By Gary DiGiuseppe
The Texas herd fell a lot more sharply, by 21 percent or 80,000 head to 300,000. But many of those animals didn't go to slaughter. With pastures devastated by the 100-year drought, the producers of these and many other breeding animals sent the cattle to another state.
For many producers and their veterinarians, interstate shipping was a new experience that led to a lot of paperwork problems.
Dr. Dee Ellis, executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), says part of the problem was that many of the animals were moving in a hurry. "We had more veterinarians writing out certificates and involved in interstate movement than in the past, so there were just a lot of mistakes made."
He says it's rare for another state to reject an animal over errors on the health certificate. "What's more common is the veterinarian in the state of destination, or that state's animal health organization, will send a letter back to Texas detailing the violation and asking us to correct it. The Animal Health Commission is working hard with Texas veterinarians to make sure we always dot our ‘i's and cross our ‘t's, so we comply with all our neighboring states' rules, and we're good neighbors in that regard."
Ellis says recent budget cuts absorbed by TAHC have also slowed the agency's ability to evaluate health certificates. "We just don't have the staff to take a look at them and do all the things we'd like to ensure they were filled out correctly," he says, but adds they're still turning around paper health certificates as fast as they can.
"There are also electronic health certificates online that your veterinarian can fill out, and those, of course, are immediate," Ellis points out. "There are more and more veterinarians going to the electronic certificates, and they can actually forward those, in some cases, to the state of destination at the same time they're completing them."
Trich appears to be moving East
Every state's import requirements are different, although there are some ongoing attempts at harmonization. Rules that attempt to slow the spread of trichomoniasis, for instance, are a recently new development. The venereal disease caused by the parasite Tritrichomonas foetus had long been a concern largely of Western states, but over the last few years it has made significant inroads into Plains and Southeastern states. The disease has no outward symptoms but results in low fertility. What's more, although there are treatments for cows, there is no known way to cure an infected bull. As a result, many states now mandate trich tests for all bull transactions, both interstate and within the state's borders.
Ellis says the trich program in Texas, now in its third year, is recording a prevalence rate of about 2 percent. In addition to testing being a health requirement of the state, he says, "it's also just a good idea to ensure you're buying a bull that's not infected with trich because if you introduce him into your herd, it can result in abortions and fertility problems with the female cattle, and in the bottom line it'll cost you money."
TAHC recommends that producers have a controlled breeding season, and that all breeding bulls be tested for trich as well as examined for other health considerations prior to the breeding season.
"There's nothing that says you can't test that bull again a few months after you purchase it, if you want to be sure you haven't missed anything," Ellis says. He describes the state program as being in its initial stages, and designed as a control and not an eradication program.
"There are leniencies and loopholes, and some concessions in the hope of maintaining economic viability without having a punitive program in place," he says. "We're working closely with the cattle industry in Texas and the stakeholder organizations. Each year we evaluate the program for needed changes. Do we start to tighten down this or that rule, to help ensure that an infected bull is not missed?"
Test virgin bulls anyway
One change, promulgated last year, ended the exception for required testing of virgin bulls coming from out of state. In-state sellers that certify their bulls to be virgins are still exempted from the testing requirement. Also, says Ellis, "if a producer and his or her veterinarian will both sign an affidavit to that effect, some of the older Texas virgin bulls can be sold up to 30 months of age" without testing.
He says that's because some breeds, especially Brahman lines, mature later than the European breeds, and TAHC made that concession to allow purebred sales on untested bulls provided they're properly managed and all of their papers are intact. But buyers should still be wary of bulls certified as virgins, says Ellis. After all, they could have gotten out and back in again without the owner's knowledge.
"We always recommend if you buy virgin bulls, you should probably still have them tested prior to turning them out with your cows for the first time unless you're absolutely sure that they are virgins," he says.
States trying to harmonize trich rules
Another change in the rules, which was pending at the time of this writing and should take effect this fall, allows movement of bulls into Texas within 60 days of a negative trich test rather than the current 30 days, and Ellis says this was adopted with interstate harmonization in mind.
Trich testing, he says, "is a new program, and it's not a federal program. It's a state-driven program that the industries have come and asked the state animal health organizations to help them with. So we do have more flexibility, and there's a considerable discussion among the 50 state vets on how we can make interstate rules simpler and align them."
Under another pending rule change, Texas will accept pooled samples instead of requiring individual tests on bulls from other states. "We've never done that before, and that's an attempt to make our rules more consistent with our neighbor states," Ellis says.
Brucellosis and tuberculosis tests
TAHC no longer requires a brucellosis test on cattle transactions. Texas was declared brucellosis free by the USDA on Feb 1, 2008, and the federal government stopped subsidizing brucellosis testing at Texas livestock markets on Aug 1, 2011, although some markets still conduct testing.
There is still a test required for sexually intact cattle entering Texas from countries that have not achieved comparable "free" status. Those cattle also have to be quarantined for 120 to 180 days. Texas is also classified as bovine tuberculosis free, and similar requirements are placed on sexually intact cattle from countries or states that don't enjoy the same status.
Check with the destination state before moving the bull
Ellis says the most important thing to remember, if you're moving a bull or having him moved to another state, is to check in first with the state of destination. Many of them have slightly different rules, and they can change from time to time.
He says, "It's a general consideration that you're going to need a health certificate — a certificate of veterinary inspection — to move breeding bulls interstate. Besides the health certificate, among other things that they require might be an entry permit, which basically means that you have to call ahead and tell them you're coming and what you're bringing." Those states will issue a permit number to be entered on the health certificate.
Other states have animal identification regulations that require the use certain types of IDs or tags. Some states are "brand states" and require inspection upon arrival to provide evidence of ownership.
Ellis says, "A common question folks always ask is, ‘If I'm going to Kansas from Texas, do I need to worry about Oklahoma's rules?' The answer is no; if you're transiting one state and you have valid papers for a destination in another state, you don't have to worry about any requirements in the states you're driving through, as long as you don't stop and unload the animals. You only need to meet the state of destination's requirements to be in compliance for the whole trip."
At some point, interstate shipment of bulls — and of most livestock — may be subject to federal identification regulations. USDA issued a proposed rule on Aug. 9, 2011 that would require livestock moved interstate to be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or other documentation, such as owner-shipper statements or brand certificates.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said at the time the department's intention was to give states and tribes the flexibility to develop systems for tracing animals that work best for them and for producers, and to make the cost of the system as low as possible. States could agree among themselves on acceptable methods of identification, like brands, eartags and tattoos. USDA took comment on the proposal until Dec. 9, 2011, and its fate is still uncertain.
Have your own health requirements
Beyond regulatory requirements, there are other steps producers should take when buying or selling a bull. Ellis says conducting the breeding soundness exam and the physical exam for conformation are very important.
"You always want to buy from established producers and reputable breeders, if at all possible," he says. "Obviously, the more you pay for an animal, the more important it is that you ensure that the bull is healthy and sound. That can be asking questions about other considerations such as vaccination history — has a bull been dewormed?
"What kind of history do the parents of the bull have — the genetics, the breeding evaluation; the estimated breeding value?"
He recommends the transaction be contingent upon a health inspection by a veterinarian to be selected by the buying party. "You don't ever want to buy a bull and turn him right out into your pasture," Ellis says. "It's always good to isolate new purchases for at least a few weeks to ensure they're not sick, or coming down with something that you weren't aware of. As well, it gives you time to get familiar with the bull, and he gets familiar with his surroundings before he gets turned out on your cattle."
Safe and healthy transportation
Texas does not have any regulations regarding the welfare of animals being transported. There are federal rules, but the Animal Welfare Act exempts animals used for food, feed and fiber.
Once again, Ellis says producers should exercise good sense. Trailers should be of the appropriate size and condition for the time of the year, and animals should receive water before they leave. "It's not a good idea to haul unacquainted animals together for the first time, especially bulls," he says. If you have horned bulls and polled bulls in the same trailer, you want to try and separate them."
"Transporting bulls is just like anything else," adds Dr. Thomas Hairgrove, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension animal health specialist. "You want to make sure that you're using an adequate-sized trailer vehicle, not overloaded — you just wouldn't haul as many bulls as you would calves."
Hairgrove, who is Extension program coordinator for livestock and food animal systems, says stress on the animal can cause a spike in temperature and a change in hormones that could affect fertility. "It's not going to be a permanent effect," he says, "but a transient effect on fertility which might take up to a couple of months to overcome if you get temperature damage… The other thing is, a bull carries a lot of weight. If he gets to be on a long haul, he's going to be standing on his feet. Make sure you've got good flooring."
Hairgrove's colleague, Texas A&M University researcher Dr. Ted Friend, has focused his work on improving animal well-being and easing stress. Some of his studies have been on transportation.
"Ventilation of punch-sided trucks is not that great," he reports. "We've found that you can actually have more changes in air when the truck is parked and standing still and a crosswind is hitting it than when it's going down the road, unless you set up a slip stream down the sides of those vehicles."
He says it's like being in an elevator. There's little circulation and if one of the cattle sneezed, "that virus could certainly be recirculated around the group without a lot of air exchanges occurring, and that's what we tend to see in trucks."
Hairgrove says while the threat isn't as great as it is with commingled post-weaned calves, it's possible for bulls in transit to pass disease organisms back and forth, including the complex associated with BVD.
"Factors like stress — stress of hauling, stress of commingling — all add together to cause those problems," he says. "Vaccination certainly helps, and vaccination at the proper time. In most of these conditions like BVD — IBR or pasteurella — there certainly are products made for them, but many times people want to give them a shot, stick them in a trailer and haul them. It takes a while for immunity to develop. We think 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the disease and depending on the agent, for an animal to actually develop immunity. Some shots are going to require boosters. Vaccines certainly do help. Does it take away your risk totally? No, but it reduces your risk considerably."
E-certificates may replace health papers
Ellis adds, "You're starting to see a transformation in the health certificate process to where there'll be a time in the near future that there won't be anymore paper health certificates. They'll all be electronic. We're trying to accommodate that change and the technology advancements that are being made.
"There's a revolution going on in relation to electronic data, electronic health certificates and the identification that's put into these animals. You know, the radio frequency ID tags now can be scanned; that data can be imported into an electronic document such as a health certificate and then forwarded on electronically, almost instantaneously. And as the technology improves and the cost of tags comes down there'll be a day, I predict, where almost all animals will have electronic identification, rather than the old, metal tag you see still now."
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