Council Directive of 13 December 1977 establishing the Community criteria for national plans for the accelerated eradication of brucellosis, tuberculosis and enzootic leukosis in cattle (78/52/EEC)

Article 15

Member States shall ensure that, following a bacteriological, pathological or tuberculin examination, animals in which the presence of tuberculosis has been officially established and those considered by the competent authorities to be infected are slaughtered under official supervision as soon as possible and not later than 30 days after the owner or the person in charge has been officially notified of the results of the tests and of his obligation, under the eradication plan, to slaughter the cattle concerned within that time limit.

However, in the case of animals which have been examined for tuberculosis with unfavourable results without showing clinical symptoms of the disease, the competent authorities may extend to not more than three months the period provided for in the above paragraph,

• in the case of a female animal which is expected to calve within the three month period,

• where they order the slaughter of all cattle in a herd of more than 20 head in a region in which, for technical reasons connected with the capacity of the slaughter-houses designated for this purpose, slaughter cannot be carried out within the 30 days.