Requirements for Wild Ruminants Imported from the United States to Canada

TAHD-DSAT-IE-2009-5-2
August 28, 2010

Amendment: In 2.2. Tuberculosis, caudal fold test applies to family Bovidae, subfamily Bovinae only.

The terms of this document provide the import requirements for certain animals commonly described as wild ruminants that are not expressly defined in the Health of Animals Act and Regulations as bovine, bison, or cattle.

Family Bovidae includes:

Subfamily Bovinae - Tragelaphus sp. (bongo, bushbuck, kudus), Taurotragus sp. (eland), Boselaphus sp., Bubalus sp. (Asian water buffalo), Syncerus sp. (African buffalo), Bos sp. (oxen, guar, yak)
Subfamily Cephalophinae - Cephalophus sp., Sylvicapra sp.
Subfamily Hippotraginae - Kobus sp. (waterbuck kob), Redunca sp. (reedbuck), Pelea sp., Hippotragus sp., Oryx sp., Addax sp., Damaliscus sp. (sassabies), Alcelaphus sp., Connochaetes sp. (wildebeests, gnus)
Subfamily Antilopinae - Oreotragus sp., Ourebia sp., Raphicerus sp. (steenbok), Neotragus sp., Madoqua sp., Dorcatragus sp., Antilope sp., Aepyceros sp., Ammodorcas sp., Litocranius sp., Gazella sp., Antidorcas sp., Procapra sp.
Subfamily Caprinae - Ovibos sp. (muskox)

1. General Requirements

1.1 All wild ruminants require an Import Permit issued by a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) office prior to the arrival of the animal at a port of entry. (Section 12.(1)(a) Health of Animals Regulations)

1.2 Wild ruminants imported into Canada must be born after January 1, 1999. The animals must be identified with a permanent identification recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and must not be under restriction for movement, slaughter, or destruction control.

1.3 A wild ruminant may only be imported into Canada from the United States if the animal is transported directly to the Canada-United States border from the place of origin in the United States where it was tested in accordance with the Import Permit conditions.

1.4 An animal that was born after its mother was tested is not required to meet the test requirements of 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.

1.5 Wild ruminants 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 thirty (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 sixty (60) days preceding the date of the inspection.

2. Pre-Export Requirements

The wild ruminants being presented for import must be negative to two (2) tests for the following diseases: brucellosis, tuberculosis, and anaplasmosis, the latter of which must be performed not less than sixty (60) days after the first test and within thirty (30) days preceding the date of import.

Test/Treatment Requirements

2.1 Brucellosis
Fluorescence polarization assay (FPA) test conducted in a USDA federal laboratory or a USDA-approved laboratory

2.2 Tuberculosis
Intradermal tuberculin test using PPD bovis, caudal, or cervical injection or caudal fold (Family Bovidae, subfamily Bovinae only), with reading at seventy-two (72) hours as no reaction

2.3 Anaplasmosis
The test must be by c-ELISA methodology and conducted in a USDA federal laboratory or a USDA-approved laboratory. The wild ruminants for import to Canada must also be free of ticks and must have been treated with an appropriate acaricide within thirty (30) days of import.

2.4 Bluetongue (State of Florida only)
Animals imported from the state of Florida require a negative test for bluetongue using the c-ELISA test within thirty (30) days prior to import. In the case of a positive result, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test must be performed with negative results.

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 conducted.

3. Premises Certification

3.1 The premises of origin must have been in existence as a bona fide operation for the three (3) years preceding the export of animals and during that period must have had no clinical, serological or other evidence of brucellosis, tuberculosis or a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE).

4. Animal Certification

4.1 The animals to be exported must have been resident on the premises of origin for the three (3) years preceding export.
Or, the animals to be exported must have been born on the premises of origin.
Or, it must be documented that all animals in the herd of export, including animals for export, originated from a herd that meets the premises certification described in 3.1 above.

4.2 The animals to be exported and all other animals resident on the premises of origin must have been inspected by a veterinarian within thirty (30) days preceding the date of importation and found to be free from communicable disease. The animals to be exported were, 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.

5. Animal Identification

5.1 Wild ruminants presented for import must be uniquely identified with permanent identification. Permanent identification may be a 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. The animals must also bear a "USA" tattoo in the right ear unless identified by a RFID tag that contains a country code (840 for United States).

5.2 If not already part of permanent identification, ruminants 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, i.e. colour, sex, age and any identifying marks, all of which must be recorded on the required health certificate.

6. Certification Statements Required to Appear on the Health (Zoosanitary) Certificate for the Import of Wild Ruminants from the United States

6.1 The animals were born after January 1, 1999.

6.2 The animals are identified by a permanent identification system recognized by the USDA and are not under restriction for movement, slaughter or destruction control. The tag number and tattoo information, where required, are included in the description of the animal.

6.3 The premises of origin has been in existence as a bona fide operation for the preceding three (3) years and during that period there has been no clinical, serological or other evidence of brucellosis, tuberculosis or a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). The animals have been resident on the premises of origin for the preceding three (3) years, or were born on the premises.

6.4 The animals have been treated with an acaricide and are free of ticks. (The name of product and date of treatment must appear on the health certificate.)

6.5 The animals for export have resided in the United States or Canada for at least sixty (60) days immediately prior to export.

6.6 To the best of my knowledge and belief, the animals listed on this certificate were not exposed to any communicable disease within sixty (60) days preceding the date of inspection.

6.7 The animals on this certificate are included on CFIA Import No. :

7. Post-Import Requirements

7.1 Quarantine

The animals must be held in a minimum-level quarantine facility until negative results on post- entry testings have been received.

7.2 Post-Import Test Requirements

The animals must be re-tested during the quarantine period for the diseases conducted pre-export at least sixty (60) days post-import. The tuberculin test may not be conducted until at least ninety (90) days has elapsed from the last export test date.