SECTION 51.13. Equine

(a) Equine infectious anemia (EIA) requirements. All horses, mules, asses, ponies, zebras and all other equidae shall have a certificate of veterinary inspection and proof of a negative EIA test within the previous 12 months prior to entering Texas, along with unique and permanent forms of identification, such as electronic identification that complies with ISO 11784/11785; or non-ISO electronic identification injected in the equine on or before March 11, 2014; or digital photographs sufficient to identify the individual equine. The negative test results together with the name of the laboratory conducting the test must be shown on the certificate of veterinary inspection. Alternatively, a completed VS Form 10-11 (Equine Infectious Anemia Laboratory Test) may be attached to the certificate of veterinary inspection. Only test results from USDA-approved laboratories are acceptable. Exceptions to these test requirements are:

(1) equidae consigned directly to an approved slaughtering establishment accompanied by a prior permit issued by the Texas Animal Health Commission;

(2) equidae that have been "S" branded and consigned directly to an approved slaughter establishment accompanied by a VS 1-27 permit;

(3) equidae may enter Texas when consigned directly to a veterinary hospital or clinic for treatment or for usual veterinary procedures when accompanied by a permit number issued by the Texas Animal Health Commission. Following release by the veterinarian, equidae must be returned immediately to the state of origin by the most direct route;

(4) equidae may enter Texas for shows, fairs, exhibitions or assembly purposes when accompanied by a valid equine interstate passport or equine identification card and a completed VS form 10-11 showing negative results to an official EIA test within the previous six months.

(5) equidae entering for consignment to a livestock market, may first move directly to an EIA approved lab/vet clinic for testing. The animal must be accompanied by a prior entry permit issued by the Texas Animal Health Commission.

(6) foals, under eight months of age, accompanying and nursing a dam with a negative test within the last twelve months.

(b) Fever tick requirements: Equidae originating in a fever tick infected area must be accompanied by a certificate issued by an authorized state or federal inspector showing them free of fever tick infestation or exposure thereto and dipped in a recognized dipping solution. Dipping must be under the supervision of a state or federal inspector immediately prior to shipment, and the equidae must be transported in clean and disinfected trucks, railroad cars, or other vehicles.

(c) Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA):

(1) Owners, shippers or exporters of EVA carrier stallions, as defined in §49.4 of this title (relating to Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA): Reporting and Handling for Breeding of Infected Equine), which are to be imported into Texas, shall notify the buyer or receiver of the stallion, in writing, prior to shipment into the state, that the stallion is an EVA carrier stallion. The equine shall be accompanied by a certificate veterinary inspection, on which the carrier status of the stallion is notated.

(2) Owners of EVA carrier stallions, who intend to ship semen from the carrier stallion into Texas, shall notify, in writing, the owners, managers or caretakers of mares to be inseminated that the semen is from an EVA carrier stallion and that the mare could become EVA infected through insemination with infective semen.

(3) Any equine that originate from an area quarantined, excluding a quarantined facility, for EVA, must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection which states that the animal does not exhibit clinical signs of EVA, and that the equine had a rectal temperature of 101° F. or less at the time of examination for entry. EVA carrier stallions shall also comply with paragraph (1) of this subsection.

Source Note: The provisions of this §51.13 adopted to be effective June 3, 2002, 27 TexReg 5182; amended to be effective January 1, 2006, 30 TexReg 8681; amended to be effective March 4, 2007, 32 TexReg 753; amended to be effective October 14, 2007, 32 TexReg 7043; amended to be effective October 6, 2019, 44 TexReg 5615