(1) In addition to other authority vested in the Board of Animal Health, it shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To quarantine all herds of cattle where reactors are disclosed or found by private tests, auction barn sale tests, market cattle testing of slaughter cattle and dairy herds that are suspicious to the brucellosis ring test (milk).

(b) Owners of herds so quarantined in counties carrying out brucellosis eradication programs either in cooperation with the board of supervisors or Animal Health Division, Agricultural Research Services, USDA, shall have a maximum of sixty (60) days from date of quarantine issuance in which to have the quarantined portion of their herd officially tested for brucellosis. The herd owner shall be responsible for making herd test arrangements, using at his option either the federal veterinarian assigned to his area or any private practitioner licensed to test cattle in the herd owner’s county under the area plan. It shall be the herd owner’s responsibility to assemble, confine, and hold the quarantined cattle at a time and place agreed upon by himself and his selected veterinarian for the purpose of identifying and testing those animals required to be tested under the uniform methods and rules for establishing and maintaining modified certified brucellosis areas adopted by the United States Livestock Sanitary Association and approved by the Animal Health Division, Agricultural Research Services, USDA. These uniform methods and rules shall be followed explicitly in carrying out all official area brucellosis testing work, and owners of quarantined herds shall be responsible for retesting of quarantined portions of their herds within time limits prescribed by these rules. Within these time limits, quarantined herd owners shall enjoy the same options for veterinarian selection and time and test location as outlined above for the original test.

(c) Owners of quarantined herds who fail to take action in having their herd officially tested for brucellosis within sixty (60) days of quarantine issuance shall upon notice from the State Veterinarian assemble or have assembled these quarantined cattle at a place and time designated in order that the brucellosis test may be applied. Assistance shall be given by such owners in confining these cattle in order that the test may be administered properly, and the same cattle shall be returned for checking, tagging and branding of reactors at a time and place designated by the inspector or veterinarian in charge. It shall be the duty of the sheriff in any county in which the work of brucellosis testing is in progress to render to agents of the Board of Animal Health every assistance in enforcing the laws and regulations of said board. If the sheriff of any county shall neglect, fail or refuse to render this assistance when so required, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be punishable as in other cases of malfeasance or misfeasance.

(d) All cattle which have reacted to the brucellosis test shall be tagged and branded and removed from the herd of cattle and shall be permitted to market for slaughter within a period of fifteen (15) days after the date of tagging and branding. When funds are available from the state or federal government, indemnities will be paid to the owner of reactors when properly appraised and disposed of.

(e) As stated in paragraph (b), current uniform methods and rules for establishing and maintaining modified certified brucellosis areas adopted by the United States Livestock Sanitary Association and approved by the Animal Health Division, Agricultural Research Services, USDA, shall be followed.

(2) Any person, firm or corporation failing to comply with any of the provisions of this section or interfering with any duly appointed officer of the Board of Animal Health in the discharge of his duty, or for having discharged his duties, shall be deemed in violation of the provisions of this section and shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 69-15-53 through 69-15-69.