Herds Quarantined Because of Suspected Tuberculosis Infection

Section 80 Section 80.30  Herds Quarantined Because of Suspected Tuberculosis Infection a)         Cattle, bison, goat, sheep, antelope or cervid herds or flocks suspected of being infected with bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) shall immediately be quarantined and the entire herd tuberculin tested.  All tuberculin tests on such herds are to be conducted by veterinarians employed by the United States Department of Agriculture or the Illinois Department of Agriculture. b)         Procedures for release of quarantine on such herds are as follows: 1)         If the initial herd test is negative, quarantine shall be released unless epidemiological evidence, such as infection in surrounding herds or continued exposure to tuberculosis, necessitates leaving the quarantine in place. 2)         If a reactor is disclosed on the initial herd test, or on test of individual animals in the herd, but the slaughtered reactor does not exhibit gross lesions indicative of tuberculosis, the quarantine shall be released upon completion of one additional negative herd test conducted not less than 60 days following the initial herd test. 3)         If a reactor is disclosed on initial herd test, or on test of individual animals in the herd, and the slaughtered reactor shows gross lesions indicative of tuberculosis, but Mycobacterium bovis is not confirmed by laboratory examination of tissues from the slaughtered animal, the quarantine shall be released following completion of two negative complete herd retests.  The first herd retest shall be conducted not less than 60 days following the initial herd test on which the reactor was disclosed and the second herd retest shall be conducted not less than 6 months or more than one year following the first negative herd retest. After such herds have been released from quarantine, they must pass a negative herd test annually for two years following release of the quarantine. 4)         If a reactor is disclosed on initial herd test, or on test of individual animals in the herd, and the slaughtered reactor shows gross lesions indicative of tuberculosis, with Mycobacterium bovis confirmed by laboratory examination of tissues from the slaughtered animal, the herd shall be depopulated if the owner is agreeable and if funds are available. If the herd is not depopulated, it shall remain under quarantine so long as it remains intact.