Brucellosis Laws in North Carolina: What Livestock Owners Need to Know

Brucellosis is one of the most closely regulated animal diseases in the United States, and North Carolina takes its obligations under the national eradication program seriously. If you own cattle, bison, swine, goats, or other susceptible livestock in the state, understanding the rules around testing, vaccination, movement, and reporting is not optional — it is a legal requirement.

This guide walks you through every major aspect of brucellosis law in North Carolina, from the state’s disease-free classification to the criminal penalties you can face for knowingly selling an infected animal. Whether you are a first-time livestock owner or a seasoned producer, knowing these rules helps you protect your herd, your neighbors’ herds, and your own legal standing.

What Is Brucellosis and Why It Is Regulated in North Carolina

Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by Brucella bacteria that primarily affects sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, deer, elk, and dogs. It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread from infected animals to people. That human health dimension is one of the central reasons state and federal agencies treat it as a priority concern rather than a routine livestock illness.

In humans, brucellosis can cause flu-like symptoms including fever, sweats, headaches, back pains, and physical weakness. Severe infections of the central nervous system or the lining of the heart may occur, and the disease can also cause long-lasting or chronic symptoms such as recurrent fevers, joint pain, and fatigue.

In the United States, there are only about 100–200 reported cases of brucellosis a year, usually as a result of foreign travel, consuming unpasteurized dairy products, or hunting and dressing feral swine. Still, the disease’s potential to spread through livestock markets and into the food supply makes it a serious regulatory concern for every state, including North Carolina.

Under North Carolina law, “brucellosis” means the disease wherein an animal is infected with Brucella organisms irrespective of the occurrence or absence of abortion or other symptoms. An animal shall be declared affected with brucellosis if it is classified as a reactor to a serological test for the disease, or if the Brucella organism has been found in the body, its secretions, or discharges.

The control and eradication of brucellosis in the herds of North Carolina is conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations made by the Board of Agriculture, which is authorized to cooperate with the United States Department of Agriculture in the control and eradication of brucellosis. You can find a broader overview of how animal disease laws intersect with other livestock regulations on our page covering goat ownership laws in North Carolina.

North Carolina’s Brucellosis Classification Status

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) classifies states according to their brucellosis status. The highest designation is “Class Free,” which means a state’s cattle and bison herds have remained free from field-strain Brucella abortus infections. North Carolina holds Class Free status, meaning the state’s livestock operations benefit from significantly relaxed interstate movement requirements compared to lower-classified states.

Requirements for Class Free status include that the cattle and/or bison herds in the state must have remained free from infections with field strains of Brucella abortus for at least 12 months. Maintaining that designation requires ongoing surveillance, prompt reporting, and cooperation between state and federal veterinary officials.

The control and eradication of brucellosis in the herds of North Carolina is conducted as far as available funds will permit, and in accordance with the rules and regulations made by the Board of Agriculture, which is authorized to cooperate with the United States Department of Agriculture.

Federal regulations were amended to reduce the amount of testing required to maintain Class Free status for states that have been Class Free for five or more years and have no Brucella abortus in wildlife. North Carolina benefits from this reduced surveillance burden, but the underlying legal obligations for producers remain in place. You can compare how neighboring states handle similar frameworks by reviewing brucellosis laws in Missouri and brucellosis laws in Michigan.

Vaccination Requirements in North Carolina

North Carolina law establishes a structured calfhood vaccination program administered under the authority of the State Veterinarian. Vaccination is the first line of defense in preventing brucellosis from taking hold in a herd, and the state’s rules govern who can vaccinate, at what age, and how vaccinated animals must be identified.

The State Veterinarian is authorized and empowered to set up a program for the vaccination of calves in accordance with the recommendations of the Brucellosis Committee of the United States Livestock Sanitary Association, and approved by the United States Department of Agriculture, when in his opinion vaccination is necessary for the control and eradication of brucellosis.

The official calfhood vaccination window under 02 NCAC 52B .0303 is between four and eight months of age, performed by an accredited veterinarian. The vaccine used must be licensed by the Biologics Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and be authorized for use in North Carolina by the State Veterinarian.

• Identification: Each vaccinated heifer shall be identified by the official vaccination tattoo and an approved ear tag in the right ear, though the State Veterinarian may waive the ear tag requirement if other acceptable means of identifying individual heifers are used.
• Record submission: The original and one copy of the brucellosis calfhood vaccination record shall be submitted by the person doing the vaccinating to the State Veterinarian within 10 days following vaccination.
• Vaccine access: It is unlawful to sell, offer for sale, distribute, or use brucellosis vaccine or any product containing live Brucella organisms, except as provided for in regulations adopted by the Board of Agriculture.

Age matters when it comes to how vaccinated animals are classified if they later test positive. Officially brucellosis vaccinated cattle of the dairy breeds 20 months of age and over, and those of the beef breeds 24 months of age and over, classified as reactors to an official test for brucellosis shall be branded and tagged as brucellosis reactors. Parturient and post parturient animals reacting to the official brucellosis test shall be branded and tagged as reactors regardless of age.

Vaccinated animals shall be permanently identified by tattooing or other methods approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture. This permanent identification is critical not just for regulatory compliance, but for your ability to demonstrate an animal’s vaccination history during any future sale or movement.

Testing Requirements for Cattle and Bison in North Carolina

Testing is the backbone of North Carolina’s brucellosis control program. The state’s rules specify who may conduct tests, when testing is required, and what must happen with animals that test positive. Understanding these requirements protects you from both disease spread and legal liability.

Under 02 NCAC 52B, brucellosis testing of cattle, swine, goats, or other livestock shall be conducted only by an accredited veterinarian or an employee of the veterinary division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture or Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Veterinary Services, United States Department of Agriculture. You cannot conduct an official brucellosis test yourself.

The sale of brucellosis test antigen to any individual, firm, or corporation not in possession of a written permit from the State Veterinarian, or the possession of said antigen by any person not in possession of such a permit, is prohibited.

Testing requirements at the point of sale are equally specific:

• All cattle offered for public sale must test negative for brucellosis within 30 days preceding the date of sale, with limited exceptions for certain vaccinated heifers and cattle consigned directly for slaughter.
• No cattle except those for immediate slaughter shall be removed from a public livestock market unless they are accompanied by a certificate issued by an accredited veterinarian. The certificate must show that such animals are apparently healthy and come directly from a certified brucellosis-free herd or state, or that eligible cattle have passed an approved test for brucellosis within 30 days prior to sale. Steers, spayed heifers, and native cattle under 18 months of age are exempt from this requirement.
• All blood samples for the brucellosis test shall be drawn by persons whose qualifications are set by regulation of the Board of Agriculture. Animals from which blood is collected for a brucellosis test shall be identified by numbered ear tag, tattoo, or in some other manner approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture.

When a test reveals a positive result, the law requires immediate action. It shall be the duty of the person who collects the blood sample, or other designated authorized person, to brand all cattle affected with brucellosis with the letter “B” on the left hip or jaw, not less than three or more than four inches high, tag such animals with an approved brucellosis reactor ear tag, and report the same to the State Veterinarian.

For imported cattle that were commingled before entry, additional post-arrival testing applies. Eligible cattle that have been commingled in a stockyard prior to importation must, in addition to the requirements of the applicable rule, test negative for brucellosis between 45 and 120 days after arrival in North Carolina.

Dairy sheep and goats entering from out of state face their own testing window. Dairy sheep and goats over six months of age and sexually intact imported from out of state must have a negative brucellosis test within 30 days prior to import. For more on how animal import rules work in North Carolina generally, see our guide on pet import laws in North Carolina.

Interstate and Intrastate Movement Rules in North Carolina

Moving livestock across state lines — or even within North Carolina — triggers a specific set of brucellosis-related documentation and testing requirements. North Carolina’s Class Free status simplifies some of these requirements, but it does not eliminate them entirely.

The USDA Uniform Methods and Rules contain minimum standards for classifying states and areas, and for detecting, controlling, and eradicating brucellosis, as well as minimum brucellosis requirements for the intrastate and interstate movement of cattle and bison. North Carolina’s state rules align with and in some cases exceed these federal minimums.

For cattle leaving North Carolina, interstate movement documentation is mandatory. No livestock shall be removed from this state unless an interstate health certificate, in proper form, is submitted to the State Veterinarian within seven days of issuance of said certificate.

For cattle entering North Carolina, the rules depend on the source state’s classification and the animal’s vaccination and age status:

• Cattle from Class Free states or certified brucellosis-free herds generally move without pre-entry testing requirements, provided they are accompanied by a valid health certificate.
• Heifers of the beef breed less than 24 months of age officially vaccinated against brucellosis are exempt from pre-entry testing requirements.
• For exotic mammals including bison, buffalo, and all other bovidae other than domestic cattle, animals from out of state must have negative test results for brucellosis within 30 days and tuberculosis within 60 days for all animals six months old and older, and must have the certification statement that the herd of origin has had no brucellosis or tuberculosis diagnosed within the relevant period.

For swine, the intrastate movement rules are equally strict. All swine sold or offered for sale for breeding purposes must originate directly from a validated brucellosis-free herd unless they originate from a state classified as swine-brucellosis free. All sporting swine sold or offered for sale must originate directly from a validated brucellosis-free herd.

Livestock dealers also carry ongoing record-keeping obligations tied to movement. All livestock dealers licensed under the Livestock Dealer Licensing Act shall keep records for two years of all transactions involving livestock and permit any authorized agent of the Commissioner of Agriculture to access and copy all records. Those records must include the approximate age, breed, and species of the livestock, the date of sale, and the name and address of persons from whom and to whom livestock are sold and traded.

You can see how North Carolina’s movement framework compares with other states in our articles on brucellosis laws in Minnesota, brucellosis laws in Nebraska, and brucellosis laws in Nevada.

Reporting and Quarantine Requirements in North Carolina

North Carolina imposes strict and time-sensitive reporting obligations on both veterinarians and livestock owners when brucellosis is suspected or confirmed. These requirements exist at two levels: the animal health system and the public health system.

Veterinary Reporting

Under 02 NCAC 52C .0603, all persons practicing veterinary medicine in North Carolina shall report brucellosis (livestock only) to the State Veterinarian’s office by telephone within two hours after the disease is reasonably suspected to exist. This two-hour window is one of the shortest reporting deadlines in the state’s entire list of reportable animal diseases, reflecting how seriously the state treats a potential brucellosis outbreak.

Human Case Reporting

Under 10A NCAC 41A .0101, brucellosis in humans must be reported within 7 days after the disease is reasonably suspected to exist, pursuant to Article 6 of Chapter 130A of the North Carolina General Statutes. Physicians, laboratories, and health care providers all share this obligation.

Quarantine Procedures

Once brucellosis is confirmed or reasonably suspected, quarantine authority activates immediately. Animals affected with, or exposed to, or suspected of being carriers of the disease shall be subject to quarantine and the rules and regulations of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Cattle affected with brucellosis shall be quarantined and slaughtered at a state or federally inspected slaughter plant within 10 days after branding and tagging. The State Veterinarian may, in his discretion, grant an extension of time for slaughter not to exceed 30 days, and the Commissioner of Agriculture may allow a branded and tagged animal having unusual breeding value to be held for a period of time under conditions of isolation and quarantine prescribed by the State Veterinarian.

Animals believed by the State Veterinarian or his authorized representative to have been exposed to brucellosis, or animals classified as suspects, shall be quarantined on the owner’s premises or at such other place as is mutually agreeable to the owner and the State Veterinarian until the quarantine is removed in accordance with law or until the animal is disposed of in accordance with law.

The owner bears financial responsibility for maintaining quarantined animals. The person issuing the quarantine shall give public notice by posting or placarding the entrance to any part of the premises on which the animals are held with a suitable quarantine sign, and the animals are to be maintained by the owner or person in charge at the owner’s expense.

Owners cannot simply refuse a state-ordered test. The State Veterinarian is empowered to require the testing of cattle, goats, and swine he has reasonable grounds to believe are affected with or have been exposed to brucellosis. Following a ten-day notice, the owner shall have his cattle, swine, or goats confined at the appointed time of the test and shall provide the necessary facilities and assistance for the person making the test.

No identification marks may be removed once applied. No ear tag, back tag, or other mark of identification approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture for identifying animals for the purpose of brucellosis testing, including testing at slaughter plants, shall be removed from the animal without authorization from the State Veterinarian or his authorized representative.

For context on how North Carolina handles other animal health and ownership regulations, see our guides on animal cruelty laws in North Carolina and pet laws in North Carolina.

Penalties for Brucellosis Violations in North Carolina

North Carolina treats brucellosis violations as serious offenses carrying real legal consequences. The penalties range from civil liability to criminal misdemeanor charges, depending on the nature and intent of the violation.

Criminal Penalties

Any person or persons who shall willfully and knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any animal or animals known to be affected with brucellosis, or under quarantine because of suspected exposure to brucellosis, except as provided for in G.S. 106-388 to 106-398, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A Class 1 misdemeanor in North Carolina can carry active jail time, community punishment, or intermediate sanctions depending on prior criminal history.

Violations of general animal disease regulations can carry additional criminal exposure. Under G.S. 106-22(3), violations of certain livestock regulations are punishable as misdemeanors with potential fines or imprisonment. The specific classification depends on which statutory provision is violated.

Civil Liability

Beyond criminal exposure, you also face direct civil liability to anyone harmed by your actions. Any person or persons who knowingly sells, or otherwise disposes of, to another, an animal affected with brucellosis shall be liable in a civil action to any person injured, and for all damages resulting therefrom. This means that if a buyer’s herd becomes infected because you sold them a known reactor, they can sue you for the full economic value of their losses.

Nonresident sellers are not insulated from this liability. When cattle are sold or otherwise disposed of in North Carolina by a nonresident of the state, the person or persons on whose premises the cattle are sold or otherwise disposed of, with his knowledge and consent, shall be equally responsible for violations of G.S. 106-388 to 106-398 and the regulations of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Prohibited Conduct Summary

Civil penalties can also arise from general livestock market violations. Livestock market licensees expressly agree to strictly conform to the relevant articles of the General Statutes of North Carolina governing Public Livestock Markets, the North Carolina Livestock Prompt Pay Law, and the Livestock Dealer Licensing Act. Failure to comply may result in civil penalties.

For a broader understanding of how North Carolina regulates livestock and animal ownership beyond brucellosis, explore our related guides on beekeeping laws in North Carolina, bow hunting laws in North Carolina, and roadkill laws in North Carolina.

Staying compliant with North Carolina’s brucellosis laws is ultimately about more than avoiding fines or criminal charges. It protects the economic viability of your operation, preserves the state’s Class Free status that benefits all producers, and safeguards the public health of everyone who comes into contact with livestock or livestock products in the state. When in doubt, contact the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division or consult an accredited veterinarian before moving, selling, or making any decisions about animals that may have been exposed to brucellosis.