SANITARY CONDITIONS FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECEIVING STABLES FOR IMPORTED LIVESTOCK
The regulatory bases and general conditions for the importation of purebred breeding cattle are defined by Code of Procedure No. 7565/DE of 27/11/2008. To this end, farmers wishing to benefit from imported livestock must comply with the animal health and zoo technical conditions required for the approval of the stables laid down in that Code.
In accordance with the provisions of the Code of Procedures, the beneficiaries of imported cattle are exclusively individual breeders or breeders belonging to a group of breeders (recognised cooperatives or associations). The latter are classified into two categories:
- Producers with a cattle population of less than or equal to 10 head (category A).
- Breeders with a cattle population of more than 10 head (category B).
Breeders with a herd of cattle less than or equal to 10 “category A” heads (members or individuals) are exempt from the approval of the stable. However, they are required to submit an undertaking (in accordance with Model 19 of the Code of Procedure) to have only 10 head of cattle.
Category B breeders, whether individual or members of a group of breeders, are required to submit an application for registration. On this basis, a technical committee is set up to carry out a survey of the applicant breeder.
The designated committee shall consist of a zootechnical engineer and a veterinary doctor representing the authorised departments.
This commission will conduct the following investigations:
1- the carrying out of the necessary checks to determine the animal health status of the livestock with regard to certain contagious animal diseases, in particular bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis.
At the end of these checks, all livestock shall be declared to comply with the health requirements for bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis and duly certified if:
1.1 for tuberculosis :
- Two tuberculin tests were performed at a 2-month interval with negative results in all cattle over 6 weeks of age;
- after obtaining a negative result at a 2-month interval after the last tuberculin in all remaining (negative) cattle over 6 weeks old in a TB infected farm.
1.2 for brucellosis :
Two “Rose Bengale” tests were conducted at two-month intervals with negative results in all cattle aged 12 months or older.
It should be noted that when the test result is positive and after the last marked bovine is slaughtered, the tuberculin control of the remaining bovine animals on the holding is carried out within two months after the last tuberculin. Checks on this disease must continue every two months until all the remaining cattle are checked negative.
In addition, the health certificate issued is valid for six months. However, it may be withdrawn in the following cases:
- The producer’s reluctance to identify existing animals on the holding in accordance with the current procedure.
- Non-compliance with the regulatory provisions of ministerial orders no. 2016-01 and 2017-01 relating to bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis, in particular as regards the introduction of new animals and/or the declaration of a case of disease deemed legally contagious on the holding.
- The breeder’s failure to adhere to the state-organised bovine prophylaxis programmes and health monitoring controls.
For category B breeders who have opted for depopulation of their livestock, a crawl certificate will replace the sanitary certificate after observation of a one (1) month crawl period with appropriate disinfection.
In the case of the establishment of a new barn to receive imported animals, it must be the only one to house cattle at the level of the entire holding (a holding may contain only one herd of cattle). Appropriate disinfection must also be applied, with a crawl space of at least 15 days after which a certificate of conformity is issued.
2- An assessment of the holding’s capacity to receive imported livestock from the holding in question, based on the survey carried out by the said Technical Committee.
The breeder must have the necessary infrastructure and means for the rational exploitation of imported livestock (barns and premises, food, hygiene, etc.), and benefit from a technical framework for livestock farming, provided either by:
- the breeder himself,
- the Association or Cooperative to which it belongs.
Thus, on the basis of the above mentioned documents, the approval of the receiving stables will be issued to allow the breeder to benefit from imported livestock.
These provisions, as well as the procedures for tracking the receiving barns of imported livestock, are set out in memo no. 398 DE/DS-DPA dated 01/22/2009 available at the provincial veterinary services of ONSSA.