The Animal Health Lab is an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory that provides fast and accurate lab results. We offer testing services for regulatory diseases including Brucellosis, Johne's, Trichomoniasis, BVD, and Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA).
We are open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm.
In 2024, we will be closed on:
- Jan 1 - New Year's Day
- Jan 15 - MLK Jr Day
- Feb 19 - Presidents' Day
- May 27 - Memorial Day
- June 19 - Juneteenth
- Jul 4 - Independence Day
- Jul 5 - Governor's Holiday
- Sep 2 - Labor Day
- Oct 7 - Francis Cabrini Day
- Nov 11 - Veterans Day
- Nov 28 - Thanksgiving
- Nov 29 - Governor's Holiday
- Dec 25 - Christmas Day
If unsure of laboratory closures, before sending samples please call the lab at 303-869-9230, or email us at cda_ahlab@state.co.us to verify any other closures. Thank you.
Free educational opportunities!
The CDA laboratory welcomes school classes and clubs, scouting groups, and other educational organizations to learn about the science we perform and the connection to agriculture.
To schedule a visit, teachers, advisors, and group leaders should fill out this interest form.
NEW! Science Participation in Agriculture Reaching K-12 (SPARK) Google classroom curriculum.
Happening Now
- 2024 - 2025 Trich Tags
- Trich tag color for October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 is YELLOW. Any yellow tags you have purchased in previous years can be used now.
- Trich tag color for October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 is YELLOW. Any yellow tags you have purchased in previous years can be used now.
- Use our easy to use electronic spreadsheet to use for submission information. See the Submissions section below.
- Call or email the lab to get set up on the EIA Mobile App.
- Want to visit the Animal Health Lab with your school group? Register for the Laboratory Outreach Program today.
- Need to reach us? Use the general AHL email: cda_ahlab@state.co.us
- Ordering tuberculin Effective 6-11-24
The Animal Health Laboratory is no longer ordering tuberculin for direct shipment from NVSL to customers. We will ship tuberculin from this lab with a shipping charge. When needing tuberculin, you have two options:
- Continue to call or email the lab and order tuberculin. A $10 shipping fee for FedEx Ground shipment will be charged to your account. If tuberculin is needed STAT there may be an additional shipping charge for expedited delivery.
- Tuberculin can be ordered directly from the USDA National Lab (NVSL). Follow the instructions included with the form, and submit by fax, mail, or email. The Reagent Codes are as follows: 10 ml vial of Tuberculin is 131-B10; 5 ml vial of Tuberculin is 131-B5; 1 ml vial of Tuberculin is 131-B1.
- Continue to call or email the lab and order tuberculin. A $10 shipping fee for FedEx Ground shipment will be charged to your account. If tuberculin is needed STAT there may be an additional shipping charge for expedited delivery.
Trich Testing Information
- Individual and Pooled RT-PCR testing available. If testing bulls to move out of state, please make sure the destination state accepts RT-PCR (individual and/or pooled testing) results.
- Cost:
- Pooled testing: $8 per sample (2-5 samples per pool) with a minimum charge of $24 per pool. Collect the individual samples in acceptable media and the lab will pool.
- Individual testing: $30 per sample
- If any of the pooled samples are found to be positive, individual RT-PCR will be done on each sample in the pool and you will be charged for both pooled and individual testing on the affected pool.
- Accepted media types: phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), sterile saline, LRS, BioMed InPouch and TF Transit Tubes, and Diamond's media
- Samples can be received up to 144 hours (6 days) after collection. Please continue to ship the samples to the lab as soon as possible after collection to allow for shipping issues and delays. If necessary, refrigerate samples until shipment.
- Please legibly label tubes with veterinarian and owner name (initials are fine), and bull identification numbers
- Complete a submission document, see Submissions (<---link to Submissions section)
- All animals must have official ID (i.e. 840 or 84 tag)
- CO Trich tag IDs are required only if bulls are staying in CO
- Media:
- Need media? We are selling PBS tubes for $20 per pack of 10 tubes.
- Want to use your own? Please use at least 3 mL of PBS or saline in leak-proof tubes that are 10 mL or smaller and do not have any additives.
- Once samples are received in the laboratory, they become the property of the laboratory and will not be returned to the client for any reason.
Supplies
Supplies are available from the Colorado Department of Agriculture Animal Health Laboratory to accredited veterinarians. Some quantities may be limited and all prices are subject to change. Please let us know in advance if you have a large order to place so that we may have the full quantity of the item you need.
Supplies can be ordered by phone, fax or email:
Testing Services and Fees
There is a 24/7 sample drop box located at the northeast corner of the building. Please place samples in a cardboard box before placing in the drop box. If left in a bag samples may break.
When sending samples via FedEx, UPS or USPS please package samples carefully so they are not damaged in transit. Submissions to the laboratory should comply with applicable biosafety regulations. Submissions to the laboratory must be accompanied by a proper submission form for all samples except EIA mobile submissions.
Testing charges will be billed to the veterinarian submitting the samples. There is no additional charge for samples originating from out-of-state.
Submissions
The Animal Health Lab now offers a NEW electronic spreadsheet available as an Excel file or Google sheets file or our standard sample submission form. The lab must receive one or the other via email (email preferred) or a hard copy with samples for general serological or molecular test requests. If submission documents will be sent electronically and NOT included with samples, please label samples clearly so that they may be distinguished and matched up to the submission documents upon check in.
Be sure to fill out the submission documentation completely. Please note that the spreadsheets have separate tabs for animal info and test request/owner info. Any missing information on the submission documentation will lead to a delay in testing. Please take the time to check that all required information is on the submission form before mailing samples in.
A VS 10-11 form (unless using the EIA Mobile App) must accompany EIA samples and a VS 4-33 must accompany all official Brucella abortus, Brucella suis and Brucella melitensis testing. All USDA Forms are available at the link below.
Submission Protocol
The following submission protocols are provided so that the highest quality sample can be obtained. Collecting the sample the right way the first time can save a lot of time and hassle. Following the protocols will help to ensure that samples are of sufficient volume and quality for testing.
Johne's Fecal PCR Submission Protocol
- Use this protocol when collecting fecal samples for Johne's Direct Fecal PCR testing.
- Johne's Fecal Direct PCR Protocol
Sample Submission Protocol
- Use this protocol when submitting samples for serological testing such as Anaplasmosis, Brucella abortus, B. canis, B. melitensis, Bluetongue, Bovine Leukosis, Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis, Equine Infectious Anemia, and Pseudorabies.
- General Serology Submission Protocol
Brucella ovis Sample Collection Protocol
- Use this protocol when submitting samples for B. ovis PCR testing.
- Brucella ovis Sample Collection Protocol
Tritrichomonas foetus Sample Collection Protocol
- Use this protocol when submitting samples for T. foetus testing.
- Trich Sample Collection Protocol
FAQs
- Q: Where do I get Tuberculin?
A: Customers have two options: OPTION 1 Order from the lab by calling 303-869-9230 and a $10 shipping fee for FedEx Ground will be charged to your account. If tuberculin is needed STAT there may be an additional shipping charge for expedited shipping. OPTION 2 Order tuberculin from the USDA National Lab (NVSL). Follow the instructions included with the form, and submit by fax, mail, or email. The Reagent Codes are as follows: 10 ml vial of Tuberculin is 131-B10; 5 ml vial of Tuberculin is 131-B5; 1 ml vial of Tuberculin is 131-B1.
- Q: Where do I get Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) submission forms?
A: Right here at the AHL, just give us a call at 303-869-9230. Ask us about our free EIA mobile app.
- Q: Where do I get OCV (orange) and Bright (silver) tags?
A: The Animal Health Laboratory supplies both of these tags. Please call 303-869-9230 to order these items.
- Q: How do I create Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection if I can't purchase paper CVI booklets any longer?
A: As of January 1, 2024, the Animal Health Division stopped selling paper CVI bookets (for large and small animals). Veterinarians can finish using the books they have. Veterinarians may use digital applications for creating CVIs. Accepted formats are from VET-CVI, Global Vet Link, VSPS, and VetSentry.
The Colorado State Vet's free application, VET-CVI is supported by Dr. Gillian Gwartz gillian.gwartz@state.co.us, 303-869-9048. Vet-CVI is a digital based CVI program that is completely free for veterinarian use. The app can be used on a computer, android phone or iphone and it can operate without internet access for creation of CVIs. When the device is connected to the web and you submit the CVI it automatically sends the CVI to both the export and import states, so no worrying about late CVIs. Large animal veterinarians can also complete brucellosis vaccination records and TB testing records.
Questions Regarding Sample Submission
- Q: How much blood do I need for testing?
A: Please provide at least 2 ml of serum for serological tests. If you are requesting multiple tests only one tube with 2 ml of serum is generally necessary to handle all of the tests requested.
- Q: What kind of tube can I use?
A: For most of the serological testing done here, any red top or serum separator tube, 10 cc or less is acceptable.
- Q: How long can I expect to wait for results?
A: See Testing Services and Fees for testing turn-around-times.
Questions Regarding Public Health Issues
- Q: What do I do if I've found a dead squirrel or bird?
A: The Animal Health Laboratory does not handle any type of animals directly. Please contact the Colorado Department of Public Health regarding any dead animal you suspect of having died of suspicious causes. Their animal helpline is (877) 462-2911.
Contact Us
Tiffany Brigner
Laboratory Manager
AHL
300 S. Technology Ct. Broomfield CO 80021
303-869-9230
cda_ahlab@state.co.us
Additional Resources
A2LA Accreditation
Scope & Certificate Of Accreditation To ISO/IEC 17025:2017
The Colorado Department of Agriculture's Animal Health Laboratory (CDA-AHL) is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and the OIE Quality Standard and Guidelines for Veterinary Laboratories: Infectious Disease, 2008 through the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). These internationally recognized standards set stringent requirements for operating quality systems in testing laboratories.
If you would like to find out additional information on A2LA's accreditation program please visit A2LA.
In January 2006, the Colorado Department of Agriculture's Animal Health Laboratory (CDA-AHL) gained an elite accreditation from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). The Animal Health Lab attained ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation which is an internationally recognized standard that sets stringent requirements for operating quality systems in testing laboratories. Every other year the lab participates in an on-site assessment to maintain this accreditation.