Bovine Tuberculosis Testing Requirements in Indiana: What Cattle Owners Must Know
August 14, 2026
If you raise cattle, bison, or captive cervids in Indiana, bovine tuberculosis testing is not optional paperwork you can skip when it’s convenient. It is a legal requirement tied directly to the state’s disease-free status, and getting it wrong can mean a quarantined herd, a blocked sale, or a felony charge.
This guide breaks down exactly who has to test, which methods the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) accepts, what triggers a quarantine, and what penalties you could face for skipping the process. Whether you’re moving cattle across state lines or just keeping your herd compliant at home, you’ll find the specifics you need below.
What Is Bovine Tuberculosis and Why It Is Regulated in Indiana
Mycobacterium bovis is the bacterium behind bovine tuberculosis, and it does not stay confined to cattle. Bovine tuberculosis is a bacterial disease of cattle that can infect humans, other domestic animals, and some wildlife, and the bacteria closely relate to the organism that causes human tuberculosis. It is a contagious, infectious disease of animals and humans that spreads through direct contact, inhalation of droplets from infected lungs, and ingestion of contaminated feed or milk.
At the herd level, the disease is often silent for a long time. Bovine TB is a chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis that primarily affects cattle, though other animals may become infected through animal-to-animal contact with infected mucus or by directly eating the bacteria. That slow, symptom-free progression is exactly why testing rather than visual inspection is the backbone of Indiana’s control program.
Regulation exists because a single undetected case can jeopardize an entire state’s trade status. BOAH’s bovine tuberculosis rules largely align with federal program standards, which is necessary for the state to maintain accredited-free status, since a state’s status has a significant economic impact on its dairy and beef cattle economy and a lowered status can mean costly movement restrictions and testing regimens. If you also raise poultry, the same underlying logic drives Indiana’s avian tuberculosis surveillance and other bovine disease monitoring programs that BOAH runs alongside TB testing.
Pro Tip: If you’re already tracking rabies compliance for other species on your property, review the rabies vaccine requirements in Indiana alongside your TB testing calendar — both fall under BOAH’s broader disease control authority and often get audited together during farm inspections.
Indiana’s TB Classification Status and Risk Zones
Indiana has officially held a bovine tuberculosis-free status since 1984 with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and under federal guidelines that status remains. That distinction matters because it determines whether cattle can move freely in and out of the state without a pre-entry TB test.
The status has been tested more than once. Bovine TB was detected in Southeast Indiana in beef cattle and one cervid farm between 2008 and 2016: a single beef cow in 2008 with no other positives found, a cervid herd in 2009 that was depopulated, two beef animals in 2010 whose herd was depopulated, one beef herd in 2011 that was depopulated, and two different beef cattle herds in 2016 whose herds were also depopulated. Investigators traced a pattern rather than a coincidence: after diagnosing the first bovine TB-positive herd in April 2016, BOAH set a 3-mile radius around the herd and tested every cattle herd inside it, then expanded to a 10-mile radius after a TB-positive wild white-tailed deer was confirmed, ultimately testing 378 cattle herds and more than 2,000 hunter-harvested deer before a second herd tested positive.
Surveillance in that corridor has continued on a smaller scale since. During the 2018-19 hunting season, the bTB surveillance area was reduced to a 1.5-mile radius centered on the affected farm, although deer could still be submitted from within the 225 square mile area if hunters were concerned about bTB. If you hunt or process deer in that part of southeastern Indiana, the hunting license requirements in Indiana page covers reporting obligations tied to this zone.
Important Note: According to BOAH’s FAQ page (dated April 2026), Indiana currently has no known cases of bovine TB or farms under quarantine for the disease. Status can change quickly if a new case is confirmed, so always verify current conditions directly with BOAH before assuming a zone is inactive.
Who Must Test and Which Animals Are Covered in Indiana
Not every animal on your property needs a TB test every year. The requirement is targeted at specific categories of risk.
Breeding cattle imported into Indiana from high-risk areas require a negative TB test prior to entry, and Indiana has had TB testing requirements for several years for all live cervids imported into or moved within the state. Cervids — deer, elk, and similar species kept in captivity — are treated as a distinct risk category because of the documented cattle-to-wildlife transmission found in the Franklin County investigations.
Cattle themselves are grouped under a “test eligible” definition that has narrowed over time. As of a 2018 rule change, BOAH modified the definition of “test eligible cattle” to remove sexually intact female cattle of dairy breeds and dairy cross breeds six months of age or older from accredited free and modified accredited advanced states or zones, and repealed the requirement to test those same animals prior to movement into the state. In practice, that means fewer dairy heifers need pre-entry testing than in years past, while the categories below still apply for cattle from Modified Accredited Advanced states or zones:
- Cattle that are not officially vaccinated and are at least 18 months of age
- Official calfhood vaccinates at least 18 months of age that are parturient or postparturient
- Official calfhood vaccinates of beef breeds or bison at least 24 months of age
- Official calfhood vaccinates of dairy breeds at least 20 months of age
If you’re moving mixed livestock and want to confirm biosecurity obligations that overlap with TB testing, the livestock biosecurity requirements in Indiana guide covers the broader compliance picture producers are expected to follow.
Approved TB Testing Methods in Indiana
Indiana relies on a small set of federally recognized diagnostic tests, and which one applies depends on whether you’re testing a routine entry animal or an animal from a known-affected herd.
The CT test is the official primary diagnostic test for tuberculosis in herds affected with bovine tuberculosis, and it must be used when testing exposed cattle or bison from affected herds. The test must be applied only by a state or federal regulatory veterinarian, and results may only be classified as reactor or negative. The CFT test may be used in lieu of the CT test, but only with approval of the state veterinarian in consultation with USDA Veterinary Services.
Cervids follow a different federal protocol. Cervids must be tested using the tests and procedures designated in 9 CFR 77.33 and 9 CFR 77.34, which is why BOAH separately publishes Dual Path Platform (DPP) test submission guidance for deer and elk operations.
Timing matters as much as the test itself. When a test for tuberculosis is conducted, the injection site is observed and palpated seventy-two hours after the time of injection of tuberculin, plus or minus six hours. A positive response usually begins within 8 to 12 hours and peaks about 72 hours after injection, and test observation without palpation is unacceptable. A suspect reading isn’t the final word — the caudal-fold test is used as a presumptive diagnostic procedure, and animals classified as suspect must be evaluated further by the comparative cervical test, gamma interferon test, or sent directly to slaughter under permit.
Producers who already coordinate equine testing schedules will recognize the pattern — it’s the same logic behind the EIA Coggins test requirements in Indiana, where a single accredited-vet-administered test drives movement eligibility for an entire species group.
Pro Tip: Because tuberculin testing can be affected by an animal’s immune status, the animal being tested should not concurrently be receiving other medications, vaccinations, or anthelminthic drugs, since these agents may temporarily affect the immune system and influence the tuberculin test result.
Interstate and Intrastate Movement Testing Requirements in Indiana
Where your cattle are coming from determines whether a TB test is required at all. Indiana’s entry rules split states and zones into two practical categories:
| Origin Classification | Testing Requirement for Entry |
|---|---|
| TB-Free States or Zones | Cattle or bison may move with no restrictions |
| Modified Accredited Advanced States or Zones | Cattle and bison 18 months of age and older must test negative for tuberculosis within 60 days prior to entering Indiana |
Several categories of animals are exempt regardless of origin. Exceptions to TB testing requirements, for all sexes, breeds, and states or zones, include animals moving directly to slaughter or to slaughter through only one approved livestock facility, animals originating from an accredited herd, and animals moved in accordance with a BOAH-approved commuter herd agreement. Exhibition cattle get a narrower window: animals moving into and out of Indiana within 10 days must follow the import testing requirements listed above for the status of their state of origin.
Paperwork requirements are just as strict as the test itself. A pre-entry permit is not required for cattle when the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection is submitted to BOAH electronically prior to movement, but a permit must be obtained prior to transporting such animals into Indiana otherwise. And there’s no gray area on positive animals: no animal that has tested positive for tuberculosis, brucellosis, or any other excluded infectious disease may enter Indiana, no animal from a quarantined herd may enter, and the owner is responsible for completing any required testing before the animals enter the state.
If you’re hauling cattle to meet these deadlines, make sure your equipment also meets state standards — the livestock trailer requirements in Indiana guide covers what inspectors check at weigh stations and checkpoints.
Movement restrictions can also work in reverse. Proof of a negative TB test is already required if you’re taking cattle into Wisconsin, which as of that reporting was the only state requiring proof of a negative TB test for cattle entering from anywhere in Indiana. Wisconsin notified Indiana that it requires proof of a negative TB test on all cattle entering from Indiana, and the cost of that testing falls on the producer. BOAH was not aware of other states imposing similar requirements at that time, but noted that could change and recommended producers always check with the destination state’s authorities before shipping.
Common Mistake: Assuming a TB-free label applies to your entire destination state. Some states impose county-level or herd-level restrictions tied to specific outbreak history, not blanket state status — always confirm before loading cattle.
What Happens When a Suspect or Positive Result Occurs in Indiana
A suspect result triggers a fast, formal reporting chain, not a wait-and-see approach. Animals classified as suspects by the CF test must be reported via telephone to the state veterinarian or a board employee within forty-eight hours of the time the site of injection is observed. All accredited veterinarians must immediately report every suspected or diagnosed bovine TB case promptly to both the Assistant District Director and the State Animal Health Official, and if the test produces any type of response, the veterinarian must immediately notify APHIS Veterinary Services Area Offices and state animal health officials.
From there, the process typically unfolds in a set sequence:
- Suspect or reactor animals are isolated and reported to BOAH within the required window.
- A regulatory veterinarian confirms the finding with a secondary test, such as the comparative cervical or gamma interferon test.
- If confirmed positive, BOAH launches an epidemiological investigation of the herd’s history.
- Neighboring and linked herds within a defined radius are tested as part of surveillance.
That epidemiological work can reach back years. The investigative process requires reviewing purchase, sales, and breeding records for all cattle and cervid operations linked to the initially identified herds, including purchases made several years ago, because TB is a slow-growing disease and the ultimate source of infection may never be definitively identified. The 2016 Franklin County case illustrates how this plays out in real time: a second beef cattle herd in Indiana tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, announced by BOAH in late 2016, following the first herd reported in April of that year, though officials confirmed Indiana would not lose its TB-free status.
Meat safety is protected independently of the live-animal testing chain. Beef processed at state or federally inspected facilities is evaluated for signs of illness before slaughter, and after slaughter the carcass and internal organs are inspected for any signs of disease, such as tuberculosis, that would make the meat unacceptable for human consumption. In fact, the 2008-era cases in Franklin and Dearborn counties were originally identified through routine inspection when cattle were sent to a slaughter plant, with the information relayed back to BOAH for follow-up investigation.
Quarantine and Herd Depopulation Rules in Indiana
Quarantine in Indiana isn’t a fixed time period — it’s tied to testing completion and federal eradication standards. Herds considered exposed to TB remain under quarantine until all exposed animals are tested, while any herd in which a positive is found remains under quarantine until the property has met all requirements set forth by the USDA as part of the federal disease eradication program.
BOAH’s legal authority to impose and enforce these orders comes directly from state law. The board has general supervision of the prevention, detection, control, and eradication of diseases and pests affecting the health of animals within and in transit through Indiana, and it can act against any herd it finds is not being maintained in accordance with a quarantine or condition imposed under the article, a rule adopted under the article, or an order issued under the article.
When a positive is confirmed, the standard response is removal of the entire affected group rather than selective culling. There isn’t a fixed number anyone can put on the economic loss a producer sees when a herd is infected, because BOAH depopulates each herd identified as positive with TB. That policy played out consistently across Indiana’s known cases — every affected herd identified between 2009 and 2016, whether cervid or beef cattle, was depopulated.
Producers managing biosecurity risk on working farms should treat quarantine compliance as part of a broader herd-health routine, not an isolated event tied only to TB. The same inspection and containment principles show up across Indiana’s livestock biosecurity framework, which covers new-animal isolation and disease reporting more broadly.
Penalties for Non-Compliance in Indiana
Indiana treats TB compliance failures as both a civil and, in some circumstances, a criminal matter. The financial exposure alone is significant: a person who violates the animal health article, a rule adopted under it, or a board determination or order is liable for a penalty not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars for each day of the violation, plus payment to the board for costs incurred as a direct consequence of prosecution, with these penalties recoverable in a civil action and the possibility of an injunction against continuing the violation.
Certain actions cross into criminal territory. A person who knowingly or intentionally imports a domestic animal into Indiana without taking suitable precautions to prevent the introduction and spread of contagious or infectious disease, in conformance with board rules, commits a Level 6 felony. A person who knowingly or intentionally moves a domestic animal with an infectious or contagious disease off the property where it is confined, except under board rules, also commits a Level 6 felony. General rule violations carry a lighter but still real consequence: a person who knowingly or intentionally violates or fails to comply with a rule adopted under the article commits a Class A infraction.
BOAH has also formalized how it calculates fines for lesser violations. A rule filed in February 2025 established a civil penalty schedule and set forth the factors in assessing penalties for violations of Indiana’s animal health and animal products laws, and anyone facing a proposed penalty has the right to request a hearing within fifteen days after receiving notice of the action. Importantly, nothing in that rule requires the board to impose a civil penalty for every violation — BOAH retains discretion to pursue compliance orders instead.
Key Insight: Removing an animal from quarantine without authorization is its own separate violation. A person who removes, without permission of the board, any animal from a herd placed under quarantine is in violation of the article — a rule that applies even if the animal ultimately tests negative.
Compliance ultimately comes down to timing and documentation: testing within the required window, submitting a valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, and reporting any suspect result immediately rather than waiting. If you’re coordinating multiple herd-health obligations, from rabies compliance to equine testing schedules, treating bovine TB testing as a fixed calendar item — not a reactive scramble before a sale — remains the simplest way to stay out of BOAH’s enforcement pipeline entirely.