It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure that the animal meets the importing country requirements.

Information about the process required to import reproductive material into New Zealand can be found on the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries website. A specific import health standard document is provided for importing horse semen and embryos.

Note: Where an importing country issues an import permit, the exporter must ensure the animal meets any requirements in the permit.

I ,……………………………………, a Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Veterinary Officer certify, after due enquiry, that the embryos described above satisfies the following requirements:

Eligibility

1. 1.  The embryos are from equids.
2. 2.  The embryos are in vivo derived, frozen, non-cloned, and non-genetically modified.

Diagnostic testing, vaccination, and treatment

3. 3.  All required laboratory testing was conducted at a NATA accredited laboratory using methods described in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Manual.
4. 4.  Tests used were listed in and carried out in accordance with the MPI document; Approved Diagnostic Tests, Vaccines, Treatments and Post-Arrival Testing Laboratories for Animal Import Health Standards MPI-STD-TVTL.
5. 5.  Original or copies of laboratory reports, or an endorsed, tabulated summary, including test date, type, and results for each donor, are attached to this veterinary certificate.
6. 6.  After due enquiry, all products and vaccinations (final dose of a primary or recommended booster) administered to meet specific disease requirements were administered according to the manufacturer's instruction or as required in a country approved to export to New Zealand.

Embryo collection team and herd approval requirements

7. 7.  At the time of collection of embryos for export to New Zealand, the embryo collection team was approved by and registered with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
8. 8.  The embryo collection team veterinarian has knowledge of and authority over the embryo collection herd until completion of collection and testing of the embryo(s) exported to New Zealand specified in this certification.

Female donor and herd health status

7. 9.  Donors were isolated from other horses, not of an equivalent tested health status, from the time of the pre-collection tests until completion of collection of embryos for export to New Zealand.
8. 10.  On the day(s) of collection of the embryos, the approved embryo collection team veterinarian was responsible for monitoring the health status of each donor and recorded that the donor was free from clinical evidence of infectious diseases transmissible in embryos.

Embryo collection, processing, storage and transport

7. 11.  Embryos were collected and processed under the supervision of an approved embryo collection team veterinarian and in accordance with the recommendations in the OIE Code chapters on collection and processing of in vivo derived embryos of livestock.
8. 12.  Embryos had an intact zona pellucida and were free of adherent material after the final wash when examined over its entire surface at not less than 50X magnification. Any micro-manipulation that caused a breach of the zona pellucida, was performed according to the procedures described in the OIE Code and IETS Manual.
9. 13.  All biological products of animal origin used in the media and solutions for collection, processing, washing or storage of embryos were free from pathogenic organisms.
10. 14.  Media and solutions were either sterilised by approved methods according to the IETS Manual or commercially prepared sterile media were used. These were handled in such a manner as to ensure that sterility was maintained.
11. 15.  None of the cryogenic or cooling agent has been previously used in association with any other product of animal origin.
12. 16.  Embryos are sealed in receptacles, which are clearly and permanently marked to identify the donor and the date(s) of collection. A code is used for this information and its decipher accompanies the consignment (delete as appropriate and initial). The marking is in accordance with the IETS Standards.
13. 17.  The embryo(s) for export has/have only been stored with embryos that have been collected and processed in compliance with the OIE Code. Containers have been held until export in a storage place approved by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
14. 18.  Embryos were placed in a container which is disinfected and free of contamination.
    
    Disinfectant (active chemical) _________________________and date ______________________________
    (delete and initial if the container was new)
15. 19.  The transport container in which the embryos are transported to New Zealand was sealed by a Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Officer, using tamper evident seals.
    
    Seal number __________________________________________
16. 20.  The embryos were transferred from one container to another (delete if not applicable).
    
    Date of transfer ___________________________________
    
    Reason for transfer __________________________________________________________
    
    Facility __________________________________________
    
    Veterinarian (name and signature): _____________________________________________
17. 21.  The embryos in this consignment originated from country other than Australia: <insert name of country of origin> (delete as appropriate and initial). The country of origin is currently approved to export equine embryos to New Zealand and the embryos are accompanied by:
    1. a)  a declaration from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources that links the embryos to the embryos being exported and confirms that the embryos have been stored as per New Zealand requirements at a facility approved by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources; and either
       1. i)  a veterinary certificate, certified by the Competent Authority of <insert name of country of origin> as meeting New Zealand's requirements;
          
          or
          
       2. ii)  a letter from the Competent Authority of <insert name of country of origin> indicates that the embryos meet New Zealand's requirements.

Specific Requirements for Identified Risk Organisms in Female Donors

7. 22.  Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) [abortigenic and paralytic forms]
   
   Donor animals
   7. a)  Have been kept for the 21 days prior to collection in an establishment where no case of EHV-1 (abortigenic and paralytic forms) was reported during that period.
   8. b)  Showed no clinical signs of EHV-1 infection on the day of collection and during the 21 days prior to collection.
8. 23.  Equine infectious anaemia (EIA)
   7. a)  Donors showed no clinical sign of EIA on the day of each collection; and
   8. b)   Donors were kept on premises where no case of EIA has been reported during the 90 days prior to each collection; and
   9. c)   Donors were subjected to an agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID/Coggins) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for EIA, not less than 21 days after entry into the collection centre, with negative results.
9. 24.  Equine viral arteritis (EVA) (delete as applicable)
   7. a)  Donors were kept in an establishment where no animals have shown any signs of EVA for the 28 days prior to collection; and
      1. i)  Were subjected to a virus neutralisation test (VNT) for EVA carried out on blood samples collected either once within 21 days prior to collection with negative result, or on two occasions at least 14 days apart within 28 days prior to collection, which demonstrated stable or declining antibody titres; or
      2. ii)  Were regularly vaccinated as required; or
      3. iii)  Donors were isolated for the 28 days prior to collection and during this period showed no sign of EVA.
10. 25.  Leptospirosis
    7. a)  Antibiotics effective against Leptospires were added to collection, processing, washing and storage media.
       
       Name and concentration of antibiotics: _______________________________
11. 26.  Taylorella spp. (Contagious equine metritis, CEM
    7. a)  The embryos were collected in Australia, where CEM is a nationally notifiable disease and where no cases of CEM have been reported for 2 years immediately prior to and during the collection of embryos

Based on importing country website and information. Health certificate agreed 12 October 2016.

Entry last reviewed 13 May 2020