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 New Zealand's 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 semen described above satisfies the following requirements:

Eligibility

1. The semen is from equids.
2. The semen is fresh-chilled/frozen and non-genetically modified.

Diagnostic testing, vaccination and treatment

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. 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.
5. 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.

Semen centre requirements

6. The semen centre meets the conditions specified in the OIE Code Chapter on general hygiene in semen collection and processing centres.
7. The semen centre was:
   1. Approved for export by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
   2. Subject to regular annual inspection by a Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Veterinary Officer.
   3. Under the supervision of a semen centre veterinarian approved by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
8. The name and approval numbers of the semen centre(s) are recorded in this veterinary certificate.
9. The donors were transferred from one approved semen centre to another of equal health status without isolation or testing and the following occurred:
   1. Donors were examined, by the approved semen collection facility veterinarian, and showed no clinical sign of disease on the day of entry into the facility.
   2. Transfer was direct.
   3. Donors were not in direct or indirect contact with animals of a lower health status.
   4. The means of transport used was disinfected before use.
      (delete entire classes as appropriate)

Semen donor requirements

10. The semen donors were resident for at least 28 consecutive days at the semen centre prior to collection of the semen for export. During this time semen donors were not be used for natural mating and were isolated from animals not of equivalent health status.
11. On the day of collection the semen centre veterinarian ensured by clinical examination, including that of the external reproductive organs, that the donor was free from clinical evidence of infectious diseases transmissible in semen.
12. The donor has been approved for the <enter years of breeding season> breeding season on <enter date>.

Semen collection, processing, storage and transport

13. Semen was collected and processed in accordance with the current recommendations of the OIE Code.
14. None of the cryogenic or cooling agent has been previously used in association with any other product of animal origin.
15. The semen is in straws, ampoules, or new or disinfected containers which are sealed and tamper-evident, and 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) Code.
16. Semen was only stored with semen/embryos that were collected and processed in accordance with the OIE Code. Containers were held until export in a storage place approved by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
17. Semen was stored in the same container only with semen from donors of equivalent health status.
18. Semen was placed in a transport container that is new or disinfected and free of contamination.
    
    Disinfectant (active chemical) _________________________ and date ____________________________
    (delete and initial if the container was new)
    
    
19. The transport container was sealed by a Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Officer, using tamper-evident seals.
    
    Seal number: __________________________________________
    
    
20. The semen was transferred from one transport container to another (delete if not applicable).
    
    Date of transfer: __________________________________
    
    Reason for transfer: ___________________________________________________________
    
    Facility: __________________________________________
    
    Veterinarian (name and signature): ______________________________________________
    
    
21. The semen in this consignment originates from a country other than Australia <insert name of country of origin> (delete as appropriate and initial). The country of origin currently approved to export equine semen to New Zealand, and the semen is accompanied by:
    1. a declaration from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources that links the semen to the semen being exported and confirms that the semen has been stored as per New Zealand requirements at a facility approved by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources; and either
       1. A veterinary certificate, certified by the Competent Authority of <insert name of country of origin> as meeting New Zealand's requirements; or
       2. A letter from the Competent Authority of <insert name of country of origin> indicates that the semen meets New Zealand's requirements

Specific requirements for identified risk organisms

22. Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) [abortigenic and paralytic forms]
    
    Donor animals
    1. Were kept for the 21 days prior to collection on premises where no case of EHV-1 (abortigenic and paralytic forms) was reported during that period; and
    2. Showed no clinical signs of EHV-1 infection on the day of collection and during the 21 days prior to collection.
23. Equine infectious anaemia (EIA)
    1. Donors showed no clinical sign of EIA on the day of each collection; and
    2. Donors were kept on premises where no case of EIA has been reported during the 90 days prior to each collection; and
    3. 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.
       

       Note

       EIA test results are valid for up to 180 days providing the donor was continuously resident at the semen collection centre, and met the semen donor and centre requirements.

24. Equine viral arteritis (EVA) (delete as applicable)
    1. Donors were kept on premises where no equid has shown any clinical sign of EVA for the 28 days immediately prior to semen collection and showed no clinical sign of EVA on the day of semen collection; and
       1. Were subjected between 6 and 9 months of age to a virus neutralisation test (VNT) for EVA, with either (delete as applicable)
          1. A negative result, or
          2. A positive result, followed at least 14 days later by a second test that showed a stable or decreasing titre;
          and were subsequently vaccinated against EVA and regularly revaccinated as required; or
       2. Were isolated and not earlier than seven days after commencing isolation, were subjected to a VNT for EVA on a blood sample with negative results, vaccinated for EVA, kept for 21 days following vaccination separated from other equids and regularly revaccinated as required; or
       3. Were subjected to a VNT for EVA on a blood sample with negative results no less than 21 days after entering the collection centre(s), and had been separated from other equids not of equivalent health status since entry into the semen collection centre(s) until the end of semen collection period; or
       4. Have been subjected to a VNT for EVA on a blood sample with positive results and then either
          1. Were subsequently test mated to two mares within 6 months prior to semen collection, which were subjected to two VNTs for EVA with negative results on blood samples collected at the time of test mating and again 28 days after test mating; or
          2. Were subjected to a virus isolation (VI) for EVA with negative results, carried out on semen collected within 6 months prior to collection of the semen to be exported; or
          3. Were subjected to a VI for EVA with negative results, carried out on semen collected within six months after the blood sample was collected then immediately vaccinated, and revaccinated regularly;
       5. For frozen semen, were subjected with negative results to either
          1. A VNT for EVA carried out on a blood sample taken not earlier than 14 days and not later than 12 months after the collection of the semen for export; or
          2. A VI for EVA carried out on an aliquot of the semen collected immediately prior to processing or on an aliquot of semen collected within 14 to 30 days after the first collection of the semen to be exported.
25. Leptospirosis
    1. Antibiotics effective against Leptospires were added to collection, processing, washing and storage media.
       
       Name and concentration of antibiotics: _______________________________
26. Taylorella spp. (Contagious equine metritis, CEM)
    1. The semen was 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 semen.

Based on importing country website and information. Health certificate agreed 12 October 2016 and updated 30 November 2017.

Entry last reviewed 14 May 2020