Livestock export testing safeguards human and animal health internationally. Testing helps mitigate the spread of diseases and ensures international commerce is sustainable. The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, is the only laboratory in Texas authorized to perform testing that meets United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, and international requirements.
“The goal of export testing is to try and ensure we don’t move infectious diseases around the world through exported animals,” Terry Hensley, MS, DVM, assistant agency director, said. “As a diagnostic lab we are doing our part to run the tests requested by a certain country.”
Regulations are established by government authorities in the importing country, often in collaboration with organizations like the World Organization for Animal Health, OIE. They indicate which diseases need to be tested for, the types of tests that are acceptable and sometimes even the timing of when tests must be performed.
From paperwork to protocols, the export testing process can be complex. TVMDL strongly encourages clients consider the following when requesting export testing:
- Be aware of the destination country’s animal health requirements
- Organize paperwork and samples
- Proactively submit samples to ensure timely results
Be aware of the destination country’s animal health requirements
Hensley explained that export testing focuses on ensuring compliance with the health certification standards of the destination country. If exact protocol is not followed, a client may face delays, quarantines, rejections at the border of the country of import and more.
“If there are problems when those animals get to that destination country, it could be bad,” Hensley said. “They can either be given the option to send those animals back to the U.S., or sometimes they’re going to do retesting. In the worst case they get euthanized at the point of destination.”
Therefore, it is incredibly important clients work closely with their veterinarian and take time to orient themselves to the updated animal testing regulations of the destination country. Communication with the USDA and the destination country ensures an appropriate plan and reduces the risk of error.
The types of tests required may vary depending on where animals are being transported. Some of the more common serological tests TVMDL performs for export are to detect antibodies to diseases such as brucellosis, bluetongue and bovine leukemia. Testing is mostly performed using blood samples, however other sample types may include nasal swabs, fecal or tissue samples and in some cases, milk or semen samples.
Hensley recommends clients ensure samples are stored and shipped according to the instructions outlined on each test’s listing on the TVMDL website. These instructions ensure samples are handled and shipped in a manner that would help them arrive at TVMDL in a testable condition.
Organizing paperwork and samples
“I think the key is good communication and organization,” Kalyn Green, assistant section head for serology, said.
Paperwork should include all forms of identification for each animal being exported, such as the official identification numbers and microchip numbers. All samples must be labeled and linked to the animal from which it was collected. Green encouraged the use of electronic forms to minimize human error and illegible handwriting on labels.
Besides animal and sample identification, Green also mentioned that premise ID, sample collection date, country of export and veterinarian signature are often needed and sometimes forgotten.
Proactively submit samples to ensure timely results
Clients should submit samples for testing well ahead of all regulatory deadlines or departure. In addition, some tests must be performed within a certain window of time prior to export.
“Timing is huge,” Green said. “Some tests require a specific window before export, for example, within 30 or 60 days of departure. You also need to account for how long it takes to get the results. For some of our serologic tests, if we have a suspect reaction, we must send the sample to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory for confirmation.”
Export testing can be complex but is a manageable process with the right preparation and information. For more information on export testing at TVMDL, visit tvmdl.tamu.edu or call the College Station lab at 1.888.646.5623.
