The North Carolina Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (NCVDL) System was established in 1950 by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to assist owners and their veterinarians in diagnosing diseases of livestock and poultry, and in preventing outbreaks of catastrophic foreign animal disease by early detection. Regulatory testing is performed by the diagnostic laboratories as required for exporting, importing, and interstate movement of livestock and poultry. Specimens for procedures not routinely performed by the laboratory system can be forwarded to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa or other reference laboratories. Test availability varies with the current disease situation - new procedures are added and those no longer required are discontinued. The number of laboratory accessions has steadily increased through the years and now includes a large number of companion animal submissions.

Rollins Laboratory in Raleigh is the central laboratory and is a satellite laboratory of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). It is responsible for providing rapid diagnostics for foreign animal diseases of swine and poultry. The laboratory is one of three laboratories in the Southeastern United States. The other laboratories are at the University of Georgia (larger, core laboratory) and in Kissimmee, Florida (satellite).