Regulations for the Importation of Cattle from Australia

REGULATIONS FOR THE IMPORTATION OF CATTLE FROM AUSTRALIA (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 AQIS. The veterinary health certificate shall contain details (name, address, telephone and fax numbers and email) of AQIS, the consignor and the consignee, the name and address of farm/s of origin and the identification list of animals. The competent veterinary officer shall certify that: a. Rift valley fever, lumpy skin disease, vesicular stomatitis and bovine spongiform encephalopathy have never been reported in Australia and Australia is officially free from bovine brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis. b. The animals have been kept since birth or for at least 6 months prior to export in Australia where no cases of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, rinderpest or foot and mouth disease were reported during the one year prior to export. c. The animals were derived from herds that have been regularly monitored and have been clinically free from Johne's disease for the last 2 years. d. The animals were derived from farms/premises where no cases of anthrax and haemorrhagic septicaemia were reported during the preceding 12 months prior to export. e. The animals have never been fed with any kind of processed animal proteins. f. The animals were treated with an approved acaricide and a broad-spectrum anthelmintic according to the manufacturer's instructions within 7 days prior to export and found to be free of ticks at the time of export. g. The animals have been examined and found to be free from clinical signs of infectious and contagious diseases and fit to travel at the time 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 directly to the port or airport of embarkation in Australia for loading into ship or aircraft. b. The consignment shall be accompanied by a declaration from the Master of the ship or Captain of the aircraft carrying the animals, that the ship or aircraft had sailed/flown directly to the designated port of disembarkation in Malaysia and that no animals other than the consignment as in Clause 2 above were carried on board. c. The feed (other than manufactured pellets) or bedding carried on board the ship or aircraft shall have been fumigated under the supervision of the competent veterinary officer of AQIS. 4. 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. 5. Slaughter of Animals a. All animals meant for slaughter shall be slaughtered in approved abattoirs as determined by DVS. b. Animals that are not slaughtered immediately and animals meant for fattening shall be held in a holding yard or farm of the importer approved by DVS. c. Release of animals from the approved holding yard/farm (Clause 5.b) for slaughter or sale shall be subject to movement regulations and slaughter procedures set by Director/Director General. d. The importer shall maintain proper records of slaughter or sale of animals at the holding yard or farm, for inspection by DVS. 6. Other Conditions Officers of the DVS shall inspect the farm/s of origin of the animals in Australia as and when necessary. 7. Disease outbreaks and contravention of import regulations In the event of an outbreak of epizootic diseases anytime during transportation or in case of importation in contravention of the above regulations including use of the animals for purposes other than fattening and slaughter, the Director General or Director shall at his discretion revoke the import approval and reject and return the animals to country of origin or dispose the animals in any manner as he may deem fit or impose additional measures as necessary. 8. Suspension of import The Director General may at any time suspend importations from Australia either temporarily or permanently in the event of disease outbreaks or suspected disease outbreaks in Australia. 9. 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. 10. 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