Tuberculosis in Cattle, Bison, and Cervids; Payment of Indemnity

We are adopting as a final rule, with one change, an interim rule that amended the regulations to provide for the payment of indemnity for cervids destroyed because of tuberculosis, and to provide for the payment of indemnity for cattle, bison, and cervids found to have been exposed to tuberculosis by reason of association with any tuberculous livestock. The interim rule was necessary to encourage owners to rapidly remove cattle, bison, and cervids affected with and exposed to tuberculosis from their herds. Rapid removal of such cattle, bison, and cervids will help protect other cattle, bison, and cervids from tuberculosis and will facilitate tuberculosis eradication efforts in the United States. The interim rule also amended the regulations to deny claims for indemnity for depopulation of cattle, bison, and cervid herds unless other exposed livestock in the herd have been destroyed. This action was necessary to help ensure that when cattle, bison, and cervids in a herd are depopulated, other livestock do not remain as potential sources of infection when the owner restocks the herd with healthy animals.