Electronic CVI Platforms: GlobalVetLink, VSPS, and the Future of Health Certificates

What Is an Electronic CVI (eCVI)?

An electronic Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (eCVI) is a digital version of the traditional paper health certificate that must accompany cattle during interstate transport. It contains the same information as a paper CVI — consignor and consignee details, animal identification, disease test results, veterinarian credentials, and health certification — but it is created, signed, and distributed electronically.

An eCVI has the same legal standing as a paper CVI. All 50 states accept electronic CVIs for interstate cattle movement. The eCVI is generated by a USDA-accredited veterinarian through an approved platform and is automatically distributed to the origin and destination state animal health officials (SAHOs).

The shift from paper to electronic has been driven by the need for faster, more reliable disease traceability. Paper CVIs had to be physically mailed to state offices, were often illegible, and could take days or weeks to enter into state databases. Electronic CVIs reach state officials within minutes of being issued.

Why eCVIs Are Better Than Paper

The advantages of electronic CVIs over paper are significant and affect producers, veterinarians, and state officials alike:

Automatic Distribution to SAHOs

When a veterinarian issues an eCVI, the system automatically sends copies to both the origin and destination state animal health official offices. With paper CVIs, the vet had to mail or fax copies — a process that could take days and was frequently missed or delayed. Automatic distribution means the destination state knows the animals are coming before they arrive.

Legibility

Paper CVIs were often handwritten, and veterinarian handwriting is no more legible than anyone else's. Misread animal IDs, incorrect addresses, and ambiguous breed descriptions were common sources of processing errors. eCVIs use typed data entry, eliminating legibility issues entirely.

Integration with State Systems

eCVI platforms integrate with state animal health databases such as USAHERDS and EMRS (Emergency Management Response System). This means that eCVI data flows directly into the systems state officials use for disease surveillance and traceability. Paper CVIs had to be manually entered into these databases — a labor-intensive process with a significant backlog in many states.

Reduced Rejection Rates

eCVI platforms include validation logic that checks for common errors before the certificate is finalized. If an animal is missing an official ID number, if a required test result is not attached, or if the destination state requires an import permit, the system can flag the issue before the vet finalizes the certificate. This built-in error checking reduces the likelihood of a CVI being rejected at the destination.

Searchable Record Keeping

All eCVIs are stored in a searchable database. Veterinarians can look up past certificates by animal ID, producer name, date, or destination state. This is invaluable during disease investigations, when officials need to rapidly identify all movements associated with a specific animal or premises. Paper CVIs, by contrast, were often filed in manila folders and could take hours or days to locate.

GlobalVetLink (GVL)

GlobalVetLink (GVL) is the most widely used commercial eCVI platform in the United States. Thousands of USDA-accredited veterinarians use GVL to issue electronic CVIs, and the platform is accepted in all 50 states.

Key Features

• Species-specific CVI forms — Pre-configured forms for cattle, horses, swine, small ruminants, and other species, with the appropriate fields and validation rules for each.
• Integrated lab results — Test results from approved laboratories can be imported directly into the eCVI, reducing manual data entry and errors.
• Automatic state distribution — eCVIs are automatically delivered to the origin and destination state animal health officials immediately upon issuance.
• Animal history tracking — GVL maintains a record of past CVIs for each animal, allowing vets to quickly review an animal's movement history.
• Destination state requirements lookup — The platform includes a reference for state-specific import requirements, helping vets verify they have included all necessary information.
• Mobile access — Veterinarians can create eCVIs from a tablet or smartphone in the field, rather than returning to the office.

Cost

GVL charges the veterinarian a fee per certificate. The exact fee varies by plan and volume but is typically in the range of a few dollars per CVI. Veterinarians may pass this cost through to the producer as part of the overall CVI examination fee, or they may absorb it. The producer should ask their vet about any platform fees included in the vet bill.

More information: globalvetlink.com

USDA VSPS (Veterinary Services Process Streamlining)

VSPS is a free platform provided by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for USDA-accredited veterinarians. It is part of the broader USDA APHIS Veterinary Services digital infrastructure.

Key Features

• CVI generation — VSPS allows accredited vets to create electronic CVIs that are accepted in all 50 states.
• VS Form 1-27 — The system can generate the federal VS Form 1-27, the standard interstate health certificate form.
• Integration with USDA systems — VSPS is natively connected to USDA databases and animal health infrastructure.
• Free to use — Unlike commercial platforms, VSPS does not charge a per-certificate fee. This can be a meaningful cost savings for vets who issue high volumes of CVIs.
• Accreditation management — Vets can manage their USDA accreditation status through the same portal.

Limitations

VSPS is functional but is widely regarded as less user-friendly than commercial platforms like GVL. The interface can be slower, the learning curve is steeper, and some veterinarians report that certain features available in GVL (such as integrated lab results and mobile-optimized workflows) are limited or absent in VSPS. For vets who issue CVIs infrequently, the free cost may outweigh the usability challenges. For high-volume practices, the time savings of a commercial platform may justify the per-certificate fee.

Access: VSPS is available through the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services portal .

Other eCVI Platforms

While GlobalVetLink and USDA VSPS are the two most widely used platforms nationally, there are other eCVI systems in use:

State-Specific Systems

Some states have developed their own electronic CVI or animal movement tracking systems. These state-specific platforms may be required for intrastate movements or may offer additional features tailored to the state's regulatory environment. However, for interstate movements, the CVI must be issued through a platform that distributes to the destination state — which typically means GVL or VSPS.

AgView

AgView is a livestock traceability platform used in some states for animal movement reporting and disease surveillance. While AgView is not primarily a CVI generation platform, it plays a role in the broader animal health data ecosystem. Some states use AgView for movement reporting in conjunction with eCVIs issued through GVL or VSPS.

Emerging Platforms

The eCVI space is evolving, with new platforms and integrations emerging as states modernize their animal health infrastructure. The HPAI crisis of 2024 accelerated investment in animal disease traceability technology, and the federal government has signaled increased support for electronic systems. Producers should expect continued movement toward digital-first compliance workflows in the coming years.

How to Get an eCVI

As a producer, you do not create the eCVI yourself. The process is straightforward:

States Moving Toward eCVI-Only

The livestock industry is gradually transitioning from paper to electronic CVIs. Several states have taken concrete steps toward requiring eCVIs:

Texas

The Texas Animal Health Commission has been at the forefront of eCVI adoption. Texas began strongly encouraging eCVIs in recent years and has moved toward requiring electronic certificates for cattle entering the state. Producers shipping cattle to Texas should verify the current policy with the Texas Animal Health Commission, as requirements may have been updated since this guide was published.

Other States Following

Multiple other states have signaled intent to transition to eCVI-only or eCVI-preferred policies. The timeline varies by state, and the transition is happening at different speeds across the country. States with robust animal health information technology infrastructure (integrated USAHERDS or similar systems) are generally moving faster than states still relying on manual processing.

Why the Shift Is Happening

The 2024 HPAI crisis exposed critical weaknesses in the paper-based traceability system. When officials needed to trace dairy cattle movements rapidly, paper CVIs — some of which had not been entered into state databases — created significant delays. The lesson was clear: electronic records that flow automatically to state databases are essential for effective disease response.

USDA APHIS has increased funding and support for state animal health information technology, and several federal initiatives are encouraging or incentivizing the transition to electronic systems. The direction is unmistakable: eCVIs will eventually become the standard, and producers who are already using them will have a smoother transition.

Tips for Producers

While the eCVI is created by your vet, there are several things you can do as a producer to make the process smoother and reduce the risk of errors:

Frequently Asked Questions

References

• USDA APHIS — Animal Disease Traceability for Cattle
• USDA APHIS — Veterinary Accreditation (VSPS access)
• GlobalVetLink
• United States Animal Health Association (USAHA)
• State animal health official offices — for current eCVI acceptance policies and state-specific platform requirements

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