Skip to main content
Bison and Cattle

Bison and Cattle

General Information

The references to "bison and cattle" in the language below include all bovine (genus Bos) animals, bovine-like animals (genus Bison-also commonly referred to as American buffalo or bison), and any cross of these animals.

The term “radio frequency identification (RFID)” is synonymous with the federal term “electronic identification (EID).”

Coming into Michigan from Another State (Import)

Note: If you are planning to exhibit an animal of this type, there may be additional rules. View the exhibition rules below. 

CVI rule: Bison and cattle must have an official interstate certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) filled out by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) accredited veterinarian.

  1. Michigan does not issue entry permits for bison and cattle to be imported. Therefore, when completing the interstate CVI, a permit number does not need to be included. 
  2. CVIs are valid for 30 days from the date of animal inspection listed on the CVI. Information for veterinary professionals regarding CVIs can be found on the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's (MDARD) Health Certificate webpage.
  3. When bison or cattle are imported from a herd under an official Herd Health Maintenance Plan, the following statement must appear on the interstate CVI: "This herd is inspected as part of a regular health maintenance program, and all animals listed on this CVI have been examined within the last 30 days."
  4. When bison and cattle without official identification are moved directly to a Michigan approved tagging site, the national premises identification number (PIN) of the herd's origin and the following statement must appear on the interstate CVI: "This herd will be officially identified at the approved tagging site."
  5. Lactating dairy cattle imported to any location other than direct to a slaughter plant must be accompanied by an official CVI and meet the requirements specified under number 3 in this section. Please see below.

Exceptions to Bison and Cattle CVI Rule:

  1. Bison and cattle (excluding lactating dairy cattle) going directly to slaughter, or through a federally approved livestock auction market and then to slaughter, may be accompanied by an owner shipper statement (OSS) instead of an interstate CVI.
  2. Lactating dairy cattle going directly to a slaughter plant may be accompanied by an Owner Hauler Statement for Lactating Dairy Cow Transport to Slaughter instead of an interstate CVI.
    • The official backtag number or official identification ear tag number of the cattle going directly to slaughter must be included on the statement.
    • A copy of this document with any attachments must be submitted to cvi@michigan.gov or MDARD AID, PO Box 30017, Lansing, MI 48909. A copy must also be submitted to the animal health official in the origin state.

Identification: All bison and cattle must have an official radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tag, unless moving directly to an approved tagging site. Official RFID ear tag numbers must be recorded on the interstate CVI.

NOTE: Bison and cattle can have official RFID applied upon arrival, at the owner's expense, if:

  • Moved directly to an approved tagging site; and,
  • The person responsible for the animals provides the approved tagging site with the national premises identification number (PIN) of the animals' origin.
Official ID Options:
  1. Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin must depict the U.S. Route Shield; and,
  2. Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin on or after March 11, 2015, must have a 15-digit number that begins with 840.
  3. Visual-only official identification ear tags, such as a metal “brite” NUES tag or a visual 840 tag, applied prior to November 5, 2024 are considered official identification for bison and cattle to move across state lines into Michigan. An official RFID ear tag is required to leave any premises in Michigan - see Moving within Michigan (Intrastate).  Visual-only official identification ear tags are not considered official ID when applied after November 5, 2024.

Official ID Exception: Bison and cattle moving directly to slaughter may enter Michigan with USDA-approved back tags in place of official ID when accompanied by an owner shipper statement (OSS) instead of an interstate CVI.

Lactating Dairy Cattle: All lactating dairy cattle imported into Michigan, unless imported directly to a slaughter plant under the criteria outlined above or in the exceptions listed below, are also required to test negative for avian influenza virus test via milk PCR at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory using an NAHLN approved assay.
  1. The samples must be collected no more than seven (7) days prior to movement.
  2. Samples are to be collected by an accredited veterinarian (or a state licensed veterinarian) or a sample collector approved by the animal health official in the state of origin.
  3. Samples to be collected include milk/udder secretions from individual cows. Each quarter is sampled and combined into one sample for submission to the laboratory. Submissions must be between 3-10 ml of milk per animal. Pooled samples from multiple animals cannot be submitted to the laboratory.
  4. For groups/lots of 30 or fewer animals moving interstate, all animals being moved must be tested.
  5. For groups/lots of more than 30 animals moving into Michigan, only 30 animals in total must be tested, per destination. If there are multiple animal destinations, 30 animals from each group/lot must be tested for each destination.
Exceptions for Lactating Dairy Cattle:
  1. For lactating dairy cattle herds currently enrolled in the USDA’s voluntary Dairy Herd Status Program with Monitored Unaffected Status, the following statement must be written on the interstate CVI: The cattle listed on this CVI originate from a premises currently enrolled in the USDA’s voluntary Dairy Herd Status Program with Monitored Unaffected Status.
  2. For lactating dairy cattle currently originating from a state with Unaffected State Status under the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, the following statement must be written on the interstate CVI: These cattle originate from a state with Unaffected State Status under the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

Female cattle 20 months or older: The following statement must be written on the interstate CVI for all female cattle 20 months of age and older (regardless of breed or intended purpose) that are being shipped, other than directly to a slaughter plant, and do not require the testing stated in (3) above: The cattle listed on this CVI are not lactating dairy cattle. 

  • Non-lactating dairy cattle – including heifers, dry cows, and bull calves – are not currently subject to testing for interstate movement due to their risk profile.
  • See USDA APHIS Requirements and Recommendations for further detail.

Bovine Tuberculosis: There are no bovine tuberculosis (TB) testing requirements for bison or cattle being imported into Michigan from states or areas that are officially designated as tuberculosis accredited free. If you are interested in bringing bison or cattle into Michigan from states or areas that do not have tuberculosis accredited free status, please contact MDARD at 800-292-3939 prior to entry.

Trich: There are no Trich testing requirements for bison and cattle being imported into Michigan.

Brucellosis (also known as Bang’s disease): There are no brucellosis testing requirements or brucellosis vaccination requirements for bison and cattle being imported into Michigan from states or areas officially designated as brucellosis class free by USDA. Bison and cattle originating from a Brucellosis Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) must comply with all requirements of the origin state to leave the DSA (linked below):

  1. Idaho
  2. Montana
  3. Wyoming

Back to top

Exhibition (Show, Demonstration, or Display) Requirements

Bison and cattle moving within the state of Michigan for exhibition:

  • Must have official radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tags.
    • Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin must depict the U.S. Route Shield.
    • Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin on or after March 11, 2015, must have a 15-digit number that begins with 840.
  •  Must comply with bovine tuberculosis program requirements. In Presque Isle County, as well as in the bovine tuberculosis (TB) Modified Accredited Zone (MAZ), which consists of Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Oscoda counties, there are additional requirements for identification and movement of bison or cattle.

Bison and cattle being imported from out-of-state for exhibition must have the following:

  • A completed interstate certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) meeting the requirements stated above in Import Requirements.
  • Official identification (see Official above in Import Requirements).
  • All lactating dairy cattle imported into Michigan, unless in the exceptions listed below, are also required to test negative for avian influenza virus test via milk PCR at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory using an NAHLN approved assay.
    • The samples must be collected no more than seven (7) days prior to movement.
    • Samples are to be collected by an accredited veterinarian (or a state licensed veterinarian) or a sample collector approved by the animal health official in the state of origin.
    • Samples to be collected include milk/udder secretions from individual cows. Each quarter is sampled and combined into one sample for submission to the laboratory. Submissions must be between 3-10 ml of milk per animal. Pooled samples from multiple animals cannot be submitted to the laboratory.
    • For groups/lots of 30 or fewer animals moving interstate, all animals being moved must be tested.
    • For groups/lots of more than 30 animals moving into Michigan, then only 30 animals in total must be tested, per destination.  If there are multiple animal destinations, 30 animals from each group/lot must be tested for each destination.

Exceptions to imports from out-of-state:

  • For lactating dairy cattle herds currently enrolled in the USDA's voluntary Dairy Herd Status Program with Monitored Unaffected Status, the following statement must be written on the interstate CVI: "The cattle listed on this CVI are currently enrolled in the USDA’s voluntary Dairy Herd Status Program with Monitored Unaffected Status".  or
  • For lactating dairy cattle currently originating from a state with Unaffected State Status under the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, the following statement must be written on the interstate CVI: "These cattle originate from a state with Unaffected State Status under the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza."

Contact the fair, show, or exhibition authorities for any additional requirements.

Back to top

Moving within Michigan (Intrastate)

Note: if you are planning to exhibit an animal of this type, there may be additional rules. View exhibition rules here.

Official Radio Frequency ID Tags: Bison and cattle regardless of age, breed, or sex must be tagged with official Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) ear tags before they leave a Michigan premises unless they are moved directly to an approved tagging site.

NOTE: Bison and cattle can have official RFID applied upon arrival, at the owner's expense, if:

  • Moved directly to an approved tagging site; and,
  • The person responsible for the animals provides the approved tagging site with the national premises identification number (PIN) of the animals' origin.

Official ID Options:

  • Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin must depict the U.S. Route Shield; and,
  • Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin on or after March 11, 2015, must have a 15-digit number that begins with 840.

NOTE: In Presque Isle County, as well as in the bovine tuberculosis (TB) Modified Accredited Zone (MAZ), which consists of Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Oscoda counties, there are additional requirements for identification and movement of bison or cattle.

Leaving Michigan to go to Another State (Export)

Bison and cattle regardless of age, sex, or breed must be tagged with official Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) ear tags before they leave a Michigan premises.

Official ID Options:

  • Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin must depict the U.S. Route Shield; and
  • Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin on or after March 11, 2015, must have a 15-digit number that begins with 840.

 

Lactating dairy cattle: Lactating dairy cattle going directly to slaughter may be accompanied by an official interstate certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) or may be moved on an Owner Hauler Statement for Lactating Dairy Cow Transport to Slaughter instead of an interstate CVI if also approved by the destination state animal health official. A copy of this document with any attachments must be submitted to cvi@michigan.gov or MDARD AID, PO Box 30017, Lansing, MI 48909. A copy must also be submitted to the animal health official in the destination state.  
Please contact the state of destination for additional requirements.

Please contact the state of destination for additional requirements.

Note: In Presque Isle County, as well as in the bovine tuberculosis (TB) Modified Accredited Zone (MAZ), which consists of Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Oscoda counties, there are additional requirements for identification and movement of bison or cattle.

Resources:

Back to top

International Movement

Multiple government agencies regulate international animal movement. It is important for you to verify animal movement requirements with all responsible government agencies.

Import

Export

Back to top