Requirements for Farmed Cervids Imported from the United States to Canada

TAHD-DSAT-IE-2008-6-3
January 15, 2013

Amendment: The interval for a responder to the mid-cervical test for Tuberculosis has been amended as follows: "a comparative cervical test (CCT) conducted at least 60 days and less than 100 days after response".

"Cervine" refers to members of the family: Cervidae; subfamily: Cervinae; subfamily: Capreolinae1, subfamily: Hydropotinae and subfamily: Muntiacinae.

1. Included is the Genus: Rangifer, Species R. Tarandus (reindeer) raised in the lower 49 states.

General Requirements

1. All cervids imported into Canada require an import permit issued by a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) office prior to the arrival of the shipment at a port of entry (Sections 12 and 160, Health of Animals Regulations).

2. Cervids imported into Canada must be animals that have been born and raised in captivity as "farmed cervids" and originate from herds that have been in existence for at least three  years and in which there have been no additions of cervids from the wild since 2001.

3. Farmed cervids for import must originate from a herd that is a Certified Brucellosis-Free cervid herd and a Tuberculosis Accredited herd (captive cervid) according to United States Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) and Uniform Methods and Rules definitions.

4. Farmed cervids presented for import must be uniquely identified with permanent identification. Permanent identification may be a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) metal eartag in both ears or a nationally approved radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or a national/state approved uniquely numbered dangle tag. Permanent identification must be able to link animals to herd of origin and all herds of residence.

5. If not already part of permanent identification, farmed cervids presented for import must bear a numeric dangle tag in either ear that can be read at a distance. The dangle tag must correlate all permanent identification in the animal as well as a description of the animal detailing species, breed if applicable, colour, sex, age and any identifying marks, all of which must be recorded on the required health certificate.

6. Farmed cervids may only be imported into Canada from the United States if the animals are transported directly to the Canada-United States border from the place of origin in the United States where they were tested in accordance with the import permit.

7. Farmed cervids must be accompanied by a certificate of an official veterinarian of the United States or a certificate of a veterinarian licensed in the United States and endorsed by an official veterinarian of the United States. The certificate must contain the name and address of the consignor, the location where the animal is exported from and the name and address of the consignee. The certificate must also clearly identify the animal and show that the animal was inspected by a veterinarian within 30 days preceding the date of importation, that the animal was found to be free from any communicable disease and that the animal was, to the best of the knowledge and belief of the veterinarian, not exposed to any communicable disease within 60 days preceding the date of the inspection.

8. An animal that was born after its mother was tested is not required to meet the test requirements in this document if the animal is imported into Canada at the same time as its mother. An animal that was born after its mother was tested, unless it was born en route to Canada, must be identified with permanent identification and recorded on the health certificate of its mother.

9. Farmed cervids imported into Canada will be quarantined to the importing premises and test requirements listed in this document repeated after 60 days. Results on all imported animals in a group must be negative before quarantine can be released.

Test Requirements for the Import of Farmed Cervids

1. Brucellosis (Brucella abortus)

Farmed cervids for import to Canada must originate from a Certified Brucellosis-Free cervid herd according to US CFR and Uniform Methods and Rules definitions.

The herd of origin, and any other herd from which the herd of origin sourced animals, must have been free from any clinical, diagnostic or epidemiological evidence of brucellosis. The herd of origin must not contain animals that have been vaccinated for brucellosis.

The brucellosis test for the import of farmed cervids to Canada is the buffered plate agglutination test (BPAT), except for reindeer (R. Tarandus), where the test must be the fluorescence polarization assay (FPA) test. The brucellosis test must be performed within thirty (30) days preceding the date of importation.

Every animal that tests positive on the BPAT must be removed from the shipment and tested negative with the complement fixation test at a dilution of 1:5 before negative BPAT herd mates are eligible for import. All reindeer in a group under test must be negative; a single FPA-positive animal disqualifies all animals for import to Canada.The date and results of the brucellosis test must be shown on the required health certificate for the animal to be imported.

2. Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis)

Farmed cervids for import to Canada must originate from a herd that is a Tuberculosis Accredited herd (captive cervid) according to US CFR and Uniform Methods and Rules definitions except that any additions to Accredited herds from other herds must be supported by a whole test of all animals over one year of age within the preceding 36 months with negative results.

The herd of origin, and any other herd from which the herd of origin sourced animals, must have been free from any clinical, diagnostic or epidemiological evidence of tuberculosis.

The tuberculin test for the import of farmed cervids is the single mid-cervical test (MCT) injection using bovine PPD tuberculin with a reading of results at 72 hours as "No Reaction" and must be conducted within 60 days of import.

Every animal that is classified as a responder to the MCT must be removed from the shipment and classified as negative to a comparative cervical test (CCT) conducted at least 60 days and less than 100 days after response before negative MCT herd mates are eligible for import. The initial tuberculin test may be used to import negative animals without retest.

The date and results of the tuberculin test must be shown on the required health certificate for the animal(s) to be imported.

3. Anaplasmosis

Farmed cervids for import to Canada require a negative test for anaplasmosis performed within 30 days of import. The test for anaplasmosis must be by c-ELISA methodology and conducted in a USDA federal laboratory or a USDA approved laboratory.

The date and results of the anaplasmosis test must be shown on the required health certificate for the animal(s) to be imported.

4. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

CWD must be a nationally reportable disease in farmed cervids; OR,

That the USDA certifies CWD has been a reportable disease in the state of origin for a minimum of 60 months, the state has a CWD program in place equivalent to the Canadian reportable disease program, and the animal and the herd of origin are not under restriction for movement, slaughter or destruction control for CWD.

5. Bluetongue

Farmed cervids imported from the state of Florida require a negative test for bluetongue using the c-ELISA test methodology within 30 days prior to import. In the case of a positive result, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test must be performed with negative results for virus within 30 days of import. It is suggested that animals being sampled have both a serum sample and blood sample drawn at the same time and be sent to the lab with the request that, if the c-ELISA test is positive, then a PCR test is to be conducted.

The date and results of the bluetongue test must be shown on the required health certificate for the animals to be imported.

Farmed cervids imported from states other than Florida do not require a test for bluetongue. Farmed cervids from any state to be imported to Canada must not have been vaccinated for bluetongue and/or EHD during their lifetime.

Certification Statements Required to Appear on the Health (Zoosanitary) Certificate for the Import of Farmed Cervids from the United States

Currently the Zoosanitary certificate referred to above is:

VS Form 17-140, United States Origin Health Certificate

In addition to animal identification and individual test results, the health certificate must document the following information.

1. The health certificate must identify the:

  1. name and address of the consignor
  2. location from where the animals are exported
  3. name and address of the consignee

2. The health certificate must state that animals were inspected by a veterinarian within 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 60 days preceding the date of the inspection.

3. Brucellosis

  1. The animals originate from a Certified Brucellosis-Free cervid herd according to US CFR and Uniform Methods and Rules definitions.

    Date of Herd Test:
  2. The herd of origin does not contain any animals that were vaccinated for brucellosis.

4. Tuberculosis

  1. The animals originate from a Tuberculosis Accredited herd (captive cervid) according to US CFR and Uniform Methods and Rules definitions.

    Date of Herd Test:
  2. Additions to the herd of origin were only natural increases or came from herds where there was a whole herd test of all animals over one year of age within the preceding 36 months with negative results.

5. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

CWD is a nationally reportable disease in farmed cervids; OR,

That in the absence of a nationally reportable disease designation, the USDA certifies CWD has been a reportable disease in the state of origin for a minimum of 60 months, the state has a CWD program in place equivalent to the Canadian reportable disease program, and the animals for import and the herd of origin are not under restriction for movement, slaughter or destruction control for CWD.

6. The herd of origin of the animals identified has been established for at least three years and is free from any clinical, diagnostic or epidemiological evidence of brucellosis and tuberculosis:

  1. All animal(s) for export are natural increases to the herd of origin.
  2. All animal(s) that are not natural increases to the herd of origin have been traced through all herds of residence, and all those herds of residence have been established to be free from brucellosis and tuberculosis.

(Indicate option certified)

7. The animals have not been vaccinated for bluetongue and/or EHD during their lifetime.

8. The animals are identified by a permanent identification system that allows them to be traced through all herds of residence. The animals are also identified by a numbered dangle tag that can be read at a distance and this number is recorded beside permanent identification and description.

9. The animals on this certificate are included on CFIA Import number:

Qualification to Certification Statements

The actual permit issued for the import of a given group of farmed cervids may impose additional requirements or may provide for variable certification to that listed above and should be consulted in the final preparation of an export document.