FRESH and
FROZEN SEMEN:
Recommendations to Customs /
Documentation and Registration Requirements
Refer to CFIA (must be accompanied by the following
documents/registrations):
- Import Permit
- Zoosanitary Export Certificate
Importer / Broker Instructions
IMPORT PERMIT
- Needed to import the animal or product at the time of import
- Please contact local CFIA office to apply for an import permit BEFORE
the semen is imported.
EXPORT CERTIFICATE
-Is issued by exporting country
-Must contain all statements and information as required by the Permit to
Import
CONDITIONS OF IMPORT
The original of this permit and any other necessary export documentation
pertaining to the shipment must be provided for inspection at the first
port of entry.
The conditions in this permit can only be changed or amended by a CFIA
inspector. Any change to the permit by an unauthorized person will render
the permit invalid.
Accompanying export documentation must be issued in either English or
French.
The zoosanitary export documentation pertaining to the shipment must
clearly describe the shipment (semen) and the country of origin. The
export document must be issued by an inspector of the central veterinary
service of the country of origin; or, by a veterinarian designated for
such purposes by the central veterinary service of the country of origin
and endorsed by an official veterinary inspector of the central veterinary
service of the country of origin.
1) The zoosanitary export certificate must include the following details:
the registered name, registration number, species and breed of the donor
sire, the name and address of the consignor, the name and approval number
of the centre where the semen was collected, date of semen collection,
total number of straws or ampules in consignment, the identification
markings or labelling on the straws or ampules, the serial number of the
shipping tank and the number or markings of the tamper proof seal applied
to the shipping container, and the name and address of the consignee.
Should the disease status of the country of origin change between the time
of issuance of this permit and the time of unrestricted entry into Canada,
the import shipment may be refused entry into Canada or be subject to
additional quarantine and testing or treatment. Importers will be
responsible for any additional incurred costs.
The disease free status of any country or zone (as previously approved by
the CFIA) must be confirmed.
2) The country or zone (as previously approved by the CFIA) remains free
of the following diseases: (list all diseases for which country or zone
freedom has been designated, as indicated in the import requirements).
The donor animal(s) must be certified as originating from a country or
zone designated free from African horse sickness, glanders, Venezuelan
equine encephalomyelitis, vesicular stomatitis, and babesiosis.
Babesiosis: All premises on which the donor animal(s) have resided
in the past twelve (12) months must have been free from babesiosis for a
period of twelve (12) months prior to movement or collection of the
animal(s).
CEM: All premises on which the donor animal(s) have resided in the
past twelve (12) months must have been free from clinical and
epidemiological evidence of CEM for two (2) months immediately prior to
movement of the animal(s) off the premises or to collection.
Prior to issuance of an import
permit, the importer must provide the CFIA with a copy of the lab results
from an approved European laboratory that shows that the animal(s) tested
negative for contagious equine metritus (CEM).
1. Negative culture results for CEM must have been obtained from three (3)
specimens (swabs) collected from the a) prepuce (sheath), b) urethral
sinus and c) fossa glandis (including the diverticulum of the fossa
glandis) on three separate (3) days over a ten (10) day period (with the
last set taken at a minimum of 10 days post mating with intervals of 2-4
days between sets), within thirty (30) days of the date of collection.
Note: If the animal is undergoing any form of antibiotic treatment then
swabbing for culture must not commence until a minimum of 7 days post
treatment.
2. Where a teaser mare is used, three (3) specimens (swabs) collected from
the mucosal surfaces of the a) clitoral fossa, b) clitoral lateral
sinuses, and c) clitoral medial sinus from all teaser mares on three (3)
separate days over a ten (10) day period (with the last set taken at a
minimum of 10 days post exposure) with intervals of 2-4 days between
sets).
The specimens must have been refrigerated (not frozen) during transport
and been cultured for CEM within forty-eight (48) hours of collection, in
a laboratory approved by the National Veterinary Service of the country of
origin. The specimens must be cultured for fourteen (14) days, after
which, negative culture results must have been obtained. An official copy
of the lab report must be attached to the certificate.
Douraine: The donor animal(s) were resident since birth, or for the
six month period immediately prior to export, on premises where clinical
cases of dourine have not occurred during that period.
All animals must be tested with
negative results for dourine, using the complement fixation test or, where
applicable, an alternate test acceptable to CFIA, within 30 days of the
date they enter the semen collection unit. Subsequent test must be
conducted at 180-day intervals if the animals remain in the semen
collection unit.
Japanese Encephalitis: All premises on which the donor animal(s)
have resided in the past sixty (60) days must have been free from clinical
and epidemiological evidence of equine encephalitides during the six (6)
months immediately prior to movement of the animal(s) off the premises or
collection.
Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA): The donor horse(s) must be
certified free from equine infectious anemia (EIA).
Negative results for equine infectious anemia must have been obtained
using an agar gel immunodiffusion test or, where applicable, an alternate
test acceptable to CFIA, on samples taken from the donor animal(s) within
sixty (60) days prior to the first collection of the exported germplasm.
Zoosanitary: The premises of origin must be certified as being free
from zoosanitary restrictions.
1) Premises on which the donor animal(s) have resided must not have been
subject to any restriction / quarantine measure pertaining to animal
diseases of concern for the importation of the species in question during
the period of residency. The tests required for the animal(s) or
germplasm donor(s) to qualify for export to Canada must be performed in a
laboratory recognized by the central veterinary service of the country of
origin and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for those specific tests.
2) The donor animal(s) must have been continuously resident either in the
country of origin or a member state of the European Union for a minimum of
six (6) months and in the country where the collection took place for the
sixty (60) days immediately prior to collection of the exported germplasm.
Alternatively the donor animal(s) may have been imported directly from
Canada into the country in which the germplasm was collected.
3) The exported germplasm must have been collected and processed at a
facility under the supervision of a veterinarian designated for this
purpose by the central veterinary authority of the country of origin.
4) The donor animal(s) must have been continuously resident on the
approved collection facility for a minimum of thirty (30) days immediately
preceding collection of the exported germplasm.
5) The donor sire must not have been used for natural service for either a
minimum of fourteen (14) days prior to and until completion of collection,
or during the entire period of collection facility residency until the
completion of collection, whichever period is longer.
6) The animal(s) from which the exported germplasm was sourced must have
been examined and found free from clinical evidence of communicable
disease during every procedure related to the preparation and collection
of germplasm.
7) The germplasm presented for import into Canada must have been
collected, processed and stored in a hygienic manner that prevented
contamination with pathogenic microorganisms. All material with animal
ingredients used in the processing of the germplasm must have been sourced
and processed to prevent introduction of pathogenic microorganisms. All
equipment used to collect, handle, wash, freeze and store the germplasm
presented for import into Canada must have been new, or sterilized prior
to use.
8) Straws or ampules must contain germplasm from only one donor. The
cryogenic or cooling agent used in the process must not have been used in
association with any other product of animal origin. The straws or ampules
must be sealed at the time of freezing.
9) The frozen germplasm presented for importation into Canada must have
been stored in sterile ampules, straws or receptacles in sanitized liquid
nitrogen containers at an approved storage place for a minimum period of
thirty (30) days prior to export.
10) Semen presented for importation into Canada must be in individual
receptacles or straws, each marked with the collection date, breed and
identity of the donor and the identity of the semen collection center.
11) The fresh or chilled semen being presented for importation into Canada
must have been collected over a period not exceeding ninety (90) days from
the date of first collection. The semen must have been packaged and stored
at the approved semen production center until export.
12) The numbers of the seals or other identifying devices must be recorded
on the export certificate. The tanks, containers, cages or vehicles
used to transport the donor animal(s) to Canada must be sealed by the
certifying inspector in the country of origin in a manner to preclude
opening. The numbers of the seals or other identifying devices must be
recorded on the export certificate. The seals are to be removed under the
supervision of an inspector designated under the Health of Animals Act.
The donor animal(s) being presented
for importation must not come into contact with any animals, products or
equipment of a lesser zoosanitary health status during the entire required
periods of residency, isolation, storage, transportation to the port of
exportation and loading onto the international transport carrier. The
carrier must be instructed to maintain this status throughout transport to
the port of entry into Canada.
The donor animal(s) or germplasm described on this permit must be shipped
by the most direct and appropriate route from the point of export to the
address of destination in Canada. Trans-shipment through another country
requires written authorization from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Subsequent to presentation for inspection at the first port of entry, the
donor animal(s) described on this permit must proceed directly from the
port of entry to the premises previously approved by an inspector
designated under the Health of Animals Act and indicated on this permit.
The importer is responsible for all costs incurred or associated with any
testing or treatment of the donor animal(s) that may be required under the
import permit or under the authority of the Health of Animals Act or the
Health of Animals Regulations. The importer shall pay all fees for
services required in respect of the importation under the National Animal
Health Program Cost Recovery Fees Regulations in place at the time of
importation.
Consideration of an application necessary for issuance of a permit to
import the described animal or thing is subject to Class 2 fees due to
modification of conditions within the last two years.
13) Please note that the Class 2 fee is in effect until March 5, 2004, at
which time, if no further amendments are made to this protocol, will
revert to Class 1 fee.
The terms used in the accompanying export documentation must be consistent
with definitions under the Health of Animals Act and Regulations.
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Subject to CFIA fees
- Subject to requirements of Other Government Departments
- Contact an Import Service Centre for further information
Inspection of semen at an approved inspection station:
Inspection of semen should not be
done at the border (unless it is fresh, in which case it may be). The
semen should be taken to a facility approved and capable of handling semen
safely (usually an approved A.I. centre) for the inspection where the CFIA
inspector will perform an inspection of the semen and compare it to the
documentation. An appointment with the inspector should be arranged
beforehand to facilitate the process.
