302 KAR 20:180. Restrictions equine viral arteritis

      Section 1. Definitions. As used in this administrative regulation unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

      (1) "Book" or "booking" means the contracting or scheduling of a mare to breed to a stallion.

      (2) "Chief livestock health official" means the State Veterinarian of Kentucky.

      (3) "Cover" means the act of breeding a stallion to a mare.

      (4) "EAV" means equine arteritis virus, the organism which causes the disease equine viral arteritis.

      (5) "EVA" means equine viral arteritis which is a communicable disease in equine.

      (6) "Sero negative" means a horse has reacted negatively to a blood test for EVA.

      (7) "Sero positive" means a horse has demonstrated a positive reaction in serum neutralization with a titer of greater than one (1) to four (4) to a blood test for EVA.

      (8) "Shedder" or "shedding" means an equine has been determined to have EAV in its body and is capable of transmitting the EAV to other equine.

      (9) "Vaccinated" or "vaccination" means an equine has been vaccinated with an approved EVA modified live virus vaccine and the vaccination status has been kept current in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

 

      Section 2. EVA Shedding Stallions. A thoroughbred stallion known to be shedding EAV shall not be permitted to breed until the chief livestock health official determines that the stallion does not pose a threat of transmitting EAV. In making this determination, the chief livestock health official shall consider whether the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) of this section will be complied with by the farm on which the shedding stallion is located. The following restrictions shall apply to a shedding stallion that is permitted to breed:

      (1) An owner or agent of a mare booking or seeking to book a mare to a shedding stallion shall be notified in writing by the owner or agent that the stallion is classified as an EVA shedder. A written copy of the booking confirmation shall be sent to the chief livestock health official.

      (2) A shedding stallion shall be housed, handled and bred in a facility isolated from a nonshedding stallion.

      (3) A shedding stallion shall be bred to a mare that:

      (a) Has been vaccinated against EVA at least twenty-one (21) days prior to breeding; or

      (b) Demonstrates an EVA titer from vaccination or exposure to EAV, if the serological EVA test to determine the mare is EVA sero positive was conducted no sooner than November 1 of the previous calendar year for the following breeding season.

 

      Section 3. Sero Positive Nonshedding Stallions. (1) The following restrictions shall apply to a nonshedding stallion that was previously classified as a shedding stallion:

      (a) During the first breeding season following the stallion's classification as a nonshedder, the first five (5) sero negative mares covered by the stallion shall have a blood sample collected for an EVA test twenty-eight (28) days after breeding.

      (b) During the second breeding season, the stallion shall be bred to two (2) mares negative for EAV antibodies or have its semen collected and cultured for EAV. If the culture report and blood samples are negative for EAV, there shall not be restrictions placed on a future breeding season.

      (2) A sero positive vaccinated (arvac) stallion that did not have an EVA negative test prior to vaccination shall be eligible for breeding by complying with one (1) of the following:

      (a) Semen shall be collected and cultured for EAV and culture shall be reported as negative; or

      (b) Prior to entering the breeding shed, the stallion shall be bred to two (2) mares negative for EAV antibodies. The two (2) mares shall have blood collected for an EVA test twenty-eight (28) days after breeding. Test results shall be reported as negative for EAV antibodies.

      (3) A nonvaccinated sero positive stallion shall include a vaccinated stallion that does not have documentation of the vaccination or a stallion with unknown exposure to EAV. A nonvaccinated sero position stallion shall be eligible for breeding by complying with the following:

      (a) Semen shall be collected and cultured for EAV; or

      (b) Prior to entry into the breeding shed, the stallion shall be bred to two (2) mares negative for EVA antibodies. The two (2) mares shall have blood collected for an EVA test twenty-eight (28) days after breeding. Test results shall be reported as negative for EVA antibodies.

      (c) The first two (2) sero negative mares covered by the stallion shall have a blood sample collected for an EVA test twenty-eight (28) days after breeding.

      (d) The Kentucky State Veterinarian may monitor a sero negative mare covered by the stallion during a breeding season by having a blood sample collected for an EVA test twenty-eight (28) days after breeding.

      (4) The determination that a stallion is not a shedder shall be made based on a scientific procedure approved by the state veterinarian. The procedures shall be conducted in the presence of the chief livestock health officer or his designee.

 

      Section 4. EVA Classification Category. (1) Category One Mares. Category One Mares shall include mares bred to a shedding stallion for the first time.

      (a) Category One Mares shall be vaccinated a minimum of twenty-one (21) days prior to the first cover by a shedding stallion and shall be isolated a minimum of twenty-one (21) days after the first cover.

      1. During isolation, the Category One Mare shall be physically separated from other equine in a separate isolation area approved by the chief livestock health official or designated personnel.

      2. After the isolation period, a Category One Mare may move without restriction.

      (b) A Category One Mare that does not conceive after being bred to a shedding stallion and has completed the twenty-one (21) day isolation period following the first cover shall be reclassified as a Category Two Mare for the remainder of the breeding season.

      (2) Category Two Mares. Category Two Mares:

      (a) Shall include a mare:

      1. Bred to a shedding stallion within the previous two (2) years; or

      2. Previously classified as a Category One Mare that has completed the twenty-one (21) day isolation period; and

      (b) May move without restrictions after being covered by a shedding stallion.

      (3) A mare bred to a shedding stallion shall return to the farm of origin in a van or other transport vehicle by herself with sero positive equine. Upon returning to the farm of origin, the van or other transport vehicle and equipment used to move the mare shall be immediately cleaned and disinfected.

      (4) A mare bred to a shedding stallion shall be bred to a shedding stallion during that estrus cycle. A mare may be bred to a nonshedding EVA vaccinated stallion on subsequent estrus cycles during the breeding season.

      (5)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, in cooperation with the stallion's owner or manager, the chief livestock health official shall determine that a stallion is not shedding EAV prior to the stallion being permitted to breed.

      (b) A stallion shall be permitted to breed with an EVA sero negative test mare without the determination required by paragraph (a) of this subsection.

 

      Section 5. A stallion or mare infected with EAV during the breeding season shall immediately cease breeding and the chief livestock health official shall be immediately notified. An owner or agent with a mare booked or bred to a stallion that became infected with EAV during the breeding season shall be immediately notified in writing by the stallion's owner or agent. A copy of the written notification shall be sent to the chief livestock health official. A stallion infected with EAV during the breeding season shall be classified as a shedder and shall be handled accordingly. Following the stallion's classification as a shedder, the chief livestock health official may reclassify the stallion as a nonshedder in accordance with Section 3(4) of this administrative regulation.

 

      Section 6. Equine Vaccinated Against EVA. Equine vaccinated for the first time against EVA shall have a blood sample collected for an EVA test prior to vaccination. A certificate documenting the equine has been vaccinated shall be sent to the chief livestock health official within seven (7) days of the vaccination date. A vaccinated stallion shall not be exposed to an EVA affected animal and shall not be used for breeding within twenty-eight (28) days after vaccination. A thoroughbred stallion used for breeding in Kentucky shall be vaccinated annually with an approved state federal EVA vaccine.

 

      Section 7. A nurse mare shall be:

      (1) Sero negative;

      (2) Officially vaccinated in accordance with Section 6 of this administrative regulation; or

      (3) Isolated from other equine on the farm.

 

      Section 8. A teaser shall be officially vaccinated against EVA.

 

      Section 9. (1) An EVA test mare shall be isolated from the other equine and under the supervision of state personnel if the mare becomes:

      (a) Affected with EAV after breeding; or

      (b) Sero positive after breeding.

      (2) An isolated mare shall be eligible for release from isolation by the chief livestock health official after:

      (a) Twenty-eight (28) days in isolation; or

      (b) The spread of EAV is no longer a risk, whichever is longer. (11 Ky.R. 1343; eff. 4-9-85; Am. 12 Ky.R. 1358; eff. 3-4-86; 13 Ky.R. 1096; eff. 1-13-87; 21 Ky.R. 1539; 2096; eff. 2-22-95; 23 Ky.R. 3882; 24 Ky.R. 68; eff. 7-9-97.)

Notation

      RELATES TO: KRS 257.020, 257.030

      STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 257.030

      NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 257.030 authorizes the board to establish necessary quarantines and other measures to control the movement of livestock into, through, or within Kentucky. This administrative regulation establishes restrictions to protect the thoroughbred industry from the spread of equine viral arteritis in Kentucky and to control the disease in Kentucky.