Council Directive of 26 June 1964 on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine (64/432/EEC)

[F1 [F2 CHAPTER I U.K. OFFICIALLY ENZOOTIC-BOVINE-LEUKOSIS-FREE HERDS, MEMBER STATES AND REGIONS

A. Officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free herd means a herd in which: U.K.

(i)

there is no evidence, either clinical or as a result of a laboratory test, of any case of enzootic bovine leukosis in the herd and no such case has been confirmed in the previous two years; and

(ii)

all animals over 24 months of age have reacted negatively during the preceding 12 months to two tests carried out in accordance with this Annex, at an interval of at least four months; or

(iii)

it meets the requirements of (i) above and is situated in an officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free Member State or region.

B. A herd shall retain officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free status provided: U.K.

(i)

the condition in A(i) continues to be fulfilled;

(ii)

any animals introduced into the herd come from an officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free herd;

(iii)

all animals over 24 months of age continue to react negatively to a test carried out in accordance with Chapter II at intervals of three years;

(iv)

breeding animals introduced into a herd and originating from a third country have been imported in accordance with Directive 72/462/EEC.

C. The officially leukosis-free status of a herd is to be suspended if the conditions detailed in B are not fulfilled, or where as a result of laboratory tests or on clinical grounds one or more bovine animals are suspected of having enzootic bovine leukosis and the suspect animal(s) are immediately slaughtered. U.K.

D. The status is to remain suspended until the following requirements are complied with: U.K.

1.

If a single animal in an officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free herd has reacted positively to one of the tests referred to in Chapter II, or where infection is otherwise suspected in one animal in a herd:

(i)

the animal which has reacted positively, and, in the case of a cow, any calf it may have produced, must have left the herd for slaughter under the supervision of the veterinary authorities;

(ii)

all animals in the herd more than 12 months old have reacted negatively to two serological tests (at least 4 months and less than 12 months apart) carried out in accordance with Chapter II three months at least after removal of the positive animal and any possible progeny thereof;

(iii)

an epidemiological inquiry has been conducted with negative results and the herds linked epidemiologically to the infected herd have been subjected to the measures laid down in (ii).

However, the competent authority may grant a derogation from the obligation to slaughter the calf of an infected cow where it was separated from its mother immediately after calving. In this case, the calf must be made subject to the requirements provided for in 2(iii).

2.

Where more than one animal from an officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free herd has reacted positively to one of the tests referred to in Chapter II, or where infection has otherwise been suspected in more than one animal in a herd:

(i)

any animals which have reacted positively and, in the case of cows, their calves, must be removed for slaughter under the supervision of the veterinary authorities;

(ii)

all animals in the herd aged over 12 months must react negatively to two tests carried out in accordance with Chapter II at an interval of at least four months and no more than 12 months;

(iii)

all other animals in the herd must, after identification, remain on the holding until they are aged over 24 months and have been tested in accordance with Chapter II after reaching that age, except that the competent authority may permit such animals to go directly for slaughter under official supervision;

(iv)

an epidemiological inquiry has been conducted with negative results and any herd linked epidemiologically to the infected herd has been subjected to the measures laid down in (ii).

However, the competent authority may grant a derogation from the obligation to slaughter the calf of an infected cow where it was separated from its mother immediately after calving. In this case, the calf must be made subject to the requirements provided for in 2(iii).

E. In accordance with the procedure in Article 17 and on the basis of information supplied in accordance with Article 8, a Member State or part of a Member State may be considered officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free if: U.K.

(a)

all the conditions of paragraph A are fulfilled and at least 99,8 % of the bovine herds are officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free;

or

(b)

no case of enzootic bovine leukosis has been confirmed in the Member State or the part of the Member State for the past three years, and the presence of tumours suspected of being due to EBL is compulsorily notifiable, with investigations of cause being carried out, and

in the case of a Member State, all animals aged over 24 months in at least 10 % of the herds, selected randomly, have been tested with negative results in accordance with Chapter II in the previous 24 months, or

in the case of a part of a Member State, all animals aged over 24 months have undergone a test provided for in Chapter II with negative results in accordance with Chapter II in the previous 24 months;

or

(c)

any other method which demonstrates to a confidence rating of 99 % that less than 0,2 % of herds were infected.

F. A Member State or a region of a Member State is to retain officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free status if: U.K.

(a)

all animals slaughtered within the territory of that Member State or region are submitted to official post-mortem examinations at which all tumours which could be due to the EBL virus are sent for laboratory examination,

(b)

the Member State reports to the Commission all cases of enzootic bovine leukosis that occur in the region,

(c)

all animals which react positively to any of the tests provided for in Chapter II are slaughtered and their herds remain subject to restrictions until re-establishment of their status in accordance with Section D, and

(d)

all animals more than two years old have been tested, either once in the first five years after the status is granted under Chapter II or during the first five years after the grant of the status under any other procedure demonstrating with a certainty level of 99 % that less than 0,2 % of herds have been infected. However, where no case of enzootic bovine leukosis has been recorded in a Member State or in a region of a Member State in a proportion of one herd out of 10 000 for at least three years, a decision may be taken in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 17 that routine serological tests may be reduced provided that all bovine animals more than 12 months old in at least 1 % of herds, selected at random each year, have been subjected to a test carried out in accordance with Chapter II.

G. The officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free status of a Member State or part of a Member State is to be suspended, in accordance with the procedure in Article 17 if, as a result of investigations carried out in accordance with paragraph F above, there is evidence of a significant change in the situation as regards enzootic bovine leukosis in a Member State or part of a Member State which has been recognised as officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free. U.K.

The officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free status may be restored in accordance with the procedure in Article 17 when the criteria laid down by the same procedure are fulfilled.] ]

Textual Amendments

F1 Substituted by Council Directive 97/12/EC of 17 March 1997 amending and updating Directive 64/432/EEC on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine.

F2 Substituted by Council Directive 98/46/EC of 24 June 1998 amending Annexes A, D (Chapter I) and F to Directive 64/432/EEC on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine.