FRESH and
FROZEN SEMEN:
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The U.S. importer must obtain an
import permit (Form VS 17-129) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service,
Veterinary Services,
National Center for Import and Export, Import Animals Staff, 4700
River Road, Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231, Phone (301) 734-8364, Fax (301) 734-4704. This permit must accompany the semen shipment
from the country of origin to the United States. A $94.00 fee will be
charged for each permit application. If a shipment arrives in the United
States without a permit, an additional $66.00 for import compliance
assistance will be required prior to release of the shipment. Payment can
be made by check or money order made out to USDA, APHIS, bank cards (VISA, Mastercard or American Express), or through established credit with the
Agency.
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An official health certificate,
written in English, is required. The international animal health
certificate must be issued by a veterinarian designated by the national
animal health service of the country of origin. The certificate must be
endorsed by a salaried veterinarian of the national animal health service
of the country of origin attesting to the certification and test as
required in this protocol.
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The semen must originate from a semen
collection unit that is approved or licensed by the government of the
country in which the semen is collected and processed and under the
general supervision of the national animal health service of the country.
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CERTIFICATION AND TESTS
A phantom teaser mare is preferred;
however, a live teaser mare may be used provided she has never been used
for natural or artificial breeding prior to entrance into the semen
collection unit.
All animals must be tested with
negative results for dourine within 30 days of the date they enter the
semen collection unit. Subsequent test must be conducted at 180-day
intervals if the animals remain in the semen collection unit.
Stallions must not be used for
natural breeding for a period of time starting 15 days prior to the
initial tests named in paragraph 2.2 and continuing while the stallion is
in the semen collection unit and while semen is being collected for export
to the United States.
Before semen is collected the
stallions must be scrubbed and cultured negative for contagious equine
metritis (CEM) utilizing the following procedure:
For 5 consecutive days, the prepuce,
penis, including fossa glandis, and urethral sinus of the stallion
described on the health certificate must be aseptically cleaned and washed
(scrubbed) while in full erection then treated with a solution of not less
than 0.2 percent nitrofurazone under the supervision of the designated
veterinarian issuing the certificate.
Beginning at least 7 days after the
last consecutive day of scrubbing and packing, three separate sets of
three specimens each are collected from the stallion described on the
certificate at intervals of not less than 72 hours between the collection
of each set. The collections must be made from the surface on the fossa
glandis, the area of the urethral process and into the urethral fossa, and
the penile sheath respectively under the supervision of the designated
veterinarian issuing the certificate.
All specimens collected as described
in paragraph 2.4.2 above must be cultured and found to be negative for CEM
prior to the collection of the U.S. semen.
PROCESSING CERTIFICATE
Prior to use all equipment used to
collect, process, and ship the semen was new or cleaned and disinfected
under supervision of the designated veterinarian issuing the health
certificate.
If milk is used in the semen
extender, it must originate from a country recognized as free of
foot-and-mouth disease by USDA.
If eggs are used in the semen
extender, they must originate from poultry flocks that are certified free
of viscerotropic veloginic Newcastle disease by the national animal health
service in the country of origin.
The semen was collected and processed
under the supervision of the designated veterinarian issuing the health
certificate and placed in individual containers or in straws which are
permanently marked with the identification of the donor, the date of
collection, and AI unit. This information is recorded on the health
certificate.
The semen must be maintained under
lock and key or in the custody of the certifying veterinarian until it was
placed in the shipping container and sealed with Government seals. The
seal numbers are recorded on the health certificate.
The sealed shipping containers must
be delivered to the nearest airport for direct shipment to the United
States.
Semen was routed directly to the
United States with no stops en route other than those provided for on the
import permit.
SEMEN FROM
CANADA IMPORTED TO THE
USA
