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Equine Infectious Anemia Regulation

1. GENERAL REGULATIONS

  1. E.I.A. TEST REQUIRED
    1. Equines, except nursing foals, entering Mississippi for any purpose must be accompanied by:
      1. An official certificate of veterinary inspection (OCVI) issued by a licensed accredited veterinarian, or state or federal veterinarian showing the name, breed, registration number, if any, tattoo or brand, if any, sex, age, color and markings of each horse listed on the certificate. Name of laboratory, laboratory number, date of test, and test results for each horse must be recorded on the health certificate.
      2. Officially Approved Equine Passport in place of OCVI.
      3. Record of physical examination of each animal, verifying animal to be free of symptoms of any infectious, contagious, or communicable disease.
      4. An official copy of the official laboratory test for Equine Infectious. (Coggins test), certifying the animal to be negative to test within the past 12 months
    2. All equidae, except nursing foals, located on any premises within the state where the public participates in equine activities for any purpose, including, but not limited to, training, breeding, performing or exhibition shall be accompanied by the original copy of a negative current equine infectious anemia (EIA) test. All equidae moving within the state for any reason shall be accompanied by the original copy of a negative valid equine infectious anemia (EIA) test. Equidae being sold at a public sale or sold at a private sale shall have a negative valid equine infectious anemia (EIA) test.
    3. A valid EIA test shall be one that is negative,has been performed at a laboratory approved by the State Veterinarian, and issued by a licensed, accredited veterinarian, within the past 12 months.
  2. TESTING FOR E.I.A.
    1. Horses or other equidae to be tested for equine infectious anemia (E.I.A.) must be completely and properly identified by licensed, graduate Veterinarians(s), using the official test forms provided by the office of the State Veterinarian.
    2. Only one chart for each horse or other equidae to be tested shall be utilized by the testing veterinarian. If the animal is registered, it’s registration number shall be entered on the chart. Further, any distinctive markings and their location on the animal such as brands, tattoos, stars, snips, stockings, or other markings shall also be noted on the official chart.
    3. A horse or other equidae receiving a premises test shall not be sold or title otherwise transferred until the results of the equine infectious anemia test performed on the animal is returned. Positive test results shall automatically result in the quarantine of the animal without further notice at the premises of the owner or where the test was conducted. (d) The test must be conducted at an approved laboratory and the name of the laboratory and the case number must appear on the test chart. The test chart shall be completely filled out and signed by the veterinarian and the owner or legal representative of the owner.
    4. All tests for equine infectious anemia by laboratories other than the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory of Mississippi shall be reported to the Board of Animal Health. Any E.I.A. test on equine located in Mississippi shall be reported on official forms furnished by the office of the State Veterinarian.
  3. RETESTS

Horse(s) or other equidae found positive to an official test for equine infectious anemia shall have a confirmatory retest by State Regulatory personnel, within fifteen (15) days of the initial test.

  1. BRANDING

Animals positive on the retest must be freeze branded on the left side of the neck or left shoulder at the discretion of the state equine inspector with the characters “65-A” and theofficial reactor number assigned by the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The owner of this reactor(s) must submit the animal for branding by the regulatory personnel within fifteen (15) days of the confirmatory test.

  1. DISPOSING OF REACTORS

Any horse or other equidae found to be infected with equine infectious anemia shall be isolated or sold for slaughter within seven days of branding. Positive animals shall be subject to the following disposition, at the option of the owner:

      1. With approval of the State Veterinarian or his designated inspector, the animal may be sold for slaughter to bona fide slaughter buyers. E.I.A. reactors must be permitted on Form 1-27 provided by the inspector for movement from farm to sale and/or from sale to slaughter establishment, or
      2. Quarantine of the infected, branded, horse until death in an isolaion facility on the owner’s premises or elsewhere, and said isolation facility to be approved by an authorized representative of the Board of Animal Health. A written quarantine will be issued for each case. Minimum standards for an approved isolation facility shall be a plot or pasture located a minimum of 200 yards from any other horse enclosure, or horse, or other equidae, except another know E.I.A. Reactor. Owners of infected, branded horses shall not sell, barter, trade or give away these horses except as provided in this regulation.
  1. ADJACENT EQUINE

When a horse, mule, jack, or burro is found positive by an official E.I.A. test and an E.I.A. retest by state personnel, all horses, mules, jacks, and burros on the same premises (farm, pasture or stable), and all other horses, mules, jacks, and burros located on adjacent farms, pastures, or stables within 200 yards or other horses or equidae which shall have been so located within 60 days prior to the positive testing of a horse or other equidae officially tested by state regulatory personnel 30 to 45 days after the isolation or removal of the positive reactor. All horses, mules, jacks and burros on the same farm, pasture or stable of the E.I.A. positive animal, shall be quarantined until officially tested after 30 to 45 days and found negative to the E.I.A. test.

  1. ISOLATION

The owner of a positive horse is required to keep his reactor isolated from all negative horses. The owner of a positive horse shall relocate his horse in order to maintain the proscribed isolation distance from any negative horses that move adjacent to the reactor. The owner of an isolated equine shall notify the State Veterinarian when it becomes necessary to relocate an isolated equine.

  1. MOVEMENT

Positive animals moving interstate must meet applicable regulations of the state of destination as well as Federal regulations. The State Veterinarian may authorize the movement of infected animals to approved facilities for research purposes. In the event of the development of an approved treatment for E.I.A. the State Veterinarian may authorize the release from quarantine animals successfully cleansed of the disease.

  1. VIOLATIONS

Any person, firm, or corporation which violates these rules and regulations governing the control and eradication of equine infectious anemia or the provisions of quarantine and movement of animals is subject to prosecution for each such offense and penalties in accordance with applicable sections of the Mississippi Code of 1972.

2. STOCKYARD AND SALES REGULATIONS

  1. E.I.A.TEST EXCEPTIONS

All equine offered for sale, or sold at regularly scheduled horse sales, livestock markets, or by private treaty shall be tested for Equine Infectious Anemia (E.I.A.) except:

    1. Equine being offered for sale that have a negative E.I.A. test within the past twelve months. The equine must be properly identified on the test chart. The negative test chart must be presented at the time of check-in.
    2. Any E.I.A. positive horse or other equine presented at a stockyard shall be placed in a designated pen in an area of the market 300 yards away from all other equine. Said pen shall be clearly identified as an E.I.A. pen.
  2. TESTS BY APPROVED STOCKYARDS

Livestock markets or sales that have previously approved permanent facilities and staff, including an approved licensed graduate veterinarian, may handle Mississippi equine that do not have a negative test provided each such Mississippi animal is tested as provided in these regulations.

  1. VETERINARIAN REQUIRED

Livestock markets or equine sales offering to provide an E.I.A. test for Mississippi equine must employ a licensed graduate veterinarian, approved by the Mississippi Board of Animal Health.

  1. MARKET AND SALE RESPONSIBILITY

Livestock markets and all others conducting sales of equine shall:

    1. Send notices of all sales to the Mississippi Board of Animal Health.
    2. Obtain prior written approval from the Mississippi Board of Animal Health at 30 days prior to the sale.
  1. CHECK-INS

Livestock markets and all others conducting sales of equine shall have check-in procedures and:

    1. See that the correct name and mailing address of the owner is on the “checkin” form, along with the tag number of the vehicle that transported the animal(s).
    2. Apply a backtag or paint number at “check-in” and note it on the “check-in” form.
    3. See that all E.I.A. test records are collected and presented to the market veterinarian and/or the state livestock inspector for verification prior to the sale.
  1. E.I.A. TESTING
    1. Equine must be presented to the market or sale Veterinarian if testing is required, and assistance must be provided to the veterinarian for drawing blood samples for the E.I.A. test.
    2. The market veterinarian will be paid by the market or sales management. The veterinarian will be charged by the approved lab. The market or sales management will be responsible for collecting a fee from the seller.
  2. RECORDS

The market or sales management must maintain records of sales for a minimum of two (2) years, so that animals that react positively to the E.I.A. test may be traced.

  1. NO PRIVATE SALES

Those managing the sale shall prevent the sale of horses on the premises that are not being offered for sale through the market or sale.

  1. MARKET OR SALE VETERINARIANS

Stockyard and sale veterinarians shall:

    1. collect blood samples (5cc) in correct type tube with identification for correlating to the proper animals from each animal presented for test.
    2. Properly identify each animal tested on Mississippi Board of Animal Health forms as to the name or registration number, age, sex, breed, color and markings, brands, tattoos, scars, etc.
    3. Promptly mail blood and charts to Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
    4. Each market veterinarian involved in the E.I.A. program shall have a signed approval from the Mississippi Board of Animal Health.
  1. E.I.A. APPROVED DRY LOT
    1. Anyone desiring to purchase reactor or “S” branded equine shall have an approved buying station or holding area (dry lot) that will house only restricted animals. Others must haul restricted equine directly to slaughter establishments or approved lots pursuant to a VS 1-27 shipping permit.
    2. Anyone desiring to participate in the foregoing program must obtain prior approval from the Board of Animal Health and sign an agreement to comply with the terms of this regulation and any additional conditions that the Board may require.

3. MISSISSPPI BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH LIVESTOCK INSPECTORS

  1. LIVESTOCK INSPECTORS AUTHORITY

Mississippi Board of Animal Health livestock inspectors shall have the authorithy to:

    1. Monitor the “check-in” personnel of the market or sale to see that the sellers are submitting the necessary E.I.A. test charts, and that they match the description of the equine admitted.
    2. Review the “check-in” records to see that vehicle tags of sellers are recorded.
    3. Check for the proper placement of backtags.
    4. Monitor for the safe keeping of records.
    5. Monitor to prevent unauthorized sales of horses, that do not meet requirements, on the premises other than through the auction.
    6. Inspect for compliance with the rules and reglations of the Mississippi Board of Animal Health.

The foregoing regulations replace those regulations previously adopted by the Mississippi Board of Animal Health specifically dealing with equine and equine infectious anemia. These regulations were approved and adopted by the Mississippi Board of Animal Health. on April 5, 1995 and filed with the Secretary of State on April 5, 1995, with the effective date of the regulations July 5, 1995. Amended January 2005.

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