It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure that the animal meets the importing country requirements. Additional information to assist exporters with how to prepare reproductive material for export is available on the Department’s website.

Note

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

Health certification

As importing country health requirements may change without advice to the Department you should check the import permit and/or the country’s website carefully at the time of preparation for export.

Health certificate

I, Dr ____________________________, an official veterinarian for the government of Australia certify to the best of my knowledge that:

1. Country declaration
   
   
   1. 1.1 Australia has been free from the following diseases for 12 months prior to collection of the embryos: bovine brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, foot-and-mouth disease, haemorrhagic septicaemia, heartwater, rabies, rift valley fever, rinderpest, vesicular exanthema and vesicular stomatitis.
      
      The Department issues certification for country freedom based on advice obtained from the Australian Chief Veterinary Officer as reported to the OIE.
      
      
2. Donor animals
   
   
   1. 2.1 The donor females were isolated from all other ruminants of lesser health status for 28 days prior to and during the collection period.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a declaration of isolation provided by the operator of the premises.
      
      
   2. 2.2 During the collection period the donor females did not show any clinical signs of OIE listed diseases transmissible by embryo transfer.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a declaration by the embryo transfer veterinarian.
      
      
   3. 2.3 If artificial insemination was used, the semen was hygienically collected and processed as described in the current OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a successful audit of the facility against the OIE Code and a declaration by the veterinarian.
      
      
   4. 2.4 If natural service was used, the donor males were isolated from all other ruminants of lesser health status for 28 days prior to and during the collection period.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a declaration of isolation provided by the operator of the premises.
      
      
3. Embryo collection and processing
   
   
   1. 3.1 The female donors were clinically examined by a registered veterinarian at the time of collection and found to be free of clinical signs of OIE listed diseases transmissible by embryo transfer.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a declaration by the embryo transfer veterinarian.
      
      
   2. 3.2 The embryos were collected, processed and stored under the supervision of an AQIS accredited embryo collection team veterinarian in accordance with the OIE Code for in vivo derived embryos.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a declaration by the embryo transfer veterinarian.
      
      
   3. 3.3 The embryos were collected, washed, processed, identified and stored under conditions that comply with the recommendations in the Manual of the International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS). Each embryo had an intact zona pellucida and was examined over its entire surface at not less than 50X magnification and there was no visible evidence of adherent material.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a successful audit of the team against the OIE Code and a declaration by the embryo transfer veterinarian.
      
      
   4. 3.4 The embryos were treated with the enzyme trypsin in accordance with the recommendations of the IETS Manual.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a successful audit of the team against the OIE Code and a declaration by the embryo transfer veterinarian.
      
      
   5. 3.5 All media and solutions were sterilised according to the recommendations of the IETS Manual and handled in such a manner as to minimise the possibility of cross contamination. Antibiotics were added to collection, processing, washing and storage media as recommended in the IETS Manual, or a combination of antibiotics with equivalent activity was used.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a successful audit of the team against the OIE Code and a declaration by the embryo transfer veterinarian.
      
      
   6. 3.6 The straws or ampoules are clearly marked with the identification of the donor animals and the date(s) of collection. If a code is used, an explanation of the code must accompany the consignment.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a successful AQIS tank audit at the time of export certification.
      
      
4. Storage and transport
   
   
   1. 4.1 The embryos were only stored with other semen or embryos of equivalent or better health status.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a successful audit of the facility against the OIE Code and a declaration by the embryo transfer veterinarian.
      
      
   2. 4.2 The embryos were placed in new or disinfected transport containers filled with fresh (previously unused) liquid nitrogen.
      
      The Department issues certification based on a successful AQIS tank audit at the time of export certification.
      
      
   3. 4.3 Before shipment, the container with the embryos identified above was sealed with an official seal by an AQIS Veterinarian.
      
      A departmental veterinarian will seal the container with an official seal at the time of export certification.
      
      The number of the seal being:

Embryo transfer veterinarian declaration

A declaration by the accredited embryo transfer veterinarian is required for assessment of this export.

Based on agreed protocol of 29 November 2011.

Entry last reviewed 1 April 2022.