The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) is the only laboratory in Texas authorized to perform testing on any livestock destined for export.

This testing is critical in preventing the global spread of infectious diseases and maintaining the integrity of international trade and meets U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and international requirements.

“The goal of export testing is to ensure we don’t move infectious diseases around the world through exported animals,” said Terry Hensley, TVMDL assistant agency director and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service veterinarian. “As a diagnostic lab, we are doing our part to run the tests requested by a certain country.”

The countries work with organizations like the World Organization for Animal Health to establish regulations, indicating which diseases need to be tested for, the acceptable tests and timeframes for testing.

TVMDL encourages clients to be aware of the destination country’s animal health requirements. It is important to keep paperwork and samples organized.

“If there are problems when those animals get to that destination country, it could be bad,” Hensley said. “They can either be given the option to send those animals back to the U.S., or sometimes they’re going to do retesting. In the worst case, they get euthanized at the point of destination.”

Some of the more common serological tests TVMDL performs for export are to detect antibodies to diseases such as brucellosis, bluetongue and bovine leukemia.

Clients should submit samples for testing well ahead of regulatory deadlines or departures, TVMDL officials noted.

“Timing is huge,” Kayln Green, assistant section head for serology, said. “Some tests require a specific window before export, for example, within 30 or 60 days of departure. You also need to account for how long it takes to get the results. For some of our serologic tests, if we have a suspect reaction, we must send the sample to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory for confirmation.”

It is advised to work with veterinarians and ensure all regulations are known. Each destination may require different testing.

TVMDL notes communication with USDA and the destination country ensures an appropriate plan and reduces the risk of error.

Learn about collecting samples, submitting samples and more information on export testing at TVMDL by visiting tvmdl.tamu.edu.