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

Brucellosis is one of the most closely watched livestock diseases in the United States, and South Carolina has maintained a detailed legal framework to keep it in check for decades. Whether you raise cattle, handle bison, or work as an accredited veterinarian in the Palmetto State, understanding these rules is not optional — it is a legal obligation backed by criminal and civil penalties.

This guide walks you through every major layer of South Carolina’s brucellosis regulations, from how the disease is legally defined and the state’s current classification status, to vaccination protocols, testing requirements, movement restrictions, quarantine procedures, and what happens when someone violates the law. If you own or manage livestock in South Carolina, this is what you need to know.

What Is Brucellosis and Why It Is Regulated in South Carolina

Under South Carolina law, “brucellosis” — also known as Bang’s disease — is defined as the disease wherein an animal is infected with the Brucella organisms, irrespective of the occurrence or absence of an abortion. That definition is broad by design: it covers infection regardless of visible symptoms, which makes surveillance and testing especially important.

An animal is officially declared infected with brucellosis if it reacts to a serological test made in an approved laboratory or if the Brucella organisms have been found in the body or its secretions or discharges. This legal standard is the foundation for every quarantine, movement restriction, and indemnity decision made by the State Veterinarian.

The disease matters for public health reasons as well as agricultural ones. Brucella abortus, which originates from cattle, can be transmitted to humans through consumption of unpasteurized dairy products or undercooked meat, contact with aborted reproductive tissues, or bodily fluids like blood and urine. In South Carolina, most locally acquired human cases are caused by interaction with infected feral swine while hunting. This zoonotic risk is a key reason why state and federal regulators treat brucellosis as a priority disease rather than a routine livestock illness.

Wild hogs can spread brucellosis to domestic swine, and hunt clubs that relocate wild hogs unknowingly increase the risk of spreading swine brucellosis into new areas of the state. If you are a hunter or hog farmer in South Carolina, understanding this connection is just as important as understanding the cattle-focused regulations. You can also review hunting laws in South Carolina for related rules that apply in the field.

South Carolina’s Brucellosis Classification Status

Under the federal Uniform Methods and Rules (UM&R) program administered by USDA APHIS, every state is assigned a brucellosis classification status that determines what testing and movement requirements apply when animals cross state lines. South Carolina is recognized as a Class Free state — the highest classification available — meaning the state has no known brucellosis-infected cattle herds.

A certified brucellosis-free herd is one whose owner has been issued a certified brucellosis-free herd certificate signed by the appropriate State animal health official and the Veterinarian in Charge. Maintaining that status at the state level requires ongoing surveillance, testing at livestock markets, and strict import controls — all of which South Carolina actively enforces through the Clemson University Livestock-Poultry Health Division.

The control and eradication of brucellosis in the herds of the state is conducted as far as the funds of the State Livestock-Poultry Health Commission will permit and in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission. This cooperative state-federal structure means that South Carolina’s regulations must meet or exceed the minimum federal standards set by USDA APHIS.

If you are interested in how neighboring states manage their own classification frameworks, see our coverage of brucellosis laws in nearby states, including Missouri and Nebraska, for comparison.

Vaccination Requirements in South Carolina

South Carolina law gives the State Veterinarian broad authority to establish and manage a brucellosis vaccination program. The State Veterinarian may set up a program for the vaccination of calves between the ages of four and twelve months, and older cattle, with Brucella vaccine in accordance with the recommendations of the Animal Disease Eradication Division, United States Department of Agriculture.

Official vaccination carries specific identification requirements. Cattle recognized as officially vaccinated with Brucella abortus vaccine must be identified by tattoo in the right ear, giving the quarter of the year in which they were injected by either one, two, three, or four, followed by the U.S. Register Shield and “V” and the last digit of the year, in the case of calves. Vaccinates not identified as described above are not recognized as such for importation into South Carolina.

At the federal level, the standard for an official calfhood vaccinate is precise. Female cattle or female bison vaccinated while from 4 through 12 months of age by an APHIS representative, State representative, or accredited veterinarian with a reduced dose approved brucella vaccine containing at least 2.7 billion and not more than 10 billion live cells per 2 mL dose of Brucella abortus Strain 19 vaccine, or at the dosage indicated on the label instructions for other approved brucella vaccines, and permanently identified by a tattoo and by an official vaccination eartag in the right ear, qualify as official calfhood vaccinates.

• Vaccination must be performed by an accredited veterinarian, State representative, or APHIS representative
• Calves must be between 4 and 12 months of age for official calfhood vaccinate status
• Right-ear tattoo and official vaccination eartag are both required for recognition
• Older cattle may be vaccinated under a whole-herd plan authorized by the State Veterinarian

It is unlawful to sell, offer for sale, distribute, or use Brucella vaccine or any other product containing living Brucella organisms, except as provided for in the relevant article of South Carolina law. This restriction ensures that only properly trained and authorized personnel administer the vaccine, reducing the risk of accidental exposure or misuse.

Testing Requirements for Cattle and Bison in South Carolina

Testing is the cornerstone of South Carolina’s brucellosis control program. The law specifies which animals must be tested, who may conduct the tests, and what happens when results are positive or inconclusive.

No female cattle or breeding bulls more than six months of age may be sold or moved except for slaughter unless such cattle either (a) have been tested for brucellosis and found negative within thirty days prior to the date of sale, (b) are dairy cattle and breeding cattle under thirty months of age that were vaccinated against brucellosis with an approved vaccine when they were not less than four months nor more than twelve months of age and were identified as provided under rules and regulations promulgated by the State Livestock-Poultry Health Commission and reported at the time of vaccination to State and Federal cooperating agencies, or (c) are in brucellosis-free accredited herds.

At public livestock markets, the rules are equally specific. All female cattle and bulls over 6 months of age must be blood tested for brucellosis, with the following exceptions: cattle to be sold for immediate slaughter; dairy and beef cattle under 20 months of age that have been officially vaccinated against brucellosis; cattle from certified herds when such certification is current and proof of certification is presented; and cattle that have been tested and found negative to brucellosis within not more than 30 days prior to the date of the Livestock Auction Market Sale when accompanied by an official brucellosis test chart properly executed.

When considered advisable by the State Veterinarian, the authorized representative shall take a blood sample from cattle and test the blood in a manner approved by the State Veterinarian to determine if the cattle tested are free from serological evidence of brucellosis. This test is a preliminary blood test, and cattle sold as brucellosis negative based upon the results of this test will be sold as such subject to a re-test of the same blood by the Official State Brucellosis Laboratory.

When the State Veterinarian receives information or has reason to believe that brucellosis exists in any animal, he must promptly notify the owner and require that a test be applied to such animal and that if the animal is found to be diseased it shall be properly disposed of and the premises disinfected under the supervision of the State Veterinarian or his authorized representative.

For more context on how testing requirements compare across state lines, see our guides on brucellosis laws in Michigan and brucellosis laws in Minnesota.

Interstate and Intrastate Movement Rules in South Carolina

Moving cattle into or within South Carolina requires careful attention to both state and federal documentation standards. The Clemson University Livestock-Poultry Health Division administers South Carolina’s import requirements under S.C. Code of Regulations Chapter 27.

Cattle, including calves and cattle for exhibition purposes, may be imported into the state provided they come directly from herds meeting the health status of one of the following classifications: from a Brucellosis-Free State with no test required, or from other states with a negative brucellosis test conducted within 30 days prior to entry.

For animals coming from states that are not brucellosis-free, the rules are stricter. For cattle from a Brucellosis-Free State, a farm-to-farm transfer requires no test. For all others, a test within 30 days is required. All imported cattle must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) regardless of origin.

Feeder steers may be imported without a brucellosis test but must be accompanied by a CVI and individual animal identification. This exemption recognizes that steers do not pose a reproductive transmission risk, but documentation is still mandatory to maintain traceability.

• A Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) is required for all cattle imports into South Carolina
• The CVI must record the Brucellosis Shield information for vaccinated animals
• Cattle from certified brucellosis-free herds must have current certification documented on the CVI
• Animals may not be commingled with non-certified cattle prior to shipment without triggering additional testing requirements
• No cattle approved for entry as brucellosis-free may be assembled or handled at public stockyards prior to shipment

For intrastate movement, the same 30-day negative test rule applies to female cattle and breeding bulls over six months of age unless they qualify for one of the statutory exemptions discussed in the testing section above. If you also manage goats or other livestock on your property, review goat ownership laws in South Carolina for related health requirements.

Reporting and Quarantine Requirements in South Carolina

South Carolina law treats both the reporting of brucellosis and the quarantine of affected animals as mandatory, non-discretionary obligations. Failure to comply with either requirement exposes owners, veterinarians, and handlers to serious legal consequences.

Brucellosis is listed as a reportable disease under the Clemson University Livestock-Poultry Health Division’s official list of reportable animal diseases. This means that any veterinarian or animal owner who diagnoses or suspects brucellosis in livestock must report it to the appropriate authorities without delay.

Reports, made in duplicate, of all activities of all personnel engaged in the testing or vaccination of cattle in connection with brucellosis are compulsory and must be made promptly to the State Livestock-Poultry Health Commission, on forms furnished by the department. This reporting requirement applies to every test and every vaccination — not just positive results.

On the human health side, the obligations are equally clear. Brucellosis in humans is a nationally notifiable condition, and all human cases of brucellosis are reportable by law. South Carolina’s list of reportable conditions specifies how and when to report brucellosis.

When an animal tests positive or is suspected of exposure, quarantine is automatic. Animals infected with or exposed to the disease of brucellosis, or suspected of being carriers of that disease, are subject to quarantine and the rules and regulations of the State Livestock-Poultry Health Commission.

If cattle react to the preliminary blood test in serial dilutions that would classify the animal a suspect to brucellosis, then those cattle must be sold for immediate slaughter or returned to the seller’s premises under quarantine. This rule applies directly at livestock auction markets, meaning a reactor animal cannot simply be passed along to another buyer without restriction.

The State Veterinarian also has authority over the physical premises. The premises, including yards, pens, alleys, and chutes, must be cleaned and disinfected in an approved manner following each sale in order to destroy any material which might be infected with any agent suspected of harboring the causative agent of any contagious or infectious disease affecting livestock. All areas within the Livestock Auction Market must be cleaned and raked to the earth, all manure and refuse removed, and the areas sprayed with an approved disinfectant within 48 hours prior to the next sale.

Veterinarians working in South Carolina should also be aware of the broader context. Veterinarians and veterinary staff are at increased risk for contracting brucellosis because they are in close contact with animals, their reproductive tissues, and bodily fluids. Personal protective equipment and proper protocols are both a legal expectation and a practical necessity. You can find additional animal law context through our guides on dog bite laws in South Carolina and kennel zoning laws in South Carolina.

Penalties for Brucellosis Violations in South Carolina

South Carolina does not treat brucellosis violations as minor regulatory infractions. The law provides for both criminal penalties and civil liability, and the two can apply simultaneously to the same conduct.

Criminal penalties apply broadly across the brucellosis statutes. A person violating the provisions of the relevant article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished in accordance with Section 47-4-130 of the South Carolina Code. Section 47-4-130 sets out the general penalty framework for livestock law violations in the state.

Civil liability attaches specifically to the knowing sale of infected animals. Any person who knowingly sells or otherwise disposes of an animal infected with brucellosis to another, except for immediate slaughter, is liable in a civil action to any person injured and for all damages resulting therefrom, and is equally responsible for violation of this article and the regulations promulgated by the State Livestock-Poultry Health Commission. This means that a seller who knowingly passes along a brucellosis-positive animal faces both a criminal charge and a lawsuit from anyone harmed by that decision.

Enforcement authority rests with the State Veterinarian. The State Veterinarian may enforce such rules and regulations promulgated by the State Livestock-Poultry Health Commission as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this article and for the effective control and eradication of brucellosis.

It is also worth noting that indemnity payments — which can partially compensate owners for animals that must be destroyed — are available but conditional. To obtain indemnity payments, cattle infected with brucellosis shall not be killed until they have been inspected by the State Veterinarian or his designee. Owners who destroy reactor animals without authorization forfeit their right to indemnity and may face additional penalties.

South Carolina’s brucellosis laws reflect a long-standing commitment to protecting both the state’s livestock industry and the public health of its residents. The rules are detailed, the penalties are real, and the State Veterinarian has broad authority to enforce them. Whether you are buying cattle at auction, importing animals from another state, or managing a breeding operation, staying current with testing, vaccination, and reporting requirements is the most effective way to stay on the right side of the law.

For more South Carolina animal law topics relevant to livestock and property owners, explore our guides on backyard chicken laws in South Carolina, beekeeping laws in South Carolina, rooster laws in South Carolina, and leash laws in South Carolina. If you are also interested in how brucellosis is regulated in other states, our guides on brucellosis laws in Nevada offer additional perspective.