§ 78. Examination of domestic animals. 1. The commissioner shall cause a physical examination and a tuberculin test to be made by competent and authorized veterinarians of all bovine animals, irrespective of age or sex, and cause all such bovine animals to be subjected to periodic retests when deemed necessary by the commissioner. The commissioner may also cause a physical examination and a tuberculin test to be made by competent and authorized veterinarians of any domestic animal or herds of domestic animals, irrespective of age or sex, when deemed necessary in his or her judgment to prevent or suppress disease. If, from such examination or test, any animal be deemed by the commissioner to be infected with tuberculosis or any other communicable disease or its condition be such as to render it undesirable for the production of milk or meat, or a menace to the health of other animals or persons, such animal shall be immediately removed from the herd, slaughtered or otherwise disposed of as the commissioner may prescribe.

2. No person shall possess, maintain, transport, or otherwise handle farmed deer except under conditions by which such animals are biologically segregated from bovine animals in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, provided however that such separation shall not be required with respect to any farmed deer maintained under circumstances where contact with bovine animals would not pose a threat to the state's cattle population as determined by the commissioner pursuant to regulation. For purposes of this subdivision: (a) "farmed deer" shall mean members of family Cervidae which are raised or bred in confinement; and (b) "bovine animals" shall mean cattle and bison. This subdivision shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.