The following words and terms, when used in the Veterinary Licensing Act (Chapter 801, Texas Occupations Code) or the Rules of the Board (Texas Administrative Code, Title 22, Part 24, Chapters 571, 573, 575, and 577) shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
  (1) Accepted livestock management practices--those practices involving animals raised or produced primarily for food, fiber, or other products for human consumption, and may include the following:
    (A) branding, tattooing, ear tags or identifying marks of any kind;
    (B) tail docking, except cosmetic tail docking that is performed for appearance purposes only;
    (C) earmarking;
    (D) routine dehorning, except cosmetic dehorning that reshapes or alters the poll area for appearance purposes;
    (E) castration;
    (F) non-surgical assistance with birthing;
    (G) implantation with approved implant products;
    (H) administration of a biologic, except where restricted by law to administration by a veterinarian, and not including deworming by use of stomach tubing;
    (I) artificial insemination;
    (J) shoeing and trimming hooves; and
    (K) application or administration of parasiticides, except where restricted by law.
  (2) Food production animals--any mammalians, poultry, fowl, fish or other animals that are raised primarily for human food consumption.
  (3) Biologic--any serum, vaccine, antitoxin, or antigen used in the prevention or treatment of disease.
  (4) Pregnancy testing--the diagnosis of the physical condition of pregnancy by any method other than the gross visual observation of the animal.
  (5) Invasive dentistry or invasive dental procedures--exposing of the dental pulp, or performing extractions.
  (6) Consultation--the act of rendering professional advice (diagnosis and prognosis) about a specific veterinary medical case, but does not include treatment or surgery.
  (7) General Supervision--a veterinarian required to generally supervise a non-veterinarian must be readily available to communicate with the person under supervision.
  (8) Direct Supervision--a licensee required to directly supervise a person must be physically present on the same premises as the person under supervision.
  (9) Immediate Supervision--a licensee required to immediately supervise a person must be within audible and visual range of both the animal patient and the person under supervision.
  (10) Official Health Documents--any certificate attesting to the health, vaccination status, physical condition and/or soundness of an animal.
  (11) Specialist--a veterinarian that is a Board Certified Diplomate of a specialty organization recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
  (12) Non-veterinarian employee--an individual paid directly by a veterinarian for work involving the practice of veterinary medicine, as defined in the Veterinary Licensing Act, Texas Occupations Code, §801.002(5), regardless of the defined status of the employment relationship between the individual and the veterinarian under Internal Revenue Service regulations.
  (13) Herd--a group of animals of the same species, managed as a group and confined to a specific geographic location. A herd may not include dogs, cats, any animal in individual training, or any animal that competes as an individual.

Source Note: The provisions of this §573.80 adopted to be effective June 14, 2012, 37 TexReg 4229; amended to be effective December 25, 2012, 37 TexReg 9937; amended to be effective August 29, 2013, 38 TexReg 5490; amended to be effective November 22, 2015, 40 TexReg 8029; amended to be effective November 23, 2016, 41 TexReg 9136