Kentucky Alters Rules in Connection With VS Cases

Kentucky has altered it regulations concerning vesicular stomatitis in the wake of new cases in Colorado. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture issued a release July 6 that said animals at three properties in Las Animas County and one property in Douglas County have been diagnosed with VS.

Kentucky will now prohibit the entry of all livestock and wild and exotic animals into the state from Colorado, New Mexico, and the VS-affected and -embargoed portions of Texas: south of Route 70 from Paducah west to the New Mexico line, west of Route 83 from Paducah south to Junction, west of Interstate 10 from Junction southeast to San Antonio, and south and west of Interstate 37 from San Antonio southeast to Corpus Christi.

Kentucky also has revised entry requirements for animals from state that have a common border with VS-affected states. All livestock and wild and exotic animals from a state with a common border with a VS-embargoes state must be examined during the five-day period prior to the animal's arrival in Kentucky with a certificate of veterinary inspection completed by the examining veterinarian.

Horses that enter Kentucky from a state that has a common border with affected states shall be accompanied upon their entry into Kentucky with a negative test for VSV. The sampling must be conducted during the 10-day period prior to the animal's entry into Kentucky. 

States that send horses to Kentucky that are required to be accompanied with a negative VS test are Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. 

For non-embargoed areas within Texas, all livestock, horses, and wild and exotic animals must be tested and found negative to VS using the C-Elisa Test within 10 days of entry into Kentucky. They also must have an entry permit issued by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and recorded on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. The certificate must be produced within five days.

Information regarding Kentucky's embargos can be found at www.kyagr.com.