(a) Designated pens are a set of pens on a premises approved by the Department and USDA for the feeding of cattle from California herds quarantined for brucellosis and/or tuberculosis and whose movement is restricted only to recognized slaughtering establishments approved by the Department or USDA.
(b) An owner or manager of a feedlot requesting approval for designated pen status must contact the Department's Animal Health Branch District Office containing the feedlot or the Animal Health Branch in Sacramento.
(c) Approval of designated pens may be granted when the owner or manager of the feedlot completes and submits to the Department's Animal Health Branch an Application for Designated Pen Status to Feed Tuberculosis or Brucellosis Exposed Cattle, AHB Form 76-197, as provided by the Department. The application will include the following:
(1) Pen numbers subject to designated pen status;
(2) Name, address and premises ID # of the feedlot;
(3) Name and telephone number of the contact person such as owner or manager;
(4) Disease(s) cattle are known to be exposed to; and
(5) Signature of the applicant that certifies compliance with the following requirements:
(A) All cattle entering designated pens are considered restricted and may only be moved from those pens directly to a recognized slaughtering establishment or to other designated pens.
(B) All cattle must have an individual official identification number and records must be maintained for all animals entering and leaving the designated pens including:
1. Buyer's and seller's name and address.
2. Number of animals.
3. Description of each animal including sex, age, breed, and official identification.
4. Date of entry and date animals shipped from feedyard.
5. Terminal destination of the animals.
(C) Double cattle-proof fencing is required to separate restricted cattle from non-restricted cattle. The separation required:
1. Brucellosis. All designated pens must be separated by at least 12 feet from non-restricted areas.
2. Tuberculosis. All designated pens must be separated by at least 30 feet from non-restricted areas.
(D) Not allow restricted and non-restricted cattle to share watering systems, feed troughs or hospital pens.
(E) Not allow pasturing or grazing of the restricted cattle.
(F) Notify the Animal Health Branch district office when restricted cattle are received at the premises.
(G) Record birth or mortality of restricted cattle by date and individual official animal identification.
(H) Clean and disinfect any common processing areas and/or equipment used for processing or treating restricted cattle with a disinfectant used as labeled, before use for non-restricted cattle.
(I) Require workers coming in direct contact with restricted cattle or their excrement to change outerwear and disinfect their boots before moving to an area with non-restricted cattle.
(J) Allow Department and/or USDA personnel to periodically inspect the restricted cattle and the designated pens and review all associated records.
(K) Maintain records for a minimum of five (5) years.
(d) Approval of designated pens in feedlots is valid for one (1) year from the date of approval.
(e) The State Veterinarian may amend the requirements for designated pens in response to a change in disease status or to prevent the threat, introduction or spread of disease to California livestock, as determined by the State Veterinarian.
(f) Failure to comply with the provisions of this agreement may result in the revocation of this agreement and/or the Department's refusal to enter into any future agreements with the applicant for the confined feeding of restricted cattle pursuant to the article.
Credits
Note: Authority cited: Section 407, Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Sections 9561, 9562, 9570, 9574, 9932, 10324 and 10610, Food and Agricultural Code.
