESTOCK WELFARE

Healthy livestock are a vital part of agriculture and our rural communities. In Kentucky, the vast majority of farmers and livestock owners consider the welfare of their animals to be a top priority. For more information click here.

USDA APHIS Recommendations to Minimize Influenza Transmission at Dairy Cattle Livestock Exhibitions

For recommendations to minimize influenza transmission at dairy cattle livestock exhibitions, click here.

OSV Recommendations to Kentucky Livestock Shows and Exhibitions

Sept. 24, 2024

In response to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Dairy Cattle, and under the authority granted to the Kentucky State Veterinarian pursuant to 302 KAR 20:040 sec. 1(4) to impose additional requirements for the entry of livestock to prevent the introduction or spread of disease, the Kentucky Office of State Veterinarian requires that all lactating dairy cattle being exhibited must have a negative HPAI test result, performed by an accredited veterinarian and submitted to a NAHLN lab, within seven days of arrival at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE). These results must be recorded on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI). 


In addition, any dairy cattle arriving from an affected HPAI state will require a permit from the Kentucky Office of State Veterinarian. A current list of the affected states and a link to the permitting process, is available on the Kentucky Office of State Veterinarian website at https://www.kyagr.com /statevet/.

The Office of State Veterinarian hereby adopts as its own recommendations the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) “Recommendations to minimize influenza transmission at dairy cattle livestock exhibitions” which were issued on June 24, 2024.  A copy of these recommendations can be found here.


The Office of State Veterinarian adopts these recommendations in their entirety and adds to them the following additional recommendations: Prior to any exhibition event involving Dairy Cattle, the exhibition organizers should confer with federal and state animal health officials, state and local public health officials, and industry representatives to review current federal and state animal movement requirements and determine adequate planning for the event.  Exhibition organizers should consider enacting additional exhibition specific requirements particular to the event established by the apparent risk criteria recognized as exhibition specific.


Additional information about HPAI is available on the Office of State Veterinarian website.  Resources are also included in the link above. Any additional questions may be directed to Dr. Steve Velasco, Office of State Veterinarian, 109 Corporate Drive, KY 40601, 502-782-0282.  


Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in livestock


NOTICE TO PRODUCERS, VETERINARIANS, Livestock owners, STAKEHOLDERS, AND SAHOS


RE:  RESTRICTION FOR MOVEMENT OF DAIRY CATTLE INTO KENTUCKY FROM AFFECTED STATES – EMERGING DISEASE CONDITION

1) An unknown disease affecting Dairy cattle causing:

    a) decreased milk production,

    b) decreased appetite (anorexia),

    c) thickened / colostrum-like milk, and

    d) additional variable clinical signs.

Movement of cattle from Texas may be implicated in outbreaks identified in Idaho and Michigan.  Herds with these clinical signs have had raw milk samples test positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). 

2) Infections have been identified in California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Additional states may be added as more information is available.


3) Under the authority granted in KRS 257.030, KRS 257.060, and KRS 257.070, all Dairy cattle originating from states with affected herds as described above shall require a Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Office of State Veterinarian-issued permit prior to movement into the Commonwealth of Kentucky, until further notice. Additional states may be implicated with this emerging disease condition and will be included under this restriction as they are identified. Please contact the KDA at:

(502) 573-0282 via phone or statevet@ky.gov

for permit instructions that will accompany your CVI.

4) Dairy cattle moved into the Commonwealth shall be quarantined via physical segregation for 28 days starting from the time of unloading at the premises of the destination. Please contact the KDA for quarantine release instructions.

HPAI, a deadly and contagious disease among wild birds and domesticated poultry, has recently been confirmed in dairy cattle and a goat herd in states outside of Kentucky.

USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) said the strain of the virus appears to have been introduced to the herds by wild birds or HPAI-infected domesticated poultry.

To protect Kentucky herds, KDA’s Office of State Veterinarian (OSV) is requiring cattle traveling into Kentucky from specific areas that have a current diagnosis of HPAI in ruminant animals be permitted. To obtain a permit for interstate movement, please call the OSV office at (502) 573-0282.

For the latest information where the disease has been detected, please click here to refer to the USDA website.

For Dairy Biosecurity Recommendations, please click here to refer to the AABP website.


ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is cooperating with USDA on improving the traceability of US livestock moving interstate when animal disease events take place. Currently, all livestock 18 months or older sold at a Kentucky approved livestock market must be identified to the farm of origin.

Under the proposed rule, unless specifically exempted, livestock moved interstate would have to be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or other documentation, such as owner-shipper statements or brand certificates. The proposed rule encourages the use of low-cost technology and specifies approved forms of official identification for each species, such as metal ear tags for cattle. However, recognizing the importance and prevalence of other identifications in certain regions, shipping and receiving states or tribes are permitted to agree upon alternative forms of identification, such as brands or tattoos.

BOVINE PROGRAM

Tuberculosis (TB) Accreditation Program
Kentucky became a Tuberculosis Free state in November 1987. We continue to manage this voluntary program for those herd owners that wish to maintain a "tuberculosis accredited herd status." This program is managed by our office, but the qualifying methods are mandated by USDA (listed in the UM&R, latest update 1/1/05). The certification program is only available for cattle, bison, or cervid herds.
Bovine Tuberculosis Pamphlet-Information for Producers

Brucellosis Certification Program 
Kentucky became a Brucellosis Free state in 1997. We continue to manage this voluntary program for those herd owners that wish to maintain a "brucellosis certified-free herd." This program is managed by the KDA Office of State Veterinarian, but the qualifying methods are mandated by USDA (listed in the UM&R). The certification program is only available for cattle, bison, or cervid herds. 
Testing Qualifications

Johne's Information & Education 
Johne's (pronounced "Yo-nees") disease is a chronic, contagious, bacterial disease that affects the small intestine of ruminants, such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer, antelope, and bison. All ruminants are susceptible to Johne's disease.

Johne's disease is caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis--a hardy bacterium that embeds itself in the wall of the lower part of the small intestine, known as the ileum. As an immune response, infected tissues attempt to regenerate healthy tissue, which leads to visible thickening of the intestines. This prevents nutrient absorption, resulting in weight loss. Late in the infection, antibody production by the animal can be found in serum of animals and is an indicator that clinical signs of disease and death from the infection will soon follow.

SHEEP AND GOATS

Effective January 1, 2018, ALL sheep and goats MUST be identified with an official Scrapie identification prior to unloading/being sold at a Kentucky Livestock Market or Swap Meet.  This requirement applies to all sheep and goats, regardless of age, breed, or sex.  (Pursuant to 302 KAR 20:065/040)

Updated Information Regarding Scrapie Tag Orders

Effective September 1, 2019, USDA APHIS VS is no longer providing free metal scrapie tags to Kentucky sheep and goat producers.  For the next 12 months, USDA APHIS VS will still provide up to 80 free, white plastic serial tags for producers that have never received free scrapie tags before.  Tag applicators for the plastic tags will have to be purchased by producers.

Sheep and goat producers can still order the metal serial tags (now orange rather than white) from National Band and Tag (NB&T).  Producers will also have to purchase the tag applicators, if they do not already have them, as USDA APHIS no longer has funds to provide these.

National Band & Tag Company 
Phone: (859) 261-2035 
Fax: (859) 261-8247 
E-mail: tags@nationalband.com 
NB&T Website

If you believe that you are eligible for the free plastic scrapie tags, or if you have questions regarding scrapie tag ordering, please contact: 
USDA APHIS VS 
105 Corporate Drive, Ste. H 
Frankfort, KY 40601 
Phone: (502) 848-2054 
Fax: (502) 848-2041

SWINE


Garbage Feeding
Feeding Garbage to swine is illegal.  It is one of the ways to spread Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).  FMD is a severe, highly communicable, viral disease of cattle and swine.  This country has been free of FMD since 1929, when the last of nine U.S. outbreaks was eradicated. Download the Garbage Feeding Brochure

The following swine shall not be imported into KY for any purpose:

ADDITIONAL LINKS