SECTION 35:15-13-5. 1 Approval and responsibilities of veterinarians in livestock auction markets

(a)   The veterinarian shall make application for approval to the Department and shall be examined as to his or her ability to function as a livestock auction market veterinarian.

(b)   The livestock auction market veterinarian shall inspect cattle, bison, horses, swine, or other species as determined by the State Veterinarian at the livestock auction market for the purposes of determining the condition of health and freedom from infectious or contagious diseases.

(c)   The livestock auction market veterinarian shall arrive at the market in sufficient time to do all required testing, official identification, and inspection prior to the beginning of the sale.

(d)   The livestock auction market veterinarian is responsible for completion of state and federal forms necessary for the release of livestock from markets and other state and federal forms required for disease traceability, control, and eradication programs. These state and federal forms shall be sufficiently legible and accurate to facilitate successful tracebacks.

(e)   The livestock auction market veterinarian shall submit the identification of cattle required by OAC 35:15-13-3 (f) electronically to the Department within two (2) business days of the date of the sale using a software program designed for livestock auction market operations.

(f)   In the event that an official identification is already present in the animal being tested, the livestock auction market veterinarian shall use this tag instead of retagging, and include all prefixes and numbers in recording the tag on test charts and official documents.

(g)   The livestock auction market veterinarian shall use separate bleeding needles or separate syringes for each animal. The use of the same syringe or needle for multiple animals is prohibited.

(h)   If the livestock auction market veterinarian cannot determine the class of livestock to be shipped by the description on the purchaser's invoice, the livestock auction market veterinarian shall look at each shipment prior to release.

(i)   All reactor or responder cattle received for sale shall be examined as to official identification by the livestock auction market veterinarian prior to sale.

(j)   Copies of all forms shall be forwarded to the office of the State Veterinarian by the livestock auction market veterinarian immediately after sale.

(k)   All official ear tags, forms, certificates of veterinary inspection, or documents and official stamps and signature stamps, shall be kept in the exclusive possession of the livestock auction market veterinarian and shall be dated and signed by him or her only at the time it is filled out and issued. Under no circumstances shall any official document be pre-signed or pre-stamped by the livestock auction market veterinarian. Use of any official stamp by persons other than the livestock auction market veterinarian or a state or federal employee is expressly prohibited. The livestock auction market veterinarian shall be solely responsible for the unauthorized or improper issuance of any official document or the use of any official stamp or signature stamp.

(l)   The livestock auction market veterinarian shall ensure another livestock auction market veterinarian is available at the market when the regular livestock auction market veterinarian is absent from the market.

(m)   The livestock auction market veterinarian shall not resign his duties without written notice to the sale company and State Veterinarian's office at least ten (10) days prior to resignation.

(n)   The livestock auction market veterinarian's failure or neglect to perform any of the functions in this Section shall be cause for disapproval and immediate removal from the livestock auction market.

[Source: Amended at 26 Ok Reg 607, eff 1-13-09 (emergency); Amended at 26 Ok Reg 1809, eff 7-1-09; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 2411, eff 7-25-10; Amended at 30 Ok Reg 788, eff 7-1-13; Amended at 31 Ok Reg 717, eff 9-12-14; Amended at 34 Ok Reg 799, eff 9-11-17; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 751, eff 9-14-18]

Note

EDITOR’S NOTE: On 7-25-11, a permanent rule called "Release and removal options for exposed equids" was added at this number (35:15-13-5), creating a duplication in numbering. The rule, which was intended to be included in a new Part 13 of Subchapter 11 of this Chapter, was editorially renumbered to 35:15-11-55 prior to codification.