The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
  (1) Adjacent premise--A premise that borders an exposed or infested premise, including premises separated by roads, double fences, or fordable streams. A premise that would normally be classified as adjacent may be exempted from adjacent premise requirements by a State or Federal epidemiologist if the premise is separated from the exposed or infested premise by double fencing, sufficient to prevent the spread of ticks, with one of the fences being game-proof.
  (2) Animal--Any domestic, free-range, or wild animal capable of hosting or transporting ticks capable of carrying Babesia, including livestock; zebras, bison, and giraffes; and deer, elk, and other cervid species.
  (3) Certificate--A document authorizing movement of livestock issued by an authorized representative of the commission after the livestock have been treated in a manner prescribed by the commission for the area and premise from which they originate.
  (4) Check premise--A premise located in a tick eradication quarantine area, temporary preventative quarantine area, or control purpose quarantine area that is not classified as an infested, exposed, or adjacent premise.
  (5) Control purpose quarantine area--A premise or property designated by the commission for a systematic inspection of livestock and premises and control of the movement of livestock in order to investigate and control a suspected exposure of animals to ticks outside the tick eradication quarantine area. The boundaries of the area will be determined by evaluation of the barriers to the potential spread of ticks.
  (6) Designated Fever Tick Epidemiologist (DFTE)--A State or Federal epidemiologist designated to make decisions concerning the use and interpretation of exposure to fever ticks and to manage the Fever Tick program. The DFTE must be selected jointly by the Executive Director of the commission and the USDA-APHIS, VS representative for Texas. The DFTE has the responsibility to determine the scope of epidemiologic investigations, determine the status of herds, assist in development of individual herd plans, and coordinate fever tick surveillance and eradication programs within his or her geographic area of responsibility. The DFTE has authority to make independent decisions concerning the management of herds and use of property and limiting the impact of wildlife when those decisions are supported by sound fever tick eradication principles.
  (7) Dipping or treating--If the commission requires livestock to be dipped, the livestock shall be submerged in a vat. A spray-dip machine may be used in areas where a vat is not reasonably available. Careful hand spraying may be used for easily restrained horses and show cattle, and when specifically authorized, certain zoo or domestic animals. Livestock unable to go through a dipping vat because of size or physical condition may be hand sprayed. The treatment must be paint marked so that it can be identified for at least 17 days. If the commission determines that free-ranging wildlife and exotic animals, which are capable of hosting fever ticks, require treatment, they shall be treated by methods and for the duration of time approved by the commission.
  (8) Exposed livestock--Any of the following factors shall constitute livestock as being exposed:
    (A) Livestock that have entered an infested or exposed premise and have not been dipped and removed from the infested or exposed premise within 14 days after entry.
    (B) Livestock that have occupied an exposed premise and have not completed treatment required for movement from an exposed premise.
    (C) Livestock that have entered Texas from Mexico without a certificate from the United States Department of Agriculture.
  (9) Exposed premise--A premise shall be considered exposed if systematic treatment has not been completed and if either of the following conditions apply:
    (A) Ticks have been found on livestock that have been on the premise for less than 14 days.
    (B) A premise that has received exposed livestock, or equipment or material capable of carrying ticks from an infested or exposed premise.
  (10) Fever Tick Vaccine--A biological treatment administered by injection to an animal that stimulates a potent immune response against fever tick proteins, which prevents the infestation of ticks capable of carrying Babesia.
  (11) Free area--An area designated by the commission as being free of ticks or exposure to ticks. The extent of the area will be determined by the appropriate barriers to the potential spread of ticks.
  (12) Game proof fence--A fence that has a minimum height of eight feet, consisting of wire mesh of sufficiently small size to prevent or impede the movement of domestic or exotic wildlife over, under, or through the fenced area.
  (13) Individual herd plan--A written disease management plan that is developed by the herd or land owner(s) and/or their representative(s), and a State or Federal DFTE to eradicate fever ticks or potential exposure to fever ticks from an affected herd or property. The herd plan will include appropriate treatment frequencies, treatments to be employed, and any additional fever tick management or herd management practices, including vaccination, deemed necessary to eradicate fever ticks from the herd or on an infected or exposed premise in an efficient and effective manner. The plan must be approved by the Executive Director of the commission and the USDA-APHIS, VS representative for Texas, and have the concurrence of the DFTE.
  (14) Infested livestock--Livestock shall be considered infested if eradication treatment for movement from an infested premise has not been completed and if either of the following conditions apply:
    (A) Ticks have been found on livestock.
    (B) Livestock which occupy a premise where ticks have been found on livestock that have been on the premise more than 14 days.
  (15) Infested premise--A premise where ticks have been found on livestock that have been on the premise for more than 14 days, and systematic treatment has not been completed.
  (16) Livestock--Any domestic animal or any free ranging animals found on a premise or captured wild animal that is capable of hosting or transporting ticks capable of carrying babesia (the causative agent of cattle tick fever), including, but not limited to, cattle, horses, mules, jacks, jennets, zebras, buffalo, giraffe, and deer.
  (17) Permit--A document issued by an authorized representative of the commission allowing specified movement of livestock.
  (18) Premise--An area which can be defined by boundaries of recognizable physical barriers that prevent livestock from crossing the boundaries under ordinary circumstances; or an area that livestock do not ordinarily inhabit that the commission defines by recognizable features.
  (19) Premise inspection--A routine inspection by an authorized representative of the commission of premise boundaries and the livestock within for the purpose of documenting exposure of the premise.
  (20) Premise under vacation--A premise from which all livestock have been removed as prescribed by the commission.
  (21) Range inspection of livestock--An inspection of livestock to see the animal close enough to detect ticks on the animal.
  (22) Scratch inspection of livestock--An inspection of livestock by an authorized representative of the commission in an approved facility that allows the inspector to touch and see all parts of the livestock.
  (23) Temporary preventative quarantine area--An area designated by the commission for systematic inspection and treatment of livestock and premises, and control of movement of livestock, in order to detect and eradicate infestation and exposure from infested or exposed premises outside the tick eradication quarantine area. The extent of the area will be determined by evaluating the barriers to the potential spread of ticks. This is also designated as a "Blanket Disease Quarantine."
  (24) The commission--The Texas Animal Health Commission.
  (25) Tick--Any tick capable of transmitting bovine Babesiosis (cattle tick fever or bovine piroplasmosis).
  (26) Tick eradication quarantine area--An area designated by the commission for systematic inspection and treatment of livestock and premises, and control of movement of livestock, in order to detect and eradicate infestation from infested or exposed premises. The extent of the area will be determined by evaluating the barriers to the potential spread of ticks. This is the permanent quarantine area which is designated in §§41.14 - 41.22 of this chapter (relating to Quarantine Line; Defining and Establishing Tick Eradication Areas), and in the United States Department of Agriculture Code of Federal Regulations Part 72.5, parallel to the Rio Grande River, commonly known as the buffer zone or systematic area.
  (27) Treatment--A procedure or management practice used on an animal to prevent the infestation of, control or eradicate ticks capable of carrying Babesia.

Source Note: The provisions of this §41.1 adopted to be effective June 23, 2002, 27 TexReg 5175; amended to be effective September 11, 2005, 30 TexReg 5321; amended to be effective November 2, 2010, 35 TexReg 9688; amended to be effective February 4, 2014, 39 TexReg 484; amended to be effective June 15, 2016, 41 TexReg 4245