R58-18-11. Health Rules

  (1) Prior to the importation of elk, whether by live animals, gametes, eggs, sperm or other genetic material into the State of Utah, the importing party must obtain an import permit from the Utah State Veterinarian's office.

  (a) An import permit number shall be issued only if the destination is licensed as an elk farm by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food or an official slaughter facility.

  (b) The import permit number for Utah shall be obtained by the local veterinarian conducting the official health inspection by contacting the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.

  (2) All elk imported into Utah must be examined by an accredited veterinarian prior to importation and must be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, health certificate, certifying a disease free status.

  (a) Minimum specific disease testing results or health statements must be included on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. Minimum disease testing requirement may be waived on elk traveling directly to an official slaughter facility.

  (b) A negative tuberculosis test must be completed within 60 days prior to entry into the state. A retest is also optional at the discretion of the State Veterinarian.

  (c) If animals do not originate from a tuberculosis accredited, qualified or monitored herd, they may be imported only if accompanied by a certificate stating that such domestic cervidae have been classified negative to two official tuberculosis tests that were conducted not less than 90 days apart, that the second test was conducted within 60 days prior to the date of movement. The test eligible age is six months or older, or less than six months of age if not accompanied by a negative testing dam.

  (d) All elk being imported shall test negative for brucellosis if six months of age or older, by at least two types of official USDA brucellosis tests.

  (e) The Certificate of Veterinary Inspection must also include the following signed statement: "To the best of my knowledge the elk listed herein are not infected with Johne's Disease (Paratuberculosis), CWD or Malignant Catarrhal Fever and have never been east of the 100 degree meridian."

  (f) The Certificate of Veterinary Inspection shall also contain the name and address of the shipper and receiver, the number, sex, age and any individual identification on each animal.

  (3) Additional disease testing may be required at the discretion of the State Veterinarian prior to importation or when there is reason to believe other disease(s), or parasites, or that some other health concerns are present.

  (4) Imported or existing elk may be required to be quarantined at an elk farm when the State Veterinarian determines the need for and the length of such quarantine.

  (5) Any movement of elk outside a licensed elk farm shall comply with standards as provided in the document entitled: "Uniform Methods and Rules (UM and R)", as approved and published by the USDA. The documents, entitled: "Tuberculosis Eradication in Cervidae, Uniform Methods and Rules", the May 15, 1994 edition, and "Brucellosis Cervidae, Uniform Methods and Rules", the September 30, 2003 edition as published by the USDA, are hereby incorporated by reference into this rule. These are the standards for tuberculosis and brucellosis eradication in domestic cervidae.

  (6) Treatment of all elk for internal and external parasites is required within 30 days prior to entry, except elk going directly to slaughter.

  (7) All elk imported into Utah must originate from a state or province, which requires that all suspected or confirmed cases of (CWD), be reported to the State Veterinarian or regulatory authority. The state or province of origin must have the authority to quarantine source herds and herds affected with or exposed to CWD.

  (8) Based on the State Veterinarian's approval, all elk imported into Utah shall originate from states, which have implemented a Program for Surveillance, Control, and Eradication of CWD in Domestic Elk.

  (a) All elk imported to Utah must originate from herds that have been participating in a verified CWD surveillance program for a minimum of 5 years.

  (b) Animals will be accepted for movement only if epidemiology based on vertical and horizontal transmission is in place.

  (9) No elk originating from a CWD affected herd, trace back herd/source herd, trace forward herd, adjacent herd, or from an area considered to be endemic to CWD, may be imported to Utah.

  (10) Elk semen, eggs, or gametes require a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection verifying the individual source animal has genetic purity and certifying that it has never resided on a premises where CWD has been identified or traced. An import permit obtained by the issuing veterinarian must be listed on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection.