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.

Great Britain (GB) has left the European Union (EU) and now operates under its own trade rules for imports and export of animals and animal products from 1 January 2021. The transition period ended on 31 March 2021 and all the reproductive material exports to GB past 31 March 2021 must be prepared and certified in accordance with UK’s own trade rules for imports and export of animals and animal products.

An import permit is not required.

Information about the process required to import animals into GB can be found on the United Kingdom (UK) Government's website.

Note

The import requirements and health certification for Northern Ireland are different from those imposed on animals and reproductive material exported to Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Where this entry refers to 'Great Britain' or 'GB', this will be taken to mean Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

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

There is model health certificate intended for the movement of reproductive material from Australia to Great Britain. It is the responsibility of the exporter to ensure that the certificate is current.

Sheep and goat semen may only be exported to Great Britain if collected by a semen collection centre audited and approved by the Department specifically for this purpose.

Facility and centre approvals:

• Any premises that were listed by the EU on 31 December 2020 automatically transition to being approved by the GB authorities and listed by them.
• Any premises that wish to become EU or UK listed after 1 January 2021 must apply to the Department to be listed.
  

Note

The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published a list of establishments in non-EU countries approved to export animal products to GB. The list is updated regularly.

The correct Approval Number (Authorisation Number) of the approved facility must be included on the health certificate.

As the importing country requirements may change without advice to the Department you should check the importing country’s documentation carefully at the time of preparation for export.

Bluetongue (BTV) and EHD testing (all serotypes present in Australia – 1,2,5,6,7 and 8) is mandatory for Australia.

Centre veterinarian declaration

A declaration by the centre veterinarian is required for assessment of this export.

This template (DOCX 82 KB | PDF 199 KB) provides the format for the Centre Veterinarian declaration (CVD) for the export of sheep and goat semen to Great Britain.

Based on importing country website.

Entry last reviewed 28 January 2025.