At a recent special meeting, the State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) in Bismarck, North Dakota, decided to extend the age for brucellosis vaccination in heifers from 12 months to 14 months. This temporary waiver was issued due to a shortage of brucellosis vaccine and tags.
State Veterinarian Dr. Ethan Andress explained the decision, stating, “With a shortage of brucellosis vaccine and tags available, the board is temporarily extending the age requirement for heifer brucellosis vaccination to 14 months.” He also mentioned that the USDA had been consulted and did not express any concerns about this extension.
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring supported the decision by noting, “After taking all information into consideration, the board determined that these changes presented negligible risk to animal health in North Dakota.”
The BOAH plans to review this waiver at their next regular meeting on March 12, 2025.
