dr. dee ellis - bovine trichomoniasis “trich” - the texas story

Bovine Trichomoniasis

“Trich”

The Texas Story

Dee Ellis, DVM MPA

Texas Animal Health Commission

Executive Director/State Vet

www.tahc.state.tx.us

Texas Trichomoniasis Program


• Started Jan 1 2010

• Industry Driven

• Took best practices from other states

• Control concept(not eradication)

• Cow herd not affected

• Vets must be trained

• Official labs will run regulatory tests

Trich Program requested by:

• Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Assoc.

• Independent Cattlemen’s Association

• Texas Farm Bureau

• Texas Veterinary Medical Association

Working Group Created

Meets Annually to evaluate Program

Change of ownership

• Untested bulls to slaughter or

promise to test within 30 days

• Permit for promise to test, but

honor system for slaughter bulls

• 30 day test validity

• 30 day virgin certificate

(24mo or 30 with vet cosign)

Jan 1, 2010

Infected Bull?Jan 1, 2010

• Reportable Disease

• Bulls only quarantined

• Positive bulls to slaughter

• 2 Negative tests to release

• No pooled samples

• Neighbors not notified

Interstate EntryJan 1, 2010

• 30 day test

• 24 mo virgins

• PCR or 3 cultures

• Exhibition animals

exempt for 60 days

All Breeding Bulls

from Canada or

Mexico

Bulls entering shall:

Move under entry permit

Remain under hold order

at designated premises,away from female cattle,

until tested negative

Be officially identified

when testing sample is collected

Working Group meets Annually

• Reports from

• TAHC

• TVMDL lab

• Sale barns

• Cattle organizations

• Veterinarians

• Issues brought for discussion by all partners

• Industry driven focus breaks a tie

• Possible changes in Policy or Rule discussed

Texas Trich Program Evolution

May 2010


• 60 day virgin validity

• Trich Certified Feedlots(bulls permitted in/out) I

• Trich epidemiological investigations I

• Neighbors notified but not required to test I

• Allow “cutter” bulls to move to feedlot for

castration there I

• Exempted bison but not miniatures or exotics


• Reports from

• TAHC

• TVMDL lab

• Sale barns


• Veterinarians





May 2011

• No more interstate virgins - over 12

test, under 12 not test

• Out of state untested bulls can go to

feedlots I

• Created “incapable of breeding”

definition rather than “sterile” for

exemptions from test or slaughter


2011(p2)

• Policy that “research” can only be

performed in controlled settings

• “Panel of Experts” Advisory group for

research or odd requests

• Infected bulls can be sold at markets and

moved under permit to slaughter I

• Created Certified Free Herd concept I


2011(p3)

• Maximum time for retest of bulls in infected

herds – 60 days

• Accept pooled samples for 1 of 2 quarantine

release tests – not change of ownership

• Discrepant PCR tests - go best 2out of 3

• Control herd plan for large ranches – have 3

years to manage problem – test 1x per year,

all bulls go to slaughter, manage cows w/vet I


• Reports from

• TAHC

• TVMDL lab

• Sale barns


• Veterinarians





2012

• Allowed pool samples for change of ownership

• Allowed pool samples for both quarantine tests

• Changed submission times for shipping from 96 to

120 hours to accommodate Monday holidays – if

samples incubated at vet clinic

• Untested bulls at feedlots can come out & be tested I

• Culture positive cows will quarantine herd


• Reports from

• TAHC

• TVMDL lab

• Sale barns


• Veterinarians





2013

• Allow buyer of untested bulls 7 days to decide

what to do with bull – test, kill, feed or resell III

• Allowed bulls >12 mo to come home from bull

station trials or CSS semen facilities without test

• Allowed out of state reactor bulls to sell at Texas

market under permit I

• Commuter herd plans implemented


• Reports from

• TAHC

• TVMDL lab

• Sale barns


• Veterinarians





2014

• Discussion topics

• More aggressive tracing (bulls sold w/in 30 days

will be tested?) I

• Sold and tested by someone else (yes?)

• Strays caught and tested by non-owner (no?)

• Test fenceline adjacents (no?)

• Require adequate fencing in cert. free herds (yes?)


2014(p2)

• Discussion topics (cont)

• No age limit for virgin status (no?)

• Trich tubes vs. N-pouches (no?)

• Accept bulls from certified free herds in other

states (yes?)

• Allow out of state bulls to enter Texas bull

station without test (yes?)


2014(p3)

• Discussion topics (cont)

• Interstate movement Harmonization Discussion

• Pooled samples – in place

• 60 day test validity – in place

• PCR or 3 cultures – PCR only – change?

• Virgin age – 18/24 mo – 12 mo – change?


2014(p3)

• Female cattle - (no?)

Change of ownership

• Untested bulls have 7 days to go;

• to slaughter

• Resell through a market (permit)

• Be tested/promise to test (permit)

• Approved feedlot (permit)


• 60 day virgin certificate

Jan 1, 2010

Interstate EntryJan 1, 2010

• PCR only

• 60 day test

• No test<12mo>test

• Exhibition animals

exempt for 60 days

• Industry support

• Adequate animal

health infrastructure

present at;

1. Markets

2. Feedlots

3. Special sales

4. Roadstops

Texas Trich Program Success

Texas Trichomoniasis Program

•Has helped

• Cattle industry marketablity

& profitability

•TAHC maintain adequate

work force for all disease

programs

• Strengthen working

relationship/trust between

regulatory agency & livestock

market & cattle industries

•Vet practice clinic revenue

What is next Trich issue?

Produced by the

Texas Animal Health

Commission

“Because livestock & poultry health matters”


800-550-8242


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http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/

dr. dee ellis - bovine trichomoniasis “trich” - the texas story

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