02 NCAC 52B .0209          IMPORTATION REQUIREMENTS: SHEEP AND GOATS

(a)  All sheep and goats imported into North Carolina, regardless of age, must be officially identified prior to leaving the farm of origin (see "official scrapie identification" in Subparagraph (c)(2) of this Rule), except:

(1)           Sheep and goats less than 12 months of age moving directly to slaughter;

(2)           Sheep and goat wethers.

(b)  Sheep and goats consigned for the purpose of immediate slaughter to a livestock market licensed under G.S. 106, Article 35, or to a slaughtering establishment with state or federal inspection may be imported without a health certificate. A waybill or certificate marked for immediate slaughter must accompany such shipments. No sheep or goats consigned for immediate slaughter may be removed from slaughter channels.

(c)  Sheep and goats not consigned for the purpose of immediate slaughter must be accompanied by an official health certificate from the state of origin signed by a veterinarian accredited in that state as follows:

(1)           The health certificate covering the importation of sheep and goats shall include a report of inspection indicating the sheep and goats are not under quarantine and are free from signs of any infectious or communicable disease.

(2)           The health certificate shall contain a statement that the flock of origin has not had scrapie diagnosed within the past 42 months. The health certificate shall include United States Department of Agriculture-approved scrapie identification, age, sex, breed and markings for each animal. Official scrapie identification shall consist of one of the following:

(A)          Official ear tags which are approved by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for use in the Scrapie Eradication Program or the Scrapie Flock Certification Program;

(B)          Electronic implants which are approved for use in animals participating in a scrapie flock certification program and accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection or owner statement that includes the implant numbers and name of the chip manufacturer; or which are used in animals registered with a national registry association and the implant number is recorded by the registry on the registration certificate accompanying the animal. The animal shall be accompanied by an implant reader which can read the implant in the animal;

(C)          Legible official registry tattoos that have been recorded in the record of a sheep or goat registry association when the animal is accompanied by either a registration certificate or certificate of veterinary inspection upon which the tattoo number is recorded.

(3)           Sheep and goats not consigned for the purpose of immediate slaughter that originate from United States Department of Agriculture-certified and accredited free states are exempt from brucellosis and tuberculosis testing requirements. Sheep and goats that do not originate from a United States Department of Agriculture-certified and accredited free state shall have a negative brucellosis test within 30 days prior to import and shall have a negative tuberculosis test within 60 days prior to import unless they originate from a United States Department of Agriculture-certified and accredited free herd.

(4)           Dairy goats and sheep over six months of age and sexually intact imported from out-of-state shall have a negative brucellosis test within 30 days prior to import and shall have a negative tuberculosis test within 60 days prior to import unless they originate from a United States Department of Agriculture-certified and accredited free herd.

(5)           The brucellosis and tuberculosis testing requirements of this Rule does not apply to sheep and goats entering the state for only exhibition purposes, coming from states or herds that are United States Department of Agriculture-certified and accredited free, when accompanied by an official health certificate which includes a United States Department of Agriculture-approved scrapie identification. Such animals shall remain in the state for exhibition purposes for no more than 30 days from the date of issuance of the health certificate.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 106-307.5; 106-348; 106-396;

Eff. April 1, 1984;

Amended Eff. April 1, 2008; January 1, 2005; April 1, 2001; May 1, 1992; December 1, 1989;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. March 26, 2017.