Regulations for the Importation of Cattle and Buffalo from the People’s Republic of China

REGULATIONS FOR THE IMPORTATION OF CATTLE AND BUFFALO FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (Empowered Under Section 8 of Animal Rules 1962) 1. Approval to Import a. Application for importation of the animals into Malaysia shall be made in writing to the Director General of Department Veterinary Services (DVS) Malaysia (hereinafter referred to as the Director General) or to Director of State Veterinary Services (Director) and an import permit shall be obtained from the Director General or the Director, prior to departure of the animals from the country of export. b. Not withstanding the above approval to import, importation of animals shall be subject to the following conditions. 2. Veterinary Health Certificate The consignment of animals shall be accompanied by a veterinary health certificate in English dated within 7 days of export, issued and signed by a competent veterinary officer of the veterinary authority of the ROC, containing details (name, address, telephone and fax numbers) of the veterinary authority, the farm of origin, the consignor and the consignee and the identification list of the animals. The competent veterinary officer shall certify that: a. Rift valley fever, lumpy skin disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy has never been reported in ROC. b. The animals have been kept since birth or for at least 6 months prior to export in Fujian Province where no cases of foot and mouth disease, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, rinderpest and vesicular stomatitis were reported during the one year prior export. c. The animals were derived from herds or farms or holdings where no cases of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, enzootic bovine leucosis, anthrax and haemorrhagic septicaemia were reported during the preceding 12 months prior to export. d. The animals were derived from herds that have been regularly monitored and found to be free from brucellosis, tuberculosis and Johne's disease. e. The animals have never been fed with any kind of processed animal proteins. f. The animals have been kept isolated from all animals not of similar health status, in a government approved pre-export quarantine facility located within Fujian Province for a period of not less than 30 days on an all-in, all-out basis. (Prior to entry of animals, the facility shall be properly disinfected and left vacant for 7 days). g. During quarantine the animals have been vaccinated twice at 14-days interval with trivalent FMD vaccine (O1, A22 and Asia 1). h. During quarantine the animals have been treated with 2 injections of dihydrostreptomycin at 14 days interval at a dose rate of 25mg/kg body weight and with broad spectrum antiparasitic treatment for internal and external parasites, within 7 days prior to export. i. During the 30-day quarantine, no cases of epizootic diseases were reported at the quarantine facility and the animals have been regularly examined by the veterinary authority and found to be free from clinical signs of infectious and contagious diseases till the date of export. 3. Transportation and Landing Place a. The consignment shall be accompanied by a declaration from the exporter that the animals have been transported by sealed and disinfected lorries or trucks, directly from the quarantine facility to the port of embarkation in ROC. b. The consignment shall be accompanied by a declaration from the Master of the ship carrying the animals, that the ship had sailed directly to the designated port of disembarkation in Malaysia and that no animals other than the consignment as in Clause 2.0 were carried on board. 4. Post Arrival Quarantine in Malaysia a. Upon arrival in Malaysia the animals shall be subject to a quarantine of a minimum of 10 days at a designated DVS quarantine station. b. Serum samples shall be collected randomly from 30% of the animals or a minimum of 300 animals for detection of FMD antibody titer levels as determined by DVS. c. Upon clinical examination during quarantine and provided that there is no evidence of infectious or contagious diseases, the animals shall be released to be transported by sealed trucks directly to the approved abattoir for slaughter or to an approved holding yard or farm (Clause 5.b). 5. Slaughter of Animals a. All animals shall be slaughtered in approved abattoirs as determined by DVS. b. Upon release from the post-arrival quarantine station, the animals that are not slaughtered immediately shall be held in a holding yard or farm of the importer approved by DVS. c. Release of animals from the post-arrival quarantine station or approved holding yard/farm (Clause 5.b) for slaughter shall be subject to movement regulations and slaughter procedures set by DVS. d. The importer shall maintain proper records of slaughter or sale of animals from the holding yard/farm for inspection by DVS. 6. Veterinary inspection at the point of entry in Malaysia a. All official documents of import shall be surrendered to the Animal Quarantine Officer of DVS for veterinary inspection, upon arrival at the designated port of disembarkation in Malaysia. b. Entry clearance of the consignment of animals at the port of entry is subject to veterinary approval of the Animal Quarantine Officer of DVS. 7. Other Conditions Officers of the DVS shall inspect the farm of origin of the animals and the quarantine facility in ROC as and when necessary, including for the supervision of the quarantine procedures. 8. Disease outbreaks and contravention of regulations In the event of an outbreak of epizootic diseases anytime during pre and post arrival quarantine or during transportation or in case of importation in contravention to the above regulations including use of the animals for purposes other than slaughter, the Director General or Director shall at his discretion revoke the import approval or reject the animals and return to country of origin or dispose the animals in any manner as he may deem fit or impose additional procedures as necessary. 9. Suspension of import The Director General may at any time suspend importations from ROC either temporarily or permanently in the event of disease outbreaks or suspected of disease outbreaks in ROC. 10. Right to amend import regulations The Director General shall amend the above regulations and the fees below at any time as he may deem necessary. 11. Fees Each consignment of the product imported into Malaysia shall be subjected to the following fees: i Import license : RM 5.00 per head ii Quarantine fee : RM 4.00 per head iii Quarantine certificate : RM 2.00 per head 12. Application and enquiries Import-Export Control and Quarantine Unit Department of Veterinary Services 8th & 9th Floors, Wisma Chase Perdana Off Jalan Semantan Bukit Damansara 50630 Kuala Lumpur Telephone: 603 254 0077 Facsimile : 603 253 5804 Email : wto-sps@jph.gov.my Website: http//agrolink.moa.my/jph/dvs/import/ 13. Department of Veterinary Services Ministry of Agriculture, Malaysia mailto:wto-sps@jph.gov.my http://agrolink.moa.my/jph/dvs/import/http/agrolink.moa.my/jph/dvs/import/ October 2001