Livestock Disease Reporting in Mississippi: What Every Owner and Veterinarian Must Know

Mississippi’s livestock and poultry industries form a cornerstone of the state’s agricultural economy, and protecting that foundation depends on fast, accurate disease reporting. When a dangerous condition spreads through a herd undetected, the consequences reach far beyond a single farm — threatening neighboring operations, trade relationships, and public health.

If you own livestock, work as a veterinarian, or operate a diagnostic laboratory in Mississippi, understanding your reporting obligations under state law is not optional. This guide walks you through every step of the process, from identifying which diseases are reportable to knowing exactly what happens after you make the call.

Reportable Livestock Diseases in Mississippi

Mississippi’s reporting framework is administered by the Mississippi Board of Animal Health (MBAH), the state agency responsible for protecting the health of the state’s livestock and poultry. The MBAH establishes and updates the official list of conditions that must be reported to the State Veterinarian.

The Mississippi Board of Animal Health has adopted the OIE (now WOAH) List A and B Diseases, along with Covid-19, Chronic Wasting Disease, Tularemia, Plague, Canine Brucellosis, West Nile Virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Equine Viral Arteritis, Equine Herpes Myelitis, Equine Strangles, Bovine Trichomoniasis, undiagnosed mortality events, undiagnosed neurological diseases of livestock, abortion storms of livestock, vesicular diseases of livestock, and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea and Delta Corona Virus of Swine as reportable to the State Veterinarian by licensed veterinarians and diagnostic laboratories.

The MBAH’s immediate-report list — conditions requiring the fastest possible notification — includes the following diseases and situations:

• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
• Tularemia
• Equine Viral Arteritis (when submitted to out-of-state labs)
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis (when submitted to out-of-state or private labs)
• West Nile Virus (when submitted to out-of-state or private labs)
• Equine Herpes Myelitis (EHV-1)
• Equine Strangles
• Bovine Trichomoniasis
• All vesicular lesions in livestock
• Incidences of undiagnosed high mortality in livestock or poultry
• Abortion storms in livestock
• Undiagnosed neurological disease in livestock
• Brucella canis
• Chronic Wasting Disease
• Covid-19
• Plague
• Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea and Delta Corona Virus of Swine

Beyond the state list, Mississippi also participates in federal reporting obligations. The Mississippi Board of Animal Health participates in the National Animal Health Reporting System (NAHRS), which is designed to report diseases on a state-by-state basis that affect the ability of the United States to export animals and meat products. Participating in the NAHRS program certifies to other countries that Mississippi has the ability to monitor and control diseases that impact the livestock and poultry industry.

Understanding common bovine diseases and zoonotic diseases that can cross between animals and humans is essential context for any livestock owner navigating these reporting requirements.

Who Is Required to Report a Livestock Disease in Mississippi

Mississippi’s reporting obligations are primarily directed at licensed professionals who are in the best position to identify and confirm disease conditions. However, livestock owners also have a practical responsibility to alert qualified parties when something appears wrong.

Licensed veterinarians and diagnostic laboratories are specifically identified as those required to report to the State Veterinarian under Mississippi Board of Animal Health regulations. This means that if you are a practicing veterinarian in Mississippi — whether in private practice, employed by a clinic, or working as an accredited vet — you carry a direct legal obligation to report any diagnosed or suspected condition on the reportable disease list.

Diagnostic laboratories play an equally critical role. An accredited veterinarian must immediately report to both the Veterinary Official and the State Animal Health Official all diagnosed or suspected cases of a communicable animal disease for which APHIS has a control or eradication program, and all diagnosed or suspected cases of any animal disease not known to exist in the United States.

Livestock owners and operators are not explicitly excluded from the reporting chain. If you observe signs consistent with a reportable condition and cannot immediately reach a veterinarian, contacting the MBAH directly is the responsible course of action. The law authorizes the Board to deal with all contagious and infectious diseases of animals and to promulgate and enforce regulations necessary to control, eradicate, and prevent the spread of diseases of animals in Mississippi. The State Veterinarian is also authorized to appoint inspectors and range riders to enter premises, inspect and disinfect livestock, and enforce quarantines.

Producers who raise poultry alongside livestock should also be aware that avian disease surveillance is active in Mississippi. The MBAH provides a system specifically to report high backyard poultry deaths or unusual wild bird deaths. If you keep chickens, turkeys, or other birds on your property, this reporting channel applies to you as well. Learn more about Newcastle disease and other common diseases in birds that may require reporting.

Signs and Symptoms That Trigger a Report in Mississippi

Knowing which clinical signs should prompt an immediate call to the MBAH is just as important as knowing which diseases are on the list. Mississippi’s regulations identify several symptom-based triggers — meaning you do not always need a confirmed diagnosis before reporting is required.

The following categories of clinical presentations are themselves reportable events, regardless of whether a specific disease has been identified:

• Vesicular lesions: Blisters or fluid-filled sores on the mouth, tongue, feet, or teats of cattle, swine, sheep, or goats. These signs overlap with foot-and-mouth disease and other foreign animal diseases and must be treated as an emergency.
• Abortion storms: A sudden increase in the number of abortions or stillbirths within a herd above what is normally expected. This pattern can signal brucellosis, leptospirosis, or other serious infectious agents.
• Undiagnosed high mortality: Multiple unexplained deaths within a herd or flock in a short period, particularly when the cause is not immediately apparent.
• Undiagnosed neurological disease: Animals showing circling, incoordination, seizures, head pressing, or other central nervous system signs without a clear diagnosis.

You should also report any suspicious clinical or necropsy findings accompanied by a history of people or animals that have recently returned from a foreign country, and any disease of unknown cause producing high mortality or morbidity.

For equine owners specifically, the MBAH actively tracks several neurological and respiratory conditions. Mississippi counties including Clarke, Madison, Monroe, and Stone have each had horses test positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), with all four positive cases found in August 2025. EEE is transmitted to horses and humans from mosquitoes. If your horse develops acute neurological symptoms during mosquito season, that presentation warrants immediate veterinary evaluation and potential reporting.

Disease screening, treatment, and surveillance are critically important components of herd health programs, requiring regular observation of the herd, whole-herd surveillance testing for certain diseases, and timely necropsies for animals that have died or been euthanized. A key to management of disease is fast and accurate diagnosis, followed by effective treatment. Maintaining consistent observation routines on your operation is the first line of defense against a reportable outbreak.

How to Report a Livestock Disease in Mississippi

Mississippi makes the reporting process straightforward by providing multiple contact channels. Whether you are a veterinarian submitting a formal report or a livestock owner calling in a suspected emergency, the MBAH has dedicated points of contact available around the clock.

Reports can be made by calling 1-888-722-3106, faxing 601-359-1177, or by email to jimw@mdac.ms.gov. For veterinarians needing to report diseases, the MBAH also provides a dedicated Veterinarian Disease Reporting portal on their website.

The MBAH’s physical and mailing addresses are as follows:

When you call, be prepared to provide the following information to help MBAH staff respond effectively:

1. Your name, role, and contact information (owner, veterinarian, lab director)
2. Premises location — county, address, and GPS coordinates if available
3. Species affected — cattle, swine, poultry, equine, goats, sheep, or other
4. Number of animals affected versus total herd or flock size
5. Clinical signs observed — describe symptoms in as much detail as possible
6. Timeline — when signs were first noticed and how quickly they progressed
7. Any recent animal movements — purchases, sales, shows, or transport
8. Diagnostic results — if any lab work has already been submitted or completed

APHIS also maintains an Area Veterinarian in Charge for each state, available during normal business hours. For after-hours and weekend emergencies, the federal Foreign Animal Disease Hotline can be reached at 866-536-7593.

If you are comparing how other states handle this process, see how Florida, California, Colorado, Illinois, and Michigan structure their livestock disease reporting requirements.

Reporting Deadlines and Timeframes in Mississippi

Mississippi’s reporting framework uses an “immediately report” standard for the most serious disease conditions on the state list. This means that as soon as a veterinarian diagnoses — or even suspects — a condition on the immediate-report list, the obligation to contact the MBAH is triggered without delay.

The word “immediately” is significant. It does not mean within 24 hours or by the next business day. For conditions like vesicular lesions, undiagnosed mass mortality, or foreign animal disease suspects, any delay can allow disease to spread to neighboring premises or enter the commercial supply chain.

For NAHRS-monitored diseases — conditions that are endemic in the United States but tracked for surveillance purposes — the reporting cadence is different. Monitored diseases are those that are endemic in the United States, with monthly reporting by State Animal Health Officials and laboratories. APHIS uses this data to monitor changes in disease occurrence over time.

In practice, the reporting timeline hierarchy for Mississippi livestock disease reporting works as follows:

• Immediate (no delay): All diseases and symptom clusters on the MBAH’s immediate-report list — vesicular lesions, abortion storms, undiagnosed mass mortality, neurological disease clusters, and all named diseases on the state reportable list
• As soon as practicable: Conditions submitted to out-of-state or private laboratories — the MBAH specifically lists certain equine conditions (EEE, West Nile, EVA) as reportable when submitted to outside labs, meaning the lab itself may carry reporting responsibility
• Monthly (NAHRS): Endemic monitored diseases tracked through the National Animal Health Reporting System

If you are ever uncertain whether a condition requires immediate reporting or falls under a longer timeline, the safest approach is always to call the MBAH hotline first and ask. Erring on the side of early reporting is never penalized.

What Happens After You Report in Mississippi

Once you submit a report to the Mississippi Board of Animal Health, the agency initiates a structured response process. Understanding what to expect helps you prepare your operation and cooperate effectively with investigators.

Step 1: Initial Assessment
An MBAH representative will review the information you provided and determine the appropriate response level. For conditions on the immediate-report list, this assessment happens quickly — often within hours of your call.

Step 2: Field Investigation
The State Veterinarian is authorized to appoint inspectors and range riders and to delegate authority to those inspectors and range riders to enter premises to inspect and disinfect livestock and premises and enforce quarantines. You should expect an MBAH inspector or the State Veterinarian’s office to contact you to arrange an on-site visit, often the same day for urgent reports.

Step 3: Diagnostic Confirmation
Inspectors will collect samples — blood, tissue, nasal swabs, or other specimens depending on the suspected condition — for laboratory analysis. Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine operates diagnostic laboratory services that support MBAH investigations. Results may take hours to several days depending on the test required.

Step 4: Quarantine and Movement Restrictions
If a reportable disease is confirmed or strongly suspected, the MBAH has the authority to impose a quarantine on your premises. No animal, including poultry, exotic or pet birds, or any species affected with or recently exposed to any infectious, contagious, or communicable disease, or that originated from a quarantined herd or area, shall be shipped or transported or moved except as approved by USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. During a quarantine, you will not be able to move animals off your property without explicit authorization.

Step 5: Eradication or Control Measures
Depending on the disease confirmed, the MBAH may coordinate with USDA APHIS to implement a formal control or eradication program. This can include depopulation of affected animals, premises cleaning and disinfection, and indemnity payments through federal programs for certain foreign animal disease situations.

Step 6: Traceability Investigation
All livestock in Mississippi must be in compliance with the USDA’s Animal Disease Traceability Rule. This means investigators will use official animal identification to trace the movement of affected animals — both forward (where they may have gone) and backward (where they came from) — to identify additional at-risk premises.

Penalties for Failing to Report in Mississippi

Mississippi law does not treat failure to report a livestock disease as a minor administrative oversight. The state’s animal health statutes carry meaningful legal consequences for those who knowingly fail to comply with reporting requirements or who interfere with MBAH enforcement activities.

Any carrier failing to comply with any provisions of Mississippi Board of Animal Health regulations, or interfering with any duly appointed representative of the Mississippi Board of Animal Health or USDA in the discharge of duties, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as authorized in Sections 69-15-9, 69-15-111, and 69-15-331 of the Mississippi Code, Annotated.

Beyond criminal misdemeanor exposure, failing to report a reportable disease can trigger a range of additional consequences:

• Loss of indemnity eligibility: If a foreign animal disease is later confirmed on your premises and you delayed reporting, you may lose eligibility for federal indemnity payments that would otherwise compensate you for depopulated animals.
• Expanded quarantine liability: A delay in reporting that allows disease to spread to neighboring farms can expose you to civil liability and regulatory scrutiny beyond your own operation.
• Veterinary license consequences: For licensed veterinarians, failure to report a known reportable disease can result in professional disciplinary action through the Mississippi State Board of Veterinary Medicine, separate from any criminal proceedings.
• Loss of market access: Animals from premises with a history of unreported disease events may face restrictions on entry into livestock auctions, exhibitions, and interstate commerce.

The law authorizes the Board to deal with all contagious and infectious diseases of animals as set out in Section 69-15-9 of the Mississippi Code Annotated that may be prevented, controlled, or eradicated, and to that end the Board is authorized to promulgate and enforce regulations necessary to control, eradicate, and prevent the spread of diseases of animals in Mississippi. This broad statutory authority means that MBAH has significant enforcement tools available when producers fail to cooperate.

The most effective way to protect your operation, your neighbors, and Mississippi’s agricultural industry is straightforward: if you see something, report it immediately. The MBAH’s hotline at 1-888-722-3106 is available at any hour, and early reporting consistently leads to better outcomes for everyone involved. For additional context on how disease surveillance connects to animal health more broadly, explore resources on zoonotic disease risks and bovine health conditions that may intersect with your reporting obligations.