Brucellosis Order 1997 (S.I. No. 758 of 1997).

This Order implements the provisions relating to milk of Council Directive 64/432/EC and Council Directive 77/391/EC. These Directives require the operation of a monitoring and testing programme to maintain the officially brucellosis-free status of Great Britain under Council Directive 64/432/EC. Article 3 places restrictions on vaccination and therapeutic treatment, whereas article 4 places restrictions on the movement of bovine animals or steers. An appropriate officer may, where he considers it necessary for the purpose of eradicating brucellosis, serve a notice on the owner or person in charge of bovine animals or steers kept on any premises, requiring the animals to be moved from the premises to such other premises and within such time limit as may be specified in the notice. Article 6 prescribes slaughter of reactors shall be carried out only at approved slaughterhouses. The principal changes made by this Order relate to the arrangements for testing milk for evidence of brucellosis. Article 7 sets out the duties of purchasers of milk in any form for resale to ensure that milk is sent for testing to one of the approved laboratories. The person in charge of an approved laboratory must notify the appropriate Minister if the result of any test for brucellosis is positive within 24 hours and negative results within one month. He must maintain records of all the tests carried out for a period of one year (art. 7). The local authority enforces the Order (art. 23). (24 articles completed by 2 Schedules)