B.C. introduces reporting requirement for cattle arriving from Washington State

Producers bringing cattle into British Columbia from Washington State will now be required to report those movements to the province’s Chief Veterinarian under a new order that took effect Oct. 27, 2026. 

Under the order, anyone responsible for cattle moved onto a B.C. premises from Washington State after Sept. 23, 2026, must report the movement to the Chief Veterinarian via DairyTrace, the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS), or by email to chief.veterinarian@gov.bc.ca. Reports must include the Premises ID and individual animal identification numbers. 

For cattle that entered B.C. between Sept. 23 and Oct. 27, producers have three days from the date of the order to report those animals. Any cattle entering the province on or after Oct. 27 must be reported within three days of arrival. 

The reporting requirement was issued through a general order from the B.C. Office of the Chief Veterinarian and comes as animal health officials continue to monitor an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, in dairy cattle in Washington, where cases have risen sharply in the last month.

While HPAI is most commonly associated with poultry and wild birds, the virus has also been detected in dairy cattle in the United States. Since 2024, it has been detected in over 1200 herds dairy herds in the U.S., causing decreased feed consumption and milk production, along with respiratory symptoms and changes to milk consistency in some instances.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), HPAI has not been detected in dairy cattle or other cattle in Canada, and HPAI has not been detected in beef cattle in the U.S. to date. As part of Canada’s disease prevention efforts, lactating dairy cattle imported from the U.S. must undergo pre-import HPAI testing before entering Canada (a requirement that does not apply to non-lactating replacement animals). 

HPAI is a reportable disease in any species in Canada, but it is managed very differently in affected dairy cattle herds compared to poultry. In dairy cattle, the primary disease control measures involve milk testing and limiting animal movements. 

CFIA indicates that the risk of HPAI transmission to the public remains low, and pasteurization ensures the milk is safe. 

Researchers continue to learn more about how the virus behaves in cattle and how it spreads between animals. The emergence of HPAI in U.S. dairy herds over the past two years has led to increased monitoring efforts in both Canada and the United States. 

Additional information, including a producer FAQ, is available through the Government of B.C.’s animal health website.