The mission of the Pullorum-Typhoid (PT) Program is to bring about the control and eradication of pullorum disease and fowl typhoid from poultry flocks in Texas and to maintain Texas as a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. The program, enacted by the 65th Texas Legislature, requires that all domestic poultry (chicken, guinea, pheasant, quail, peafowl and turkey) offered for sale, trade, or used to produce offspring for sale or trade must be tested for pullorum and typhoid and found to be free of infection. In addition, the program requires all poultry going to public exhibition or public sale to be found free of infection or originate from a certified clean flock. TVMDL is the recordkeeping authority for this program in Texas.
Effective September 1, 2017, TVMDL will no longer be able to provide field personnel to perform onsite pullorum-typhoid testing. TVMDL will move to a new program structure wherein private individuals will be trained and authorized to perform this testing. This model is used in multiple other states who have had great success in maintaining their pullorum-typhoid free status.
TVMDL will provide training programs for private individuals to become Authorized Testing Agents for the PT Program. Authorized Testing Agents will be able to test not only their own flock, but also birds from other flocks, locations, shows, and sales. All negative test results must be reported to the TVMDL Pullorum-Typhoid Office within 10 days of testing. Any positive results must be reported within 24 hours. TVMDL will continue to maintain records for the program and will maintain an online list of Authorized Testing Agents and their contact information for poultry owners.
Training for Authorized Testing Agents will consist of classroom lecture as well as hands on training with sampling birds and testing samples. Those completing the program will become Authorized Testing Agents for three years and must file an agreement with the TVMDL PT Office annually. Trainings are being scheduled for late Summer 2017. For more information regarding the program and updated trainings, please click here to fill out the form for more information.
