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.

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 guidance document is provided for importing cattle semen and embryos.

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 ………………………………, a duly authorised government veterinary officer, hereby certify that:

1. Animal Health Declaration
   
   
   1. 1.1 Australia is free from bovine brucellosis (B. abortus and B. melitensis), bovine herpes virus 1.1 and 1.2a, bovine viral diarrhoea virus 2, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, foot-and-mouth disease (without vaccination), lumpy skin disease, Rift Valley fever and bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis).
      
      
   2. 1.2 All semen used to produce embryos was produced in Australia or met Australian import conditions.
   
   
2. Embryo collection team requirements
   
   
   1. At the time of collection of this consignment for New Zealand, the embryo collection team was:
      
      
   2. 2.1 Approved for export by the Competent Authority.
      
      
   3. 2.2 Subjected to regular inspection, at least every 12 months, by an Official Veterinarian.
      
      
   4. 2.3 Under the supervision of a team veterinarian.
   
   
3. Embryo Collection, Processing and Storage
   
   
   1. 3.1 Embryos and oocytes were collected, washed, processed, stored and traceability maintained under the supervision of an approved embryo collection team veterinarian and in accordance with current recommendations of the current IETS manual and the relevant WOAH code chapters and other specified requirements in this veterinary certificate.
      
      
   2. 3.2 If any embryo in the consignment underwent micro-manipulation that caused a breach of the zona pellucida it was performed as per the procedures described in the IETS Manual and the WOAH Code.
      
      
   3. 3.3 In the case of IVP embryos, oocytes were collected from live donors by ultrasonographic guided intravaginal aspiration (ovum pick-up).
      
      
   4. 3.4 Embryos were washed at least 10 times, with each wash being at least 100-fold dilution of the previous wash.
      
      
   5. 3.5 After washing, each embryo was examined over its entire surface at not less than 50X magnification and found to have an intact zona pellucida and be free of adherent material.
      
      
   6. 3.6 The equipment used for collecting and transporting embryos or oocytes to the laboratory, maturing, culturing, washing, freezing and storing oocytes or embryos were new or cleaned and sterilised before use.
      
      
   7. 3.7 All biological products of animal origin used in the media and solutions for collection, processing, washing or storage of the embryos were free of pathogenic organisms. Media and solutions were sterilised by approved methods according to the IETS Manual and handled in a manner that ensured that sterility is maintained.
      
      
   8. 3.8 All straws were sealed, and clearly and permanently marked to identify the donor and the date(s) of freezing. The markings conform to international standards of the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) and the IETS Manual. *If a code is used for this information, its decipher instructions accompany the consignment.
      
      
   9. 3.9 The embryos have only been stored and transported with germplasm that has been collected and processed in accordance with the WOAH Code.
      
      
   10. 3.10 The embryos have only been held in a storage place approved by the Competent Authority of the exporting country until the time of export.
   
   
4. Donors
   
   
   1. 4.1 Were born and raised in Australia (or New Zealand).
      
      
   2. 4.2 The embryo/ oocyte donors were resident in the embryo collection herd for at least 28 days prior to embryo/ oocyte collection for export to New Zealand. While resident with the collection herd, the herd was not subject to veterinary restrictions for organisms managed in this veterinary certificate.
      
      
   3. 4.3 The donor animals were examined by the government approved embryo team veterinarian on the day of collection and there was no evidence of clinical signs of infectious diseases managed by this certificate.
   
   
5. Diagnostic tests, vaccines and treatment
   
   
   1. 5.1 All testing was performed in a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited laboratory (if applicable).
      
      
   2. 5.2 All laboratory samples required by this veterinary certificate have been collected, processed, and stored in accordance with the WOAH’s recommendations or as described in Approved Diagnostic Tests, Vaccines, Treatments and Post-Arrival Testing Laboratories for Animal Import Health Standards, MPI-STD-TVTL, found here https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/2040/
      
      
   3. 5.3 All diagnostic test(s) that are required have been approved by MPI for that purpose, administered according to manufacturer’s instruction and documented in MPI-STD-SAA.
   
   
6. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR IDENTIFIED RISK ORGANISMS
   
   
   1. 6.1 Coxiella burnetii (Q-fever)
      IVD and IVP embryos
      
      
      1. (*Delete non applicable)
         
         
      2. 6.1.1 An aliquot of germplasm from each collection for export to New Zealand was tested for Q fever with a test listed in MPI-STD-SAA (rt-PCR), with negative results; OR*
         
         
      3. 6.1.2 The donor has never been confirmed positive for Q fever; AND EITHER:
         
         
         1. 6.1.2.1 Donors were subjected to a serological test listed in MPI-STD-SAA (ELISA) for Q fever, on a sample collected between 21 and 120 days after each germplasm collection for export to New Zealand, with negative results; OR*
            
            
         2. 6.1.2.2 Within the 6 month period before or after germplasm collection for New Zealand, but before export, the embryo collection herd was tested for Q fever, using a test listed in MPI-STD-SAA (ELISA), with negative results. The Q fever test was:
            
            
            1. performed on either the whole herd or a random sample of at least 60 animals (whichever is the lesser number); AND
            2. the herd was isolated for the period between embryo collection and diagnostic sampling.
            
            
         MPI-STD-SAA specified samples for germplasm testing:
         IVD embryos: embryos (viable or non-viable) or embryo collection/flush fluids from the embryo collection.
         IVP embryos: embryos (viable or unviable) or embryo culture medium collected immediately prior to storage.
      
      
   2. 6.2 Mycoplasma bovis
      IVD embryos and IVP embryos
      
      
      1. (*Delete non applicable)
         
         
      2. 6.2.1 Embryos were processed in accordance with the recommendations of the WOAH Code with the modifications indicated in MPI-STD-SAA:
         
         The embryos were subjected to the protocol described in the IETS Manual 5th Edition, volume 1 chapter 6 - embryos were incubated at 37° in media containing tylosin (200µg/ml) for a minimum of 4 hours after being washed 10 times OR
         
         
      3. 6.2.2 Each embryo collection for export to New Zealand was tested with a validated test for M. bovis listed in MPI-STD-SAA (DNA extraction with PCR amplification), with negative results.
         
         MPI-STD-SAA specified samples for germplasm testing:
         IVD embryos: unfiltered collection/flush fluids from the embryo collection.
         IVP embryos: embryo culture medium collected immediately prior to storage.
         
      
      
   3. 6.3 Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjoprajitno (leptospirosis)
      
      
      1. (*Delete non applicable)
         
         
      2. 6.3.1 Antibiotics must be added during embryo collection or processing in accordance with MPI-STD-SAA (50µg/ml tylosin ​or 50IU/ml penicillin+ 50µ​g/ml streptomycin); OR*
         
         
      3. 6.3.2 Each embryo collection for export to New Zealand was tested with a test listed in MPI-STD-SAA (rt-PCR), with negative results.
         
         MPI-STD-SAA specified samples for germplasm testing:
         IVD embryos: unfiltered collection fluids from the embryo collection.
         IVP embryos: embryo culture medium collected immediately prior to storage.
         
      
      
   4. 6.4 Bovine herpes virus 5 (BHV 5)
      IVP embryos
      
      
      1. 6.4.1 The oocyte donor’s herd of residence have had no cases of BHV 5 (suspected or diagnosed) in the year prior to collection for export to New Zealand AND
         
      
      Semen used to produce embryos for export to New Zealand:
      
      (i) Semen collected in Australia: the semen used to produce the embryos for export to New Zealand meets the requirements for BHV-5 in BOVIGERM.GEN or an agreed certificate; OR
      
      (ii) Semen imported into Australia: based on the declaration provided by the veterinarian and attached to this certificate, there have been no cases of BHV5 (suspected or diagnosed) in the twelve months prior to date of collection on all centres of residence of the semen donor.
      
      
   5. 6.5. Brucella suis
      IVP embryos
      
      
      1. 6.5.1 Semen used to produce the embryos for export to New Zealand satisfies the requirements for Brucella suis in an agreed certificate for bovine semen exported from Australia to New Zealand OR met Australian import conditions for Brucellae spp.
         
   
   
7. Storage and Transport
   
   
   1. (*Delete non applicable)
   2. 
      7.1 The cryogenic or cooling agent used in the freezing process, storage and transport of germplasm have not been used previously in association with any other product of animal origin.
      
      
   3. 7.2 The transport container in which the embryos are to be transported to New Zealand is new* or disinfected* and is free of contamination. The disinfectant used, its active chemical and date of disinfection is recorded in Attachment 1 of this zoosanitary certificate.
      
      
   4. 7.3 All transport containers in which the embryos are to be transported to New Zealand, was sealed either by the Australian government approved embryo team veterinarian or an official veterinarian, using tamper-evident seals that are positioned to ensure that no embryos can be added after the transport container has been sealed.
      
      
   5. 7.4 ​Where the embryos are transferred from one transport container to another:
      
      
      1. Date of transfer ____________________________________________________________________________
         
      2. Name of approved collection centre/herd _________________________________________________
         
      3. Reason for transfer ________________________________________________________________________
         
      4. Name of veterinarian involved in the transfer ______________________________________________
         
      ​
      Official seal number: XXXXXX
      ​Container serial number: XXXXXX

Attachment

Bovine Embryos (frozen) from Australia to New Zealand

Embryo transfer veterinarian declaration

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

This template (DOCX 45 KB | PDF 210 KB) provides the format for the Embryo Transfer Veterinarian declaration (ETVD) for the export of bovine embryos to New Zealand.

For semen which is legally imported to Australia and may be used to create bovine embryos (IVD and IVP) in Australia for export to New Zealand, please use this Semen Collection Centre Health Declaration (DOCX 60 KB | PDF 212 KB).​

Based on importing country website and information. Protocol agreed April 2026.

Entry last reviewed 2 June 2026​.