Import of Restricted Feeder Cattle from the United States

AHPD-DSAE-IE-2007-6-1
March 13, 2009

Restricted Feeder Cattle Program

The intent of the restricted feeder cattle program is to allow animals to be imported into Canada without test requirements on a year-round basis but with proper identification and certification for placement in feeding operations with subsequent movement to slaughter within the time frame expected for animals of a similar age.

Restricted feeder cattle may be steers, heifers, bulls, cows, or weaned calves imported for the purpose of fattening and slaughter. Cows with calves at foot, cows or heifers heavy in calf, or unweaned calves (including calves on milk replacer) do not meet the criteria for a restricted feeder animal and are not permitted entry to Canada under the provisions of the program.

Importation of all cattle to Canada is controlled under Section 12.(1) of the Health of Animals Regulations which requires an import permit that specifies the manner and conditions for importation as well as any additional requirements.

Import permit issuance requires an application to be submitted and prior approval of a location with supporting evidence that the terms and conditions of the requirements will be complied with. A permit must be issued before animals arrive at a port of entry for import.

Application for an Import Permit

1. The applicant must be a Canadian resident or corporation.
2. An application for a permit (CFIA/ACIA 5083) must be made in writing and submitted to a CFIA district office.
3. The applicant must also submit a diagram of the layout of the premises and documentation of the feedlot management practices to facilitate a review of the ability to carry out any risk management measures required.
4. CFIA staff will perform an initial inspection of the operation and the feedlot operator must accompany CFIA staff on the visit. On subsequent visits the feedlot operator's representative may accompany CFIA staff, but someone from the operation must accompany CFIA on all visits.

5. During the CFIA inspection visit, the feeding operation must demonstrate:

   1. facilities for the handling and tracking of newly imported cattle;
   2. regimes to complete the mandatory post-entry treatment;
   3. maintenance of records for submission;
   4. a records management system that can track movements of animals into, within and from the feedlot to an eligible external destination; and,
   5. the ability to complete any management or structural modifications necessary.

Inspection fees are charged for premises visits and payment of this fee does not guarantee a permit will be issued. (see section on Fees.)

Import Requirements

Certification

The animals in the shipment must be accompanied by a certificate of an official veterinarian of the United States or a certificate of a veterinarian endorsed by an official veterinarian of the United States that states:

1. The animals were born after January 01, 1999 in the United States or Canada and have resided in either country for their entire life.
2. The animals are identified by a permanent identification system recognized by the USDA and are not under restriction for movement, slaughter or destruction control.
3. For at least sixty (60) days immediately prior to export, the cattle were continually resident in an exporting state that is designated by the USDA as a tuberculosis accredited-free state.

4. The health certificate must state that animals were inspected by a veterinarian within thirty (30) days preceding the date of importation and it was determined that:

   1. The animals are free from any communicable disease.
   2. The animals are, to the best of the knowledge and belief of a veterinarian, not exposed to any communicable disease within sixty (60) days preceding the date of the inspection.
   3. The animals are fit to travel and can be transported to Canada without undue suffering by reason of infirmity, illness, injury, fatigue, or any other cause.
   4. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the certifying veterinarian, the heifers/cows in the shipment are not in the second half of pregnancy and young stock included in the shipment have been weaned and are not on milk replacer.

Additional Information

The official health certificate must include:

1. the name and address of the importer;
2. the location of the importing feedlot if other than that of the importer;
3. the name and address of the exporter;
4. the CFIA import permit number; and,
5. individual animal identification which must include the number of the USDA eartag or National Animal Identification System (NAIS) compliant “840" radio frequency (RF) eartag inserted in the animal's ear, or Canadian Cattle Identification Agency / Agri-Traçabilité Québec (CCIA/ATQ) tag if used in place of a US recognized tag, age in months, sex, breed, colour and markings if any, and any other identification present on the animal including brands.

Vehicle Sealing

1. Official USDA or State seals must be applied to all animal exits of the truck(s) or trailer(s) containing the shipment by the accredited veterinarian following loading.
2. The seal numbers and the number of animals in the shipment must be recorded on the certificate and initialled to verify their application.

Documentation for Importation

1. All cattle exported to Canada as a restricted feeder must be accompanied by an original export certificate and one copy of that certificate.
2. If the shipment is contained in several vehicles, the original plus one copy of the certificate must be in the first vehicle to the Canadian port of entry. Each subsequent vehicle must carry two copies of the export certificate, one of which has recorded the numbers of the seals applied to the vehicle and the number of animals in the vehicle.
3. Two copies of the permit issued to import restricted feeder cattle into Canada must accompany every shipment.

Border Inspection and Requirements

1. Upon arrival at a port of entry, the shipment of restricted feeder cattle must be presented to Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) personnel accompanied by the documentation listed above in Documentation for Importation section.
2. CBSA will release the shipment if all documents are presented and in order. A cursory examination of the shipment will be made by CBSA and if issues of non-compliance or welfare are noted CFIA shall be requested to inspect the load at the port of entry.

Inspection at Destination - Approved Feedlot

1. The importer shall notify the relevant inspection service of the date of arrival of the cattle as far in advance as possible but no later than twenty-four (24) hours after arrival.
2. Upon arrival at the feedlot, the seals may be broken and the cattle unloaded in a manner acceptable to an inspector designated under the Health of Animals Act.
3. The animals shall be presented for inspection and processing as specified.

Standards for Operation of Feedlot Approved to Import Restricted Feeder Cattle

Imported cattle must not be commingled with other animals prior to or during processing.

Upon arrival at the importing premises

1. The imported animals must be presented for inspection.
2. All imported animals must receive treatment with an approved product for acaricide (tick) control at the recommended dosage for the particular formulation of the product prior to or within ten (10) days of arrival at the feedlot. (Cattle from the State of Hawaii are exempt from this requirement.)

   Acaricides may be applied pre-arrival but the information must be included on the health certificate. If applied post-arrival, the information on the product used and date of application must be supplied to the CFIA in the monthly reports.

3. Cattle imported as restricted feeders must be identified with a CCIA tag, or in Quebec with an ATQ tag. Tags must be applied promptly and enable the producer to maintain segregation of the imported cattle.
4. The importer, with notice to the appropriate identification agency, may supply CCIA/ATQ tags and have these used as official identification for import; however, should USDA tags be used, the importer must maintain a record cross-referencing the Canadian tag applied to each imported animal with the USDA eartag in case the US tag is lost. USDA tags, if present, must not be removed from imported animals.
5. The CCIA/ATQ eartags used to identify the imported animals must be reported to the CFIA and the respective animal identification agency within thirty (30) days of their application.
6. All other cattle in the feedlot, in addition to the imported animals, must bear a CCIA tag or an ATQ tag.
7. CCIA/ATQ tags must be reported by the feedlot as retired to both the CFIA and the respective animal identification agency within thirty (30) days of slaughter, export or movement of the animals.

Record Keeping

1. The operator of an approved feedlot must maintain a record-keeping system that can document the movements of animals within and from the feedlot. Methods must be in place to track all cattle within the feedlot as well as their movement between feedlots that have been approved to receive restricted feeder cattle and to slaughter or export to the US. The system must also have the capability of recording the identity for a period of not less than one year of Canadian cattle that have left the feedlot for purposes other than feeding in another approved feedlot, slaughter or export.
2. Restricted feeders may move to another feedlot approved to receive restricted animals, directly to slaughter, or direct to a US port of entry for export to the US. Under certain conditions restricted feeders may move outside feedlots for backgrounding purposes or to enter the Canadian national herd. (see Appendix 1.)
3. When the importer is not the owner of the animals in the approved feedlot, they must contractually arrange with the animals' owners to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that no animals are removed from the feedlot except in accordance with the provisions of the import permit.

Animal Health and Records

1. Feedlots will be monitored for signs of clinical disease by CFIA staff on a periodic basis. In addition, daily observations should be made by feedlot personnel and/or herd veterinarians.
2. Within ten (10) days after arrival at the feedlot, female animals must be confirmed to be non-pregnant or treated to terminate pregnancy. Controls must be demonstrated at the time of approval for the disposal of expelled material on the premises and without exposure to other animals nor interference by domestic or wild canines. Any female animal that aborts in the feedlot outside the time frame expected by treatment for pregnancy termination shall be reported immediately to the CFIA.
3. Records must be kept to document treatment for any imported animal and include reports for any post-mortems performed by a licensed veterinarian on animals that die while in the feedlot.
4. If treatment requires segregation of a restricted feeder animal then this animal must be confined to a designated hospital pen.
5. Surgical equipment (used for dehorning, castration, etc.) must be properly sterilized or disposed of after each use, and the procedure should be approved by the prescribing veterinarian. Blood on handling equipment (chutes, metal alleyways, etc.) must be properly cleaned.
6. Should anaplasmosis or any other disease reportable under the Health of Animals Act be diagnosed in an animal or animals in a feedlot approved to import restricted feeders, the CFIA shall be immediately notified. The importer must keep the affected animal(s) separate and may apply treatment for clinical manifestations of disease under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian where approved.
7. When requested, the importer shall enhance vector control activities as deemed necessary by CFIA, and where advised any affected animal(s) must not leave the feedlot except directly to slaughter accompanied by a licence issued by a CFIA inspector.

Sentinel Animals

Each approved feedlot that imports restricted feeder cattle during the summer season, which is recognized as the period from April 1 to September 30, shall maintain Canadian sentinel cattle (referred to as "sentinels") in the feedlot for the purpose of monitoring for the transmission of anaplasmosis from imported feeder cattle. (see Appendix 2.)

Audit

1. The operator of a feedlot containing restricted feeders must submit, by the tenth day following the end of each month, the following documentation relative to restricted feeder cattle to the CFIA district office responsible for monitoring the import permit conditions:

   1. the export health certificate(s) that accompanied all import shipments;
   2. confirmation of inspection of imported feeders at the feedlot and verification of the notification to CCIA or ATQ relative to tag numbers applied to imported animals;
   3. record of pen allocation correlated to identification listed on export health certificate;
   4. records of treatment of all imported cattle;
   5. results of any post-mortems performed by a licensed veterinarian on imported cattle;
   6. movements of restricted feeders between approved feedlots;
   7. movements of Canadian cattle from the feedlot for purposes other than for slaughter or for export;
   8. records of disposition (destination) of the imported animals;
   9. validation of the retirement of CCIA/ATQ tags from animals that have been exported, sent to slaughter or died for any reason.
2. The feedlot operator must submit the above required documentation compiled in a form that is acceptable to the CFIA office for auditing purposes.
3. Audits for compliance with the requirements of the program may take place at any time.

Permit Cancellation

1. An import permit may be cancelled at the request of the applicant.
2. An import permit may be cancelled by notification to the permit holder following identification of a deficiency or non-compliance.
3. Where an import permit has been cancelled, the import permit may be reissued following re-application and demonstration of correction of the deficiency.
4. Import permits will not be reissued to a premises that has been found to contravene the permit conditions.

Fees

Various steps in the import process for restricted feeders have fees applied by the CFIA for services. Such fees are outlined below.

An application for an account (using CFIA/ACIA form 0015) must be submitted with the initial import permit application if an account does not already exist. When credit is approved, an account number is issued and the fees applied at various stages of importation will be invoiced to this account.

Pre-Arrival - Fixed Costs

Post-Arrival - Variable Fees

De-listing of a Restricted Feedlot

A feedlot that has held a permit to import restricted feeders must comply with all the conditions pertaining to an approved feeding operation until such time as all animals on the premises at the time of permit expiry or cancellation have been removed according to the provisions of the import permit and program standards as listed in section on Application for an Import Permit and Import Requirements.

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Appendix 1

Restricted Feeder Cattle Program

Movement of Canadian Cattle from Approved Feedlots Standards

Canadian animals may be removed from the feedlot for any use (e.g., backgrounding, return to the breeding herd) without restriction provided the following provisions are observed:

• During their residency in the feedlot, the animals were kept separate from US imports and not housed in pens contiguous with restricted feeders.
• Canadian animals shall not leave the feedlot within thirty (30) days following the occurrence of anaplasmosis in an imported animal, or at any time following the outbreak of the disease in Canadian animals in the feedlot unless the departing animals are isolated from the affected animals and are negative to a cELISA or other approved serological test for anaplasmosis.
• The feedlot operator shall maintain for a period of one year a list of all sexually intact cattle that have been in a feedlot containing imported feeder animals.
• No animal that has been diagnosed with or suspected of being affected with anaplamosis is eligible to be moved to another approved feedlot. The animal may only be moved directly to slaughter accompanied by a licence issued by CFIA.
• Should bovine brucellosis be diagnosed within the feedlot or in the herd of origin of imported US heifers or bulls or on any premises where the imported animals had resided at any time, no animals within the feedlot shall leave the premises other than for slaughter or export to the US if permitted by USDA. The feedlot may be quarantined according to national disease eradication policies.
• Canadian animals may be transported for veterinary treatment with the knowledge and approval of a CFIA veterinary inspector.

Standards for Movement of Restricted Feeders Between Approved Feedlots

• During any time of the year, the animals may be moved to another feedlot approved to receive restricted feeders.
• During movement between approved feedlots, restricted feeders shall be kept separate at all times from domestic livestock.
• The operator of the approved feedlot shall ensure that restricted feeders leaving his/her lot for purposes other than immediate slaughter or export are transported directly to another approved feedlot, verifying the animals' arrival at the intended destination.
• Within ten (10) days after the movement of restricted feeder animals to another approved feedlot, the operator of the feedlot from which the animals were removed shall advise CFIA of the identification of the animals moved and the confirmed destination feedlot.
• Restricted feeders may be transported for veterinary treatment with the knowledge and approval of a CFIA veterinary inspector.
• No animal that has been diagnosed with or suspected of being clinically affected with anaplasmosis is eligible to be moved to another approved feedlot. It may only be moved directly to slaughter accompanied by a licence issued by CFIA.
• Restricted feeders may move outside a feedlot for backgrounding purposes if all animals, domestic and imported (except for Hawaii), moving to the particular location are tested negative for anaplasmosis by a cELISA method within thirty (30) days of movement. Testing will also be required for tuberculosis and brucellosis (depending upon sex of animals) where restricted feeders will be commingled with Canadian animals not returning directly to the feedlot. The importer is responsible for the arrangement and costs associated with testing.
• The location and movement for backgrounding must be pre-approved by the CFIA. Records must be maintained that document the movement of imported animals to the backgrounding location and return to the feedlot. Imported animals must not move through a sales yard in Canada at the end of the backgrounding period.

Movement of a Restricted Feeder to the National Herd

• With application and under a permit issued by CFIA, animals may be segregated and tested to enter the Canadian national herd.
• Animals entering the national herd will be treated as an assembled herd and must be tested according to the requirements of such a herd as outlined in AHPD-DSAE-IE 2007-4, Requirements for Breeding Cattle Imported from the United States.

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Appendix 2

Restricted Feeder Cattle Program

Standards for Sentinel Animals in Importing Feedlots

Each approved feedlot that imports restricted feeder cattle during the summer season, which is recognized as the period from April 1 to September 30, must maintain Canadian sentinel cattle (referred to as “sentinels”) in the feedlot for the purpose of monitoring for the transmission of anaplasmosis from imported feeder cattle to the sentinels. As with the other import requirements for feeder cattle importation, this provision for importation will be reviewed following the initial year of importation during the summer season.

Standards for Sentinel Animals in Feedlots Approved to Import Restricted Feeder Cattle

1. Every approved feedlot that imports restricted feeder cattle during the April 1 to September 30 period shall maintain sentinels in the feedlot.
2. The feedlot operator/importer shall identify specific animals as sentinels and record their identification with the use of their CCIA/ATQ eartag numbers.
3. The sentinels may be introduced into the feedlot the later of a) the day prior to the initial importation of restricted feeders during the summer season, or b) May 1.
4. Not less than the prescribed number of sentinel animals shall be maintained in the feedlot at all times through October 15. The standard for the numbers of sentinels is:
   • 100 - 500 imported feeders - # of Canadian sentinels equal to 20 % of animals imported
   • 501 - 1000 imported feeders - 120 sentinels
   • 1001 - 5000 imported feeders - 123 sentinels
   • more than 5000 imported feeders - 125 sentinels
5. Recognizing that sentinels may reach market condition prior to the October 15 date, the importer may introduce replacement sentinels. The replacement sentinels shall enter the feedlot not later than fourteen (14) days prior to the date that the original sentinels leave the feedlot. The sentinel animals must be tested for antibody to anaplasmosis prior to their designation as sentinels and prior to their departure from the feedlot or at slaughter. Testing may be undertaken at the feedlot by an accredited veterinarian under the supervision of a CFIA veterinarian, or at the time of slaughter in Canada as the importer may arrange. The specified samples must be submitted to appropriate CFIA laboratories for testing procedures. The importer will be responsible for costs associated with the collection of samples and their submission to the CFIA laboratories. The CFIA will absorb the costs of performing the required diagnostic tests. Cattle must test negative for anaplasmosis serum antibody on their initial test to be eligible as sentinels. For the final testing, both serum and whole blood shall be collected from each animal.
6. Within the feedlot, the sentinels must reside in pens containing imported feeders or be distributed into pens contiguous with those containing imported feeders.
7. Cattle used as sentinel animals must be shipped directly to slaughter in Canada or the US or move back to the national herd following the provisions in Appendix 1, Movement of a Restricted Feeder to the National Herd.