Illinois Statutes Chapter 510. Animals § 35/5. Branding infected animals; quarantine

§ 5. Branding infected animals; quarantine. All cattle, bison, sheep, goats, antelope, or cervids that have now reacted or shall hereafter react to the tuberculin test shall, immediately upon such reaction, be marked by branding on the left hip with a letter “T”. The letter shall be not less than two nor more than three inches in length, and the animal shall be tagged in the left ear with a special tag to be furnished by the Department of Agriculture. It is the duty of the veterinarian applying the tuberculin test to immediately notify the Department of Agriculture of such reactors, and to brand and tag such animals as prescribed in this Act.

No person shall remove any such identification tag.

On receipt of such notice the Department of Agriculture shall mail, or deliver to the owner of such reacting animal a written quarantine notice to prohibit the movement of such animal from the premises where found, except for direct shipment to an approved stockyard or an approved slaughtering establishment, and to further prohibit the movement from the premises of any other animals in the herd except on written permit from the Department, until the quarantine is released by the Department. Depositing such notice in any post office, letter box, or other receptacle erected and maintained for the receipt of mail is sufficient notice of such quarantine.

The Department may quarantine cattle, bison, sheep, goats, antelope, or cervids suspected of being infected with tuberculosis. Suspicion of tuberculosis infection in the herd may be based upon, but is not specifically limited to, the presence of lesions grossly indicative of Mycobacterium bovis and confirmed by laboratory examination, revealed in an animal at time of slaughter or autopsy with a subsequent trace made to the herd of origin of the animal or, when cattle, bison, sheep, goats, antelope, or cervids originating from an infected herd have been sold or transferred to another herd or, possible contact of cattle, bison, sheep, goats, antelope, or cervids, either through physical or mechanical means, with animals from an infected herd, or when tracing and epidemiologic analysis indicate possible spread from an infected herd. Such quarantine shall remain in effect until official tests or autopsies fail to disclose the presence of tuberculosis.

The owner of cattle, bison, sheep, goats, antelope, or cervids under quarantine shall comply with all quarantine measures which are considered necessary by the Department of Agriculture and bear all expense connected with such quarantine.