Revised Code of Washington (RCW) (Last Updated: August 9, 2016) |
Title 16. ANIMALS AND LIVESTOCK |
Chapter 16.65. Public livestock markets. |
Section 16.65.360. Facilities—Sanitation—Requirements.
Latest version.
- Licensees shall provide facilities and sanitation for the prevention of livestock diseases at their public livestock markets, as follows:(1) The floors of all pens and alleys that are part of a public livestock market shall be constructed of concrete or similar impervious material and kept in good repair, with a slope of not less than one-fourth inch per foot to adequate drains leading to an approved sewage system: PROVIDED, That the director may designate certain pens within such public livestock markets as feeding and holding pens and the floors and alleys of such pens shall not be subject to the aforementioned surfacing requirements.(2) Feeding and holding pens maintained in an area adjacent to a public livestock market shall be constructed and separated from such public livestock market, in a manner prescribed by the director, in order to prevent the spread of communicable diseases to the livestock sold or held for sale in such public livestock market.(3) All yards, chutes and pens used in handling livestock shall be constructed of such materials which will render them easily cleaned and disinfected, and such yards, pens and chutes shall be kept clean, sanitary and in good repair at all times, as required by the director.(4) Sufficient calf pens of adequate size to prevent overcrowding shall be provided, and such pens, when used, shall be cleaned and disinfected no later than the day subsequent to each sale.(5) All swine pens, when used, shall be cleaned and disinfected no later than the day subsequent to each sale.(6) A water system carrying a pressure of forty pounds and supplying sufficient water to thoroughly wash all pens, floors, alleys and equipment shall be provided.(7) Sufficient quarantine pens of adequate capacity shall be provided. Such pens shall be used to hold only cattle reacting to brucellosis and tuberculosis or to quarantine livestock with other contagious or communicable diseases and shall be:(a) hard surfaced with concrete or similar impervious material and shall be kept in good repair;(b) provided with separate watering facilities;(c) painted white with the word "quarantine" painted in red letters not less than four inches high on such quarantine pen's gate;(d) provided with a tight board fence not less than five and one-half feet high;(e) cleaned and disinfected not later than one day subsequent to the date of sale.To prevent the spread of communicable diseases among livestock, the director shall have the authority to cause the cleaning and disinfecting of any area or all areas of a public livestock market and equipment or vehicles with a complete coverage of disinfectants approved by the director.