Brucellosis Laws in Ohio: What Livestock Owners Need to Know

Brucellosis is one of the most tightly regulated livestock diseases in the United States, and Ohio is no exception. Whether you raise cattle, bison, or swine, understanding how Ohio law governs this disease can protect your herd, your neighbors’ animals, and your own legal standing.

This guide walks you through Ohio’s brucellosis classification status, vaccination and testing requirements, movement rules, reporting obligations, quarantine procedures, and the penalties you face if you fail to comply. Knowing these rules before a problem arises is far easier than dealing with a quarantine order after the fact.

What Is Brucellosis and Why It Is Regulated in Ohio

Brucellosis is a contagious or infectious disease of animals caused by Brucella suis, Brucella melitensis, or Brucella abortus. Ohio law codifies this definition directly in Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Section 941.21, making it the statutory foundation for all brucellosis regulations in the state.

Brucellosis — also known as contagious abortion or Bang’s disease — is a costly disease of livestock and wildlife caused by a group of bacteria in the genus Brucella. The disease has significant consequences for animal health, public health, and international trade.

Brucellosis occurs mainly in cattle, bison, and swine, but can affect other animals including cervids, goats, sheep, and horses — and people. In cattle and bison, the bacteria of concern is Brucella abortus.

The human health dimension is a key reason Ohio regulates this disease so closely. Brucellosis infection in the United States is, for the most part, an occupational disease of stockyard, farm, and slaughterhouse workers, butchers, and veterinarians. It is the most common laboratory-acquired bacterial infection. The infection is usually contracted by handling livestock fetuses and afterbirth or by contact with vaginal secretions, blood, urine, and carcasses of infected animals.

Infection can also be acquired by eating undercooked meat or by the ingestion of raw milk or unpasteurized cheese from infected cows, sheep, and goats. These dual risks to livestock and to human health explain why Ohio’s Department of Agriculture maintains an active regulatory framework under ORC Chapter 941.

Ohio’s Brucellosis Classification Status

Ohio holds the highest possible brucellosis classification under the federal framework. Ohio is listed among the validated brucellosis-free states under 9 CFR 78.43, placing it in the same category as all other continental U.S. states that have achieved and maintained this status.

All 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are brucellosis-free, except for the occasional spillover of cases occurring in livestock near the Greater Yellowstone Area due to bison and elk having the disease. Ohio, located well outside the Greater Yellowstone Area, faces no active wildlife reservoir threat of this kind.

A state that meets the standards for classification as a Class Free state is certified as such on initial classification or reclassification by the state animal health official, the Veterinarian in Charge, and the USDA Administrator. For initial classification or reclassification, all cattle herds in the state must have remained free of Brucella abortus for 12 consecutive months, based on surveillance and epidemiologic investigations, and the state must have a cattle herd infection rate of 0.0 percent or 0 herds per 1,000.

At the individual herd level, Ohio law provides a parallel certification pathway. The Ohio Department of Agriculture may designate a herd of cattle to be certified brucellosis-free if it passed at least two consecutive negative herd blood tests which were not less than twelve months nor more than eighteen months apart, or if it passed the first herd blood test without any evidence of brucellosis infection and passed one additional negative herd blood test conducted not earlier than six months nor more than eighteen months from the date of the first test, with all herd blood tests conducted at a laboratory approved by or operated by the department.

The department may recertify a herd as brucellosis-free for 365 days if it passes a negative herd blood test prior to the end of 455 days after the date of the certification or recertification test, with all herd blood tests conducted at a laboratory approved by or operated by the department.

If you raise cattle or bison in neighboring states, you may also find it useful to review how brucellosis laws in Michigan and brucellosis laws in Nebraska compare, since movement rules between Class Free states can still differ in their documentation requirements.

Vaccination Requirements in Ohio

Ohio’s vaccination rules for brucellosis are governed by Ohio Administrative Code Rule 901:1-5-02 and align with the federal RB51 vaccine program. There is a vaccine for brucellosis called RB51, licensed for use in nonpregnant female cattle 4 to 12 months of age. The vaccine provides a significant level of protection — about 70 to 80 percent effective.

In 1996, APHIS replaced the original B. abortus live attenuated strain 19 vaccine with RB51 for use in U.S. cattle, to be administered subcutaneously to nonpregnant heifers between 4 and 12 months of age. Ohio’s rules reflect this federal transition, with OAC Rule 901:1-5-02 specifying the RB51 vaccine as the approved biologic.

When you vaccinate an animal in Ohio, you must follow specific identification requirements. You must identify each animal with an individual identification in the right ear consisting of an official orange-colored vaccination eartag, an existing official eartag, or — in the case of cattle registered with their respective breed association — by the registration identification.

The right ear must also be marked with a vaccination tattoo code consisting of three sections. The first section shall be an “R” designating the use of the RB51 brucella vaccine. The second section shall be the letter “V,” enclosed in a shield, and the third shall be the last digit of the year in which the biologic is administered.

RB51 is available only through an accredited veterinarian, state animal health official, or federal area veterinarian in charge. You cannot obtain or administer this vaccine on your own — it requires a licensed professional at every step.

• Vaccine: RB51 (the only approved brucella biologic in Ohio)
• Eligible animals: Nonpregnant female cattle, 4 to 12 months of age
• Right-ear orange vaccination eartag required at time of vaccination
• Right-ear tattoo code required: “R” + “V” in shield + last digit of vaccination year
• Administration by accredited veterinarian or state/federal animal health official only

Upon request and for good cause shown, the director of agriculture may grant written permission to vaccinate animals not eligible for vaccination under the standard age rules. This exception exists for specific circumstances, such as animals intended for interstate movement to a receiving state with different age requirements.

An animal that does not meet the standard age requirements but is intended for interstate movement may be vaccinated if it meets the age requirement of the receiving state for official brucellosis calfhood vaccinates, provided the vaccination was done at a livestock auction or livestock concentration market, was done by a person meeting the standard requirements, and the animal is moved to the receiving state within seven days of the date of vaccination.

Testing Requirements for Cattle and Bison in Ohio

Ohio law defines which animals are subject to brucellosis testing and what counts as a valid test. Under OAC Rule 901:1-5-04, a brucellosis herd test of cattle has a specific scope. A brucellosis herd test of cattle includes a test of each bovine animal six months of age or older, except steers, spayed heifers, and official brucellosis vaccinates under twenty-four months of age. A brucellosis herd test of cattle shall also include each official brucellosis vaccinate over twenty months of age.

For purposes of individual animal testing — particularly for interstate movement — Ohio Administrative Code Rule 901:1-17-03 defines test-eligible cattle and bison more precisely.

Brucellosis tests required under Ohio’s movement rules shall either be conducted by or confirmed by a state or federally approved laboratory. You cannot rely on a non-approved facility’s results for regulatory compliance purposes.

For non-domestic Bovidae entering Ohio — including antelope, wild cattle, free-roaming buffalo, and wild goats — the testing standard is stricter. These animals must either originate from a certified free herd, or, if six months of age or older, have a negative individual test within thirty days prior to entry conducted at a state or federally approved laboratory.

At the herd certification level, the Ohio Department of Agriculture has ongoing oversight authority. The department may conduct additional blood tests of any certified brucellosis-free herd at any time which the department deems advisable. This means certification does not eliminate the possibility of unannounced testing.

If you are interested in how testing standards compare across state lines, see how brucellosis laws in Minnesota and brucellosis laws in Missouri handle these requirements.

Interstate and Intrastate Movement Rules in Ohio

Ohio’s movement rules for cattle and bison are among the most detailed components of its brucellosis regulatory framework. The rules vary depending on the origin state’s classification and the purpose of movement — breeding, exhibition, or slaughter.

When cattle or bison are imported into Ohio for breeding purposes from an accredited free state or zone and a certified free state, Ohio Administrative Code Rule 901:1-17-03 requires official individual identification and accompanying documentation. Animals must be accompanied by either a certificate of veterinary inspection issued within thirty days prior to entry, or an owner/shipper statement issued within thirty days prior to entry.

When animals originate from states with a lower brucellosis classification, the requirements become significantly more stringent:

• Animals from a Class C state that originate from a certified brucellosis-free herd must enter with a permit prior to entry and shall be quarantined and retested in forty-five to one hundred twenty days post entry or after becoming test eligible.
• Animals from a Class C state that are not yet test-eligible must also enter with a permit prior to entry and be quarantined and retested in the same timeframe.
• Animals from a Class C state from a certified brucellosis-free herd must be retested forty-five to one hundred twenty days post entry or after becoming test eligible.

Cattle or bison imported into Ohio for breeding purposes which originate from a non-accredited state or zone can only enter Ohio for slaughter in compliance with the applicable slaughter movement rules of the Administrative Code. In other words, if the origin state or zone lacks accreditation, the animals cannot enter Ohio for breeding at all — only for immediate slaughter.

For animals moving through Ohio livestock markets, additional rules apply. Cattle and bison imported into Ohio for breeding purposes from an accredited free state or zone and a certified free state may be consigned to a USDA-approved livestock market licensed under Chapter 943 of the Revised Code when they are officially individually identified.

Exhibition movement creates a separate compliance obligation. Animals which travel out of Ohio for exhibition purposes in a modified accredited, accreditation preparatory, or non-accredited state or zone must meet the re-entry requirements of Ohio’s import rules in order to return to or be imported into Ohio. Leaving the state for a show does not exempt your animals from re-entry testing when they come back.

Ohio’s brucellosis laws in Nevada counterpart page offers a useful comparison for producers who move cattle through western states where movement corridors and wildlife pressures differ considerably from Ohio’s situation.

Reporting and Quarantine Requirements in Ohio

Ohio law places mandatory reporting obligations on veterinarians and imposes automatic quarantine authority on the Ohio Department of Agriculture when brucellosis is known or suspected. These requirements operate under both ORC Chapter 941 and OAC Chapter 901:1-5.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture shall place under quarantine any premises on which brucellosis is known to exist or on which there is good reason to suspect the presence of brucellosis. This is a mandatory directive — the department has no discretion to delay quarantine once the threshold of known existence or reasonable suspicion is met.

The quarantine investigation process is triggered by any notification. When the director of agriculture is notified by any person of the possibility of the existence of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease, the director shall immediately order an investigation. In order to conduct an investigation, the director or the director’s designee may quarantine the animal and, if necessary, the geographic area in which the animal was located, so that the director is able to inspect, examine, and test the animal and other animals within the geographic area.

Once a quarantine order is issued, your obligations are immediate and strict:

1. No person shall fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the quarantine order.
2. No animal or its means of conveyance shall be brought to or removed from the premises or geographic area disclosed in a quarantine order without written permission from the director or the director’s authorized representative.
3. A quarantine order shall remain in effect until a written notice of release is issued by the department of agriculture, or until ordered to be removed after a hearing.

You do have a procedural right if you believe a quarantine order is unwarranted. A person adversely affected by a quarantine order, within thirty days after the order is issued, may request in writing a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code. However, a request for a hearing does not stay a quarantine order. The animals remain quarantined while you pursue any challenge.

Regarding costs, all necessary and proper expenses incurred by the director in the quarantine of an animal shall be paid by the state. However, such expenses shall not include the maintenance, feeding, and quartering of the animal while in quarantine. The day-to-day care of quarantined animals remains your financial responsibility.

Lifting a quarantine requires documented evidence of a clean herd. The department may release any premises from quarantine upon evidence of a complete negative herd test made not less than 60 days following the removal of all reactor animals.

Reporting obligations extend to veterinarians. Any veterinarian who makes a brucellosis test or employs any other method of detection for brucellosis shall include in the report required by ORC Section 941.24(C) specific identifying information about each animal tested. Additionally, canine brucellosis is a reportable animal disease in Ohio, and reports should be directed to the ODA Division of Animal Health at (614) 728-6220.

For context on how Ohio’s reporting framework compares to neighboring states, the Michigan brucellosis laws page covers a state that faces additional reporting pressures due to its proximity to wildlife-affected zones.

Penalties for Brucellosis Violations in Ohio

Failing to comply with Ohio’s brucellosis laws carries serious legal and financial consequences. The penalty framework operates across multiple provisions of ORC Chapter 941 and the broader Ohio animal disease statutes.

The most immediate consequence of a violation is mandatory compliance with quarantine orders. As noted above, no person shall fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the quarantine order — and this prohibition is enforceable through the courts. Violating a quarantine order is not a minor administrative matter; it constitutes a violation of state law subject to criminal and civil penalties.

Ohio’s animal disease chapter provides the director of agriculture with broad enforcement authority. Under ORC Section 941.11, the director has the power to order the destruction of animals found to be infected. A copy of the results of any tests or method of detection for a dangerously contagious or infectious disease, conducted by a person authorized by the department of agriculture, shall be admitted in any court as prima-facie proof of those results when the results are certified by the department or authorized person. This means that a positive brucellosis test result is presumptively valid in any enforcement proceeding against you.

Specific categories of violations under Ohio’s brucellosis framework include:

• Moving animals into or out of a quarantined premises without written permission from the director
• Failing to comply with a quarantine order’s terms and conditions
• Administering an approved brucella biologic to an ineligible animal without director authorization
• Failing to report brucellosis test results as required under ORC 941.24(C)
• Importing animals for breeding from a non-accredited state or zone in violation of movement rules
• Failing to meet identification and documentation requirements for vaccinated animals

Under ORC Chapter 941’s general penalty provisions, violations of the animal disease chapter can be prosecuted as misdemeanor offenses, and the director may also pursue civil remedies including injunctive relief. Costs associated with the state’s enforcement actions — such as testing, investigation, and official oversight — can be assessed against a noncompliant owner in certain circumstances.

Beyond direct penalties, a brucellosis violation can result in the loss of your herd’s certified brucellosis-free status. If a blood test of a certified brucellosis-free herd reveals a positive result, the department will suspend the herd’s certified brucellosis-free status. Losing this certification affects your ability to sell, move, and market your animals — consequences that can be economically devastating even before any formal fine is imposed.

Ohio livestock owners who also raise other animals should be aware that brucellosis compliance intersects with broader animal ownership regulations. For related Ohio animal law topics, you may find these resources helpful: goat ownership laws in Ohio, backyard chicken laws in Ohio, and wildlife removal laws in Ohio — the last of which is particularly relevant given that wildlife contact is one of the primary brucellosis transmission risks in livestock operations.

If you work with animals professionally in Ohio, the emotional support animal laws in Ohio and hunting laws in Ohio pages cover adjacent regulatory areas that may intersect with your operations, especially if you manage land used by both livestock and wildlife.

Staying compliant with Ohio’s brucellosis laws is ultimately about protecting your herd, your neighbors’ herds, and the public health of your community. The regulatory framework is detailed, but it is also well-organized — and understanding it puts you in a far stronger position than waiting to learn the rules after a problem arises.