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Council Directive of 28 January 1991 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in ovine and caprine animals (91/68/EEC)

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Changes over time for: Division I.

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I.Officially brucellosis (B. melitensis)-free ovine or caprine holdingU.K.

A.

Grant of status

An officially brucellosis (B. melitensis)-free ovine or caprine holding means

1.

a holding:

(a)

in which all the animals which are susceptible to brucellosis (B. melitensis) have been free from clinical or any other signs of brucellosis (B. melitensis) for at least 12 months;

(b)

which contains no ovine or caprine animals which have been vaccinated against brucellosis (B. melitensis), save those vaccinated at least two years previously with Rev. 1 vaccine or any other vaccine approved under the procedure laid down in Article 15 of this Directive;

(c)

in which two tests separated by an interval of six months or more have been carried out, with negative results, in accordance with Annex C on all ovine and caprine animals on the holding over six months of age at the time of testing; and

(d)

in which, following the tests referred to in point (c), there are only ovine or caprine animals born on the holding or which have come from an officially brucellosis-free or brucellosis-free holding under the conditions laid down in point D,

and in which, after qualification, the requirements laid down in point B continue to be fulfilled;

2.

a holding situated in an officially recognized brucellosis-free Member State or region in accordance with point II.

B.

Maintenance of status

1.

In the case of officially brucellosis (B. melitensis)-free ovine or caprine holdings which are not situated in a part of the territory which is recognized as officially brucellosis-free, and in which, after qualification, the introduction of animals is carried out in accordance with the requirements of point D, a representative number of the ovine and caprine animals over six months old must be checked annually. The holding may retain its officially brucellosis (B. melitensis)-free status if the results of the tests are negative.

The representative number of animals to be tested must, for each holding, consist of the following:

  • all non-castrated male animals over six months old,

  • all animals brought onto the holding since the previous test,

  • 25 % of the females which have reached the age of reproduction (i.e. which are sexually mature) or are in milk, with a minimum of 50 per holding — except in holdings where there are fewer than 50 such females, in which case all females must be tested.

2.

For a region which is not officially brucellosis-free where more than 99 % of the ovine or caprine holdings are declared to be officially brucellosis (B. melitensis)-free, the frequency of checks of officially brucellosis-free ovine or caprine holdings may be extended to three years, provided that the holdings which are not officially brucellosis free are placed under official control or undergo an eradication programme.

C.

Suspected or actual cases of brucellosis

1.

Where, on an officially brucellosis-free ovine or caprine holding,

(a)

one or more ovine or caprine animals are suspected of having brucellosis (B. melitensis), the holding's officially brucellosis-free status must be withdrawn by the competent authority. However, that status may be provisionally suspended if the animal or animals are immediately destroyed or isolated, pending official confirmation of the disease or an official quashing of the suspicion of that disease;

(b)

brucellosis (B. melitensis) is confirmed, the provisional suspension may be lifted by the competent authority only if all animals infected or all the animals of species susceptible to infection are slaughtered and two tests, separated by an interval of at least three months or more, and carried out in accordance with Annex C on all the animals of the holding over six months old, give negative results.

2.

If the holding referred to in paragraph 1 is in a region which is recognized as officially free from brucellosis (B. melitensis), the Member State concerned must immediately inform the Commission and the other Member States.

The competent authority of the Member State concerned must:

(a)

slaughter all infected animals and all animals of species susceptible to infection on the holding concerned. The Member State concerned must keep the Commission and the other Member States informed of the development of the situation;

(b)

conduct an epidemiological enquiry, and the herds linked epidemiologically to the infected herd must undergo the tests laid down in point 1 (b).

3.

Should an outbreak of brucellosis be confirmed in accordance with point 2, the Commission after having assessed the circumstances of the renewed outbreak of brucellosis (B. melitensis) shall adopt, if that assessment so justifies, under the procedure laid down in Article 15, a decision suspending or withdrawing the status of that region. If the status is withdrawn, the conditions for a new qualification shall be specified in accordance with the same procedure.

D.

Introduction of animals onto an officially brucellosis (B. melitensis)-free ovine or caprine holding

Ovine or caprine animals may not be introduced into an ovine or caprine holding which is officially free from brucellosis unless they either:

1.
  • come from an officially brucellosis-free ovine or caprine holding;

2.

or:

  • come from a brucellosis-free holding and,

  • are identified individually in accordance with Article 4 (1) (a) of this Directive,

  • have never been vaccinated against brucellosis or if they have been vaccinated, were so vaccinated more than two years previously. However, females over two years old which were vaccinated before the age of seven months may also be brought onto the holding, and

  • were isolated under official supervision on the holding of origin and, during such isolation underwent, with negative results, two tests separated by an interval of at least six weeks in accordance with Annex C.

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