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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.

Coming into Michigan from Another State (Import)

  1. 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. Please note that Michigan does not issue entry permits for bison and cattle to be imported. Therefore, when completing the interstate certificate of veterinary inspection, a permit number does not need to be included. 
    2. 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."

  1. When bison and cattle without official identification are moved directly to an 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."

Exception:  Bison and cattle going directly to slaughter or through one livestock auction market and then to slaughter may be accompanied by an owner shipper statement (OSS) instead of an interstate CVI. 

  1. Unless moving directly to an approved tagging site, bison and cattle must have an official identification (ID) ear tag regardless of age, breed, or sex. Official ID ear tag numbers must be recorded on the interstate CVI.

Official Identification Options:

  1. Metal NUES ear tag depicting the U.S. Route Shield.*
  2. Animal Identification Number (AIN) ear tag:  may be a visual tag or a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.*
    1. AIN ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin must depict the U.S. Route Shield.
    2. AIN 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.

*All bison and cattle moved directly to a Michigan livestock auction market must have official RFID ear tags to be consigned for sale. Animals can have official RFID applied upon arrival, at the owner's expense, if:

  1. the Michigan livestock auction market is an approved tagging site, and
  2. the person responsible for the animals provides the approved tagging site with the national premises identification number (PIN) of the animals' origin.

Exception:  Bison and cattle moving directly to slaughter may enter Michigan with USDA approved back tags in place of official ID.

  1. There are no bovine tuberculosis or brucellosis testing requirements or brucellosis vaccination requirements for bison and cattle being imported into Michigan from states or areas officially designated as tuberculosis accredited free and brucellosis class free by USDA.  If you are interested in bringing bison or cattle into Michigan from states or areas that do not have these designations, please contact MDARD at 800-292-3939 prior to entry.

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Exhibition (Show, demonstration or display) Requirements

  1. Bison and cattle moving within the state of Michigan for exhibition:
    • Must have official Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) ear tags.
      1. Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin must depict the U.S. Route Shield.
      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.
    • Must comply with bovine tuberculosis program requirements outlined below in Intrastate Requirements.
  2. Bison and cattle being imported from out-of-state for exhibition:
    • A completed interstate certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) meeting requirement stated above in Import Requirements.
    • Official identification (see Official ID Options above in Import Requirements).
  3. Contact the fair, show, or exhibition authorities for any additional requirements.

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Moving within Michigan (Intrastate)

  1. 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 to an approved tagging site.*
    1. Official RFID ear tags applied to animals of U.S. origin must depict the U.S. Route Shield.
    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.

*All bison and cattle moved directly to a Michigan livestock auction market must have official RFID ear tags to be consigned for sale. Animals can have official RFID applied upon arrival, at the owner's expense, if:

  1. the Michigan livestock auction market is an approved tagging site, and
  2. the person responsible for the animals provides the approved tagging site with the national premises identification number (PIN) of the animals' origin.

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.

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Leaving Michigan to go to Another State (Export)

  1. 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 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.
  2. Any time official documentation is needed for animal movement by a destination state, official RFID ear tag numbers must be recorded on these document(s).
  3. Please contact the state of destination for their 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.

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International Movement

Please contact the United States Department of Agriculture at 517-337-4700.

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