Published September 10, 2026
Every state writes its own rules, and they change. This is the checklist to work through, not a substitute for calling the state vet in the state you are hauling into.
Nearly every state requires a CVI — a health certificate from an accredited veterinarian — for livestock crossing the line. It has an expiration window, usually thirty days, sometimes less.
Get it close to the haul date, not months ahead, and make sure the destination address on it is correct.
Most breeding cattle and many other classes need official ID — an electronic or metal tag recorded on the health papers.
The tag numbers have to match what is written on the CVI. A mismatch at a check station stops the load.
Some states require brucellosis or tuberculosis testing on certain classes, particularly breeding females and bulls. Testing takes time, so ask early.
Equine hauls generally need a current Coggins test in addition to the health certificate.
In the western brand states, cattle need a brand inspection before they leave, and sometimes before they change hands at all.
This is a state-by-state matter. If either end of the haul is a brand state, sort it out before loading.
Settle this in writing before money moves: who pays the vet, who books the hauler, who covers a delay, and at what point the animals become the buyer's risk.
Most private sales work out simply — seller provides health papers, buyer pays hauling. The problems come from assuming instead of saying it.
The overpayment check, the fake shipper, the too-eager sight-unseen buyer — and the simple rules that keep you out of all of them.
Today's USDA fed cattle, cull cow and boxed beef numbers, and what they mean if you are thinking about selling.
A simple way to land on a number buyers take seriously — using weight, class and today's market instead of what the neighbor says.
General information only, not legal or veterinary advice. Requirements vary by state and species — confirm with the destination state's animal health office and your veterinarian before hauling.