Alerts

On 1 July 2021 the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment updated the import conditions for cattle, sheep, goat and deer embryos and semen. The department amended the administrative conditions for all ruminant reproductive material.

The following wording was added to the administrative conditions for imports of bovine, ovine, caprine and cervine semen and embryos:

'Each consignment of semen/embryos must be accompanied by laboratory reports for all testing. Copies of the laboratory reports must accompany the shipment and be endorsed by the official government veterinarian.'

The department advised that copies of all laboratory reports must accompany all ruminant reproductive material imports from 1 July 2021.

Following consultation with industry and trading partners, the department has determined that it will temporarily continue to accept a summary table of test results for bovine germplasm without accompanying laboratory testing results, during an implementation period, while the practicalities of this requirement are worked through with our trading partners.

Consignment data on non-compliance related to laboratory testing results will then be reviewed for approximately 12 months, and until such time as enough data can be assessed to determine the rates of non-compliance identified through provision of laboratory reports. Depending on the results of the data assessment, the department may reduce the frequency of verification against laboratory reports.

Industry will be advised when this requirement is to be implemented in full.

Who does this notice affect:
Importers of cattle embryos and semen, Veterinary and Export Meat Group.

Background:
To date, the wording of Australia’s administrative import conditions for ruminant germplasm has not been clear about verification of test results via checking of laboratory reports. As a result, clearance staff at the border have historically cleared bovine germplasm based on the table created by the approved collection centre veterinarian, without reviewing laboratory test results for verification. This is inconsistent with all other germplasm and live animal commodities exported to Australia.

On numerous occasions, where laboratory reports have been provided, serious non-compliance with import conditions relating to disease testing has been identified. In these consignments, laboratory reports have been provided by the importer or directly requested by clearance staff to follow up on errors in test dates and test types provided in the summary table.

The import conditions for ruminant germplasm requires the certifying official veterinarian to assess laboratory test results for the disease agents listed in the table provided by the collection centre veterinarian. The department requires that the laboratory reports be made available for verification by Australian border clearance staff, which is consistent with how all other live animal and reproductive material commodities imported into Australia are verified, i.e. laboratory test results are verified by reviewing the laboratory reports as evidence for all disease testing.

Further information:
Please contact Horses, Livestock and Birds on 1800 900 090 (prompt 1, then prompt 1, and ask for the Horses, Livestock and Birds section) or email reproimports@awe.gov.au