Commission approves rule changes for livestock exhibitions, adopts cattle-fever tick dosing update and clears agency budget and contracts

The Texas Animal Health Commission took several formal actions and votes during its March 3 meeting, approving rule changes for livestock exhibitions, adopting a technical update to cattle fever tick treatment rules, and approving administrative business including the budget status report and purchases.

Exhibition rules (chapter 51): the commission voted to publish proposed amendments to chapter 51 — specifically revising the show/exhibition entry rules — and opened a 30-day public comment period. Under the adopted proposal for publication, the rules would eliminate a formal distinction between “interstate” and “intrastate” shows for Texas-origin animals and instead require show sponsors to maintain participant records for one year and provide them on request to the commission for tracing purposes. Out-of-state participants would still be required to meet entry requirements (CVI/tests) applicable to their status; Texas-origin exhibitors at the same show would not be required to obtain a separate CVI solely because an out-of-state exhibitor attended. The…