Annex

Note: Veterinary certificates are negotiated directly between relevant government authorities. In cases where a veterinary certificate has not been negotiated, this annex can be used as the basis for developing a suitable document.

1. This consignment consists of frozen semen in straws or semen pellets collected from goats that immediately prior to the pre-collection period were living in Canada.

   Entry and clearance may only occur at ports specified by Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

2. Approval of semen collection centre for export to Australia
   

   The semen was collected and processed in a semen collection centre (SCC) meeting the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Code requirements for accreditation.

   Name of approved centre where the semen was originally collected:	Name of centre veterinarian:
   Address of approved centre:	Telephone: Fax:

   The caprine semen in this consignment was collected, handled and stored in accordance with the OIE Code.

3. Semen collections were performed under the direct supervision of either the centre veterinarian or the official veterinarian.

4. For sex sorted semen, either:

   • Sex sorted semen is NOT included in this shipment,
     
     OR
     
   • Sex sorted semen IS included in this shipment, and:
     
     - equipment used for sex-sorting sperm was cleaned and disinfected between animals according the sex semen licensor’s recommendations; and
     
     - where seminal plasma, or components thereof, was added to sorted semen prior to cryopreservation and storage, it was derived from animals of same or better health status.
     
     [The veterinary certificate must indicate the option that applies.]

5. Scrapie – freedom assurance
   

   The semen donors have lived only in a country or zone where:

   • scrapie has been compulsorily notifiable during the previous six years.
   • an effective and continuous national surveillance system is practiced
   • brains from clinically suspect animals are examined in a laboratory in accordance with the diagnostic techniques set out in the OIE Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines or the USDA Voluntary Scrapie Herd Certification Program Standards, Appendix 1
   • the feeding of ruminant derived meat-and-bone meal to sheep and goats is banned
   • scrapie-affected sheep and goats are slaughtered and their carcasses disposed of in a manner that would reliably preclude the spread of scrapie infective agent (such as complete incineration)
   • all scrapie affected animals can be traced back to their herd of birth.
     

   The semen donors originate from a herd in which no case of scrapie has been confirmed or suspected during the five years immediately prior to semen collection. All animals were identified and can be traced back to their herd of birth. Records of parentage, and movements of animals in and out of the herd, are maintained for a minimum period of five years. During the previous five years, introductions of goats were only permitted from herds with equivalent scrapie status. No animals have commingled with herds of lower scrapie status during the previous five years. No animals have commingled with sheep during the five years immediately prior to collection.
   
   [Applications will also be considered where information is available which would provide equivalent security for herd freedom for scrapie. Applications for this option must be made to Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry through the veterinary administration of the exporting country.]

6. Foot and mouth disease (FMD)
   Immediately prior to the pre-collection period each donor was living in Canada, recognised by the OIE as being free from foot and mouth disease.
7. Sheep and goat pox
   The exporting country meets the OIE Code Article definitions for country freedom from sheep and goat pox (capripox virus) and contagious caprine pleuropneumonia.
8. Enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE)
   Each donor has lived on premises in which EAE had not been diagnosed during the two years immediately prior to the pre-collection period and gave a negative result to a CFT test for EAE during the pre-collection period.
9. Contagious agalactia (CA)
   Each donor has lived on premises in which contagious agalactia had not been diagnosed during the six months immediately prior to the pre-collection period.
10. Schmallenberg virus
    No cases of disease caused by Schmallenberg virus have been detected or reported in Canada.
11. Microchip
    Prior to entry into quarantine each donor was individually identified by microchip implanted midline between the shoulder blades or behind the ear.
12. Isolation
    Each donor was isolated from all ruminants, except other donors of equivalent health status, during the pre-collection and the collection periods.
13. Vaccinations
    Donors were not vaccinated against any diseases, except tetanus using a killed vaccine, during the pre-collection period nor during collection.
14. Clinical examination
    Donors were clinically inspected at least each week during the pre-collection period and on each day blood samples were collected and, at each inspection, were found to be free from signs of contagious and infectious diseases (by the accredited SCC veterinarian, official veterinarian or a registered veterinarian appointed by the centre veterinarian and acting under written instruction).
15. Testing
    Blood and/or hair samples were collected from each donor for diagnostic tests or DNA testing by the centre veterinarian, the official veterinarian or a registered veterinarian appointed by the centre veterinarian and acting under written instruction.
    
    [The testing program may be subject to direct audit by Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry at any time.]
    
    All tests were performed at laboratories, and using tests, approved by the veterinary administration of the exporting country.

16. Bluetongue (BT)
    Donors were either:

    • subjected to a serological test to detect antibody to the BT virus group, such as the BT competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or the BT agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test, between 28 and 60 days after final semen collection, with negative results
      
      or
      
    • subjected to a BT virus isolation test or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on a blood sample taken on the day of collection, with negative results.
      
      [The veterinary certificate must indicate the option that applies. The attached table must include dates of sampling for test, type of tests used, test results.]

17. Johne’s disease (M. paratuberculosis)
    Donors either:

    • gave a negative result to an absorbed ELISA or AGID for JD between 90 days before the first collection of semen and export
      
      or
      
    • has been kept in a herd in which no clinical sign of paratuberculosis was officially reported during the five years immediately prior to collection.
      
      [The veterinary certificate must indicate the option that applies. The attached table must include dates of sampling for test, type of tests used, test results.]

18. Brucella melitensis infection
    Donors either:

    • lived only in a country or zone which meets Code requirements for country freedom
      
      or
      
    • immediately prior to the pre-collection period, was part of a herd meeting the OIE Code requirements for freedom from B. melitensis infection and gave a negative result to a CFT and a Rose Bengal plate agglutination test for B. melitensis infection on the same blood sample taken during the pre-collection period or at autopsy.
      
      [The veterinary certificate must indicate the option that applies. The attached table must include dates of sampling for test, type of tests used, test results.]

19. Caprine arthritis/encephalitis (CAE)
    Each donor either:

    • immediately prior to semen collection, was part of a herd recognised by the veterinary administration as an accredited CAE free herd
      
      or
      
    • immediately prior to semen collection, was part of a herd in which CAE had not been diagnosed during the previous three years and during this three year period no commingling with sheep occurred and no animals were introduced from herds with a lesser disease status. Each donor either gave a negative result to an approved enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for CAE virus antibodies on two blood samples collected 30 days apart during the pre-collection period, at the time of collection or at autopsy or was sourced from a herd which tested negative within the six months immediately prior to export.
      
      [A herd that "tested negative" is a closed herd in which a sample, sufficient to provide 95% probability of detecting evidence of CAE at 10% prevalence, tested negative to an approved AGID or ELISA].
      
      [The veterinary certificate must indicate the option that applies. The attached table must include dates of sampling for test, type of tests used, test results.]
20. Scrapie – post mortem
    The semen donors were at least five years of age at the time of post mortem. Before the export of semen each donor was autopsied under the direct supervision of an official veterinarian or a registered veterinary pathologist employed at a veterinary laboratory approved by the veterinary administration and acting under written instruction from the official veterinarian. The donors gave a negative result to tests for scrapie prion protein (PrPsc) on specimens of brain, brain stem, spinal cord, palatine tonsils, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes and distal ileum using immunohistochemical methods or techniques of equivalent sensitivity in accordance with procedures laid down by the veterinary administration for the detection of scrapie infective agent.
    
    [This testing must be carried out at a laboratory approved by the veterinary administration to carry out testing for scrapie prion protein (PrPsc).]
21. Disinfection of equipment - Scrapie
    Equipment that came in contact with the semen was either new or treated by a process recommended for the disposal of TSE infective agents prior to contacting the semen, in accordance with the recommendations of the veterinary administration.
    
    [TSE disinfection processes include autoclaving at 136 degrees C for one hour or soaking in a two percent available chlorine solution (equivalent to 20,000 ppm) for one hour. (From Appendix 2 USDA Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program Standards.)]

22. Storage at approved centre(s) or laboratory(ies)
    From the time of collection until export, the reproductive material in this consignment was stored:

    • in sealed containers (e.g. straws, ampoules or vials) and identified in a legible and non-erasable manner as specified in this veterinary certificate
    • only with other embryos or semen collected for export to Australia, or of equivalent health status
    • in a secure place within an approved centre or laboratory and under the direct supervision of the approved veterinarian(s), and
    • in containers containing only new, unused liquid nitrogen.

23. Further processing or aggregation
    For this reproductive material, either:

    • After leaving the approved centre under seal in shipping containers (liquid nitrogen shippers/tanks), the reproductive material was NOT removed from sealed containers (e.g. straws, ampoules or vials) for further processing or removed from the shipping container(s) for aggregation with other reproductive material.
      
      or
      

    • Reproductive material was shipped to another approved centre or laboratory under seal in shipping containers (liquid nitrogen shippers/tanks) and removed from sealed containers (e.g. straws, ampoules or vials) for further processing (e.g. sex sorting) or for aggregation:

      • with other reproductive material collected for export to Australia, or of equivalent health status
      • at an approved centre or laboratory and
      • under the direct supervision of the approved veterinarian(s).
        

      The date(s) of transfer between the approved centre(s) or laboratory(ies), reason for transfer(s) (e.g. for sex sorting), name(s) of the approved centre(s) or laboratory(ies) and the approved veterinarian(s) are listed against the shipping container/s on this certificate before departure from the approved centre or laboratory. The unique seal number of each shipping container is included in this documentation.
      
      Note: For transfers to another approved centre or laboratory, the approved veterinarian must ensure the shipping containers are transferred under seal as described below:
      
      Date of transfer...................................
      
      Reason for transfer..................................................................................................................
      
      Name of approved centre/laboratory...................................................................................................
      
      Approved veterinarian(s)...........................................................................................................
      
      Shipping container seal number(s).........................................................................................................
      
      [The veterinary certificate must indicate the option that applies.]

24. Shipping containers (Liquid nitrogen shippers/tanks)
    The shipping container was new
    
    or
    
    Prior to loading, the shipping container was emptied and inspected and any loose straws removed. The shipping container, including all surfaces in contact with the straws, ampoules or vials was then disinfected with one of the following disinfectants: 2% available chlorine (e.g. chlorine bleach), 2% Virkon, 2.4% Prevail or irradiated at 50 kGy.
    
    Date of disinfection/ irradiation………………………………………………………...
    
    Disinfectant used/ active ingredient…………………………………………………….
    
    [The veterinary certificate must indicate the option that applies. For used shipping containers, the date of disinfection, the disinfectant used and its active chemical must be recorded on the health certificate.]

25. Official Government Seals
    Under the direct supervision of an official veterinarian prior to export to Australia:

    • The containers (e.g. straws, ampoules or vials) for reproductive material in this consignment were checked as being sealed.
    • The identity of the reproductive material was checked prior to being placed into new, unused liquid nitrogen in a shipping container for export that was new or disinfected as specified in this veterinary certificate
    • Only reproductive material that met Australian import conditions was added to the shipping container
    • The shipping container was sealed with an official government seal and the number or mark on the seal recorded on the certificate.
      
      Shipping container official government seal number…………………………………...............