The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is amending its tuberculosis regulations.

The amended regulations will require two annual herd tests for all livestock in newly assembled herds on land where a tuberculous herd has been depopulated. Existing regulations already cover cattle and bison.

“This addition to the tuberculosis regulations will help ensure continued progress toward eradicating tuberculosis from the U.S. livestock population,” said Joan M. Arnoldi, deputy administrator for APHIS’ veterinary services, a part of USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs mission area.

For further information, contact: James Davis, senior staff veterinarian, USDA, APHIS, VS, National Animal Health Programs, 4700 River Road, Unit 36, Riverdale, Md. 20737, 301/734-6954