Live Bison Going to Feedlots

• Live animals going to feedlots must be permanently and humanely identified with an approved Canadian animal identification tag, a distinct and legible “CAN” mark that has been applied with a freeze brand or hot iron, and is easily visible. The mark is to be applied to each animal’s right hip, high on the tail-head and is not less than two (2) inches in height. 
• The animals are subject to a ruminant feed ban equivalent to the requirements established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Based upon a manual examination of the animals and/or information provided, heifers in the shipment cannot be pregnant.
• Sealed vehicles must move directly from the exporting premises to port of entry and from the port of entry to the designated  feedlot.
• For the official requirements and forms please go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/library/forms and www.inspection.gc.ca

Live Bison Going to Slaughter

• Live animals going to slaughter are subject to a ruminant feed ban equivalent to the requirements established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Based upon a manual examination of the animals and/or information provided, the heifers in the shipment cannot be pregnant.
• The animals must be tagged with Canadian animal identification tags. 
• The animals are less than 30 months of age based upon: verifiable birth records, or an examination of each animal’s dentition.
• Sealed vehicles must move directly from the exporting premises to port of entry and from the port of entry to the designated slaughter establishment or feedlot.

Exporting Bison Meat to the U.S.

• All meat products (bone-in/boneless) derived from bovines under 30 months and meeting the established slaughterhouse segregation requirements can be exported to the U.S.
• The animals are subject to a ruminant feed ban equivalent to the requirements established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• At slaughter, air-injected stunning cannot be used and the specified risk material (small intestine and lingual tonsils) must be removed.

Slaughter Facilities

• Establishments processing under thirty months (UTM) beef/bison may now process over thirty month (OTM) bison. Only UTM bison can be moved to the U.S.

Note: Please ensure that heifers shipped are not pregnant. Pregnant heifers will  incur additional costs and can jeopardize market access.