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Requirements for Frozen Cervine Semen Imported from the United States into Canada

AHPD-DSAE-IE-2008-7-1
November 17, 2008

"Cervine" refers to members of the family: Cervidae; subfamily: Cervinae; subfamily: Capreolinae, subfamily: Hydropotinae and subfamily: Muntiacinae.

General requirements

1. Cervine semen imported into Canada requires an import permit issued by a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) office prior to the arrival of the shipment at a port of entry (Sections 12 and 160, Health of Animals Regulations).

2. Cervine semen imported into Canada must have been collected in a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved facility under the supervision of a veterinarian.

3. Cervine semen may only be imported into Canada from animals that have been born and raised in captivity as "farmed cervids" and originate from herds that have been in existence for at least three (3) years and in which there have been no additions of cervids from the wild since 2001.

4. The donor animals must originate from a herd that is a Certified Brucellosis-Free cervid herd and a Tuberculosis Accredited herd (captive cervid) according to US Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) and Uniform Methods and Rules definitions or from a herd of negative test for brucellosis and tuberculosis where all animals over twelve (12) months of age in the herd have been tested with negative results within twelve (12) months for brucellosis and tuberculosis.

5. Brucellosis, tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease (CWD) must not have been diagnosed in the herd of origin or on any premises that the donor animal has been resident unless, in the event of disease detection, all animals on the premises were depopulated with cleaning and disinfection occurring prior to restocking. Continuous records of animal identification and herds of residence for the animal intended for semen collection, from the time of birth until time of collection, must be verified by the certifying veterinarian.

6. The herd of origin and the donor animal must have been examined by a veterinarian and found free from communicable diseases within sixty (60) days prior to the donor entering an isolation facility.

7. The donor animal must spend thirty (30) days in an isolation facility and be tested for brucellosis and tuberculosis with negative results before entering a semen collection centre.

8. The donor animal must be tested with negative results for brucellosis and tuberculosis within ninety (90) days of the semen collection date(s) to be exported. The end of isolation tests may be used to qualify collections for export.

9. The semen must be collected in facilities with a donor housing area that is physically separate from the area dedicated to semen collection. There must be a laboratory dedicated to semen processing, a freezing area and a storage area that is physically separated from both the donor housing and the collection area. The laboratory area as well as the collection and processing areas must be protected against the entry of insects and rodents and must be of sound construction with surfaces that permit effective cleaning and disinfection. Centres collecting cervine semen may be located on premises on which other cervids are raised provided separation guidelines are maintained.

10. The semen must be collected and processed under the supervision of a veterinarian. The collection, processing and storage of semen must be done in a hygienic manner that prevents contamination with pathogenic micro-organisms. All material containing animal ingredients and used in the processing must be sourced and processed in a manner that prevents the introduction of pathogenic micro-organisms. The equipment used to collect, handle, wash, freeze and store the semen must be new or sanitized prior to use.

11. Semen presented for import to Canada must be in individual ampules or straws. The permanent markings on each ampule or straw of semen must include the date of collection, the identification of the donor animal and the identification of the semen production centre where the semen was collected. The ampules or straws must be sealed prior to the time of freezing and the cryogenic agent used in the freezing process and storage must not have been used with any other product of animal origin.

12. The semen must be sent in a shipping container that has been sealed. The serial number of the container and the markings of the seal must be recorded on the export health certificate. The semen for export must have been stored only with other semen collected from other animals having an equivalent health status. Subsequent to presentation at the first port of entry the semen must proceed directly to a pre-approved premises for examination by CFIA.

13. Cervid semen imported into Canada must be accompanied by a certificate of an official veterinarian of the United States or a certificate of a veterinarian licensed in the United States and endorsed by an official veterinarian of the United States. The certificate must contain the name and address of the consignor, the location where the collection of semen occurred, the name and address of the consignee and required certification.

Test requirements for the import of cervine semen

A. Brucellosis Requirements

The brucellosis test for the import of cervine semen to Canada is the buffered plate agglutination test (BPAT) and must be conducted within ninety (90) days prior to the collection date(s) of semen to be imported.

The date and results of the brucellosis test must be shown on the required health certificate for the semen to be imported.

B. Tuberculosis requirements

The tuberculin test for the import of cervine semen to Canada is the single mid-cervical intradermal injection using bovine PPD tuberculin with a reading of results at seventy-two (72) hours as "no reaction" and must be conducted within ninety (90) days prior to the collection date(s) of semen to be imported.

The date and results of the tuberculin test must be shown on the required health certificate for the semen to be imported.

Certification to accompany cervine semen from the United States for import into Canada

Documentation to contain the following information and statements:

1. The CFIA import permit number.

2. The serial number of the shipping tank and the tamper-proof seal number affixed to the tank.

3. The name and address of the consignor, the pre-approved location where the semen was collected and the name and address of the consignee.

4. The identity of the donor animal and the permanent identification enabling traceback to the herd of origin and herds of residence.

5. The permanent markings on each ampule or straw of semen: the date of collection, the identification of the donor animal, species, registration number where applicable and the identification of the semen production centre where the semen was collected. The number of ampules or straws from each collection date must be included in information.

6. The herd of origin of the donor animal has been in existence for at least three (3) years and is classed as a domestic herd of farmed cervids. There have been no introductions of cervidae from the wild since 2001 into any herd where the donor may have been resident.

7. The donor animal was born and raised in the United States or Canada or has continuously resided in the United States or Canada for not less than sixty (60) days.

8. The donor animal originates from a herd officially recognized as a Certified Brucellosis-Free cervid herd and a Tuberculosis Accredited herd (captive cervid) according to US CFR and Uniform Methods and Rules definitions; or,

the donor animal originates from a herd of negative test for brucellosis and tuberculosis where the all animals over twelve (12) months of age in the herd have been tested within twelve (12) months for brucellosis and tuberculosis with negative results.

(Indicate option certified)

brucellosis herd test date: space

tuberculosis herd test date: space

9. Brucellosis, tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease (CWD) have not been diagnosed in the herd of origin or on any premises where the donor has been resident; or in the event of disease detection, all animals on the premises were depopulated with cleaning and disinfection occurring prior to restocking. Continuous records of animal identification and herds of residence for the donor animal have been verified with respect to disease status.

10. Semen collection and processing facilities are approved by the USDA and under the supervision of a veterinarian.

11. The herd of origin and the donor animal were examined and found free from communicable diseases within sixty (60) days prior to entering the isolation facility.

12. The donor animals were isolated in an approved facility for a minimum period of thirty (30) days at the end of which they were subjected to brucellosis (BPAT) and tuberculosis (SCT test using bovine PPD tuberculin tests) with negative results. From the date of the end of isolation testing until the completion of the collection of semen destined to Canada, the donor animals have not had any direct or indirect contact with animals that are not of equivalent health status.

13. The donor animal was subject within ninety (90) days prior to the semen collection date(s) for export to the following tests with negative results:

brucellosis (BPAT)
test date: space

tuberculosis (SCT using bovine PPD tuberculin)
test date: space

14. The donor animal was continuously resided at the approved premises for collection of semen from the date of isolation until the last collection of the semen for export to Canada and during that time has not been used for natural mating. On the date(s) of collection the donor animal and all in-contact animals showed no clinical or other evidence of Bluetongue, EHD (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease), Vesicular Stomatitis, CWD or other communicable disease.

15. The semen was collected, processed and stored in a hygienic manner that prevented contamination with pathogenic micro-organisms. All material with animal ingredients used in the processing of the semen was sourced and processed to prevent the introduction of pathogenic micro-organisms. The equipment used to collect, handle and store the semen to be presented for import into Canada was new or sterilized prior to use. The ampules or straws were sealed prior to the time of freezing.

16. The cryogenic agent used in the freezing process was not used in association with any other product of animal origin. The semen has been stored in a secure location under the control of the veterinarian at an approved premises from the time of collection until dispatch to Canada without contact with semen of a lesser status.

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