1. What the WGCF and breeders within countries are required to do to ensure ready access to semen and embryos from all other countries
John Hepburn
Presentation will:
Look at trade
OIE – sets the rules
Export process – principles and examples

2. International movement of genetics important
Genetic improvement
Genetic diversity
Normal AI
Newer aspects:
Gene discovery, Genomics
Developing countries – tropics – heat tolerance – red colour?

3. From NZ currently: Export Certificates:
Certificates to 38 countries (including EU treated as 1 country) for bull semen
2015 – 1,251,776 straws exported from NZ
14 certs for cattle embryos (incl. EU)
2015 – 437 embryos exported from NZ
Export Certificates:
Government to government agreements
Country specific – not “export standard”
Are often similar but they are unique
Subject to change and revocation
Have to be respected
Established as matter of priority – lobby. Some$

4. International Trade Increasing – particularly to developing regions

5. International movement of genetics
Some countries use more international genetics than others
e.g. NZ 98% of semen used is from domestic derived bulls
Australia 41%

6. World Organisation for Animal Health
Disease Status of Countries – 180 member countries incl. NZ
Rigorous scrutiny e.g. NZ Brucellosis
Credible surveillance – prove it is NOT present e.g. BSE
Risk of Disease Transmission by semen or embryos - proving it cannot
IETS
Approved methods / standards of preventing transmission incl. tests

7. International Standards
In the current trend of globalisation, animal health measures have increasing importance to facilitate safe international trade of animal products while avoiding unnecessary impediments to trade. The The SPS Agreement encourages the members of WTO to base their sanitary measures on international standards, guidelines and recommendations, where they exist.
The OIE publishes Terrestrial Animal Health Code and manual as the principle reference for WTO members with the aim to assure the sanitary safety of international trade in terrestrial animals, and their products.
Principle here where countries cannot require testing or freedom for diseases they already have but are not embarked on some form of official control program to limit / eradicate it.
Some countries impose additional requirements:
Pedigree data e.g. China, Brazil, India
Production data e.g. India
Assurance of freedom of genetic defects

8. Example
Certificate agreed between NZ and Chile Signed by NZ Official Veterinaraian
ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATE 
Species: BOVINE SEMEN
To: CHILE
Exporting Country: NEW ZEALAND
Competent Authority: MINISTRY FOR PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Country freedom
New Zealand is officially free from bluetongue, brucellosis (B. abortus), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, foot‑and‑mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, Rift Valley fever, rinderpest, and vesicular stomatitis.
Vaccination against these diseases is prohibited in New Zealand.

9. Example – continued Premises of origin
3.1 The cattle admitted into the semen collection centre originate from premises that were:
officially free from bovine tuberculosis
free from enzootic bovine leukosis
3.2 The cattle admitted into the semen collection centre have completed pre-entry quarantine, during which they are tested with negative results for the routine diagnostic tests performed on the centre.
Semen collection centre
2.1 The semen collection centre at which the semen was collected:
2.1.1 is approved by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries as having facilities suitable for collecting, processing and storing semen in accordance with Bovine Semen Appendix of the OIE Code
2.1.2 is under the direct supervision and sanitary control of a centre veterinarian who is approved by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries and is responsible for the hygiene of the centre and the health of the animals
2.1.3 is regularly inspected by an official veterinarian of the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries

10. Collecting Bulls – the biosecurity process
Farm status – declarations of disease freedom e.g. EBL, TB, Johnes, IBR, Lepto, BVD.
Pre-entry disease testing e.g. TB, Johnes, BVD, IBR
On centre quarantine – 30days with repeat testing at end
On centre collection with 6 monthly testing
Post- collection testing and stand-down
Export with an Import Permit if required and issued by importing country

11. Export Approved Centres
Approved by authorities (usually country Ministry e.g. MPI)
In some countries (China, Thailand, Chile, Colombia) there is a requirement for country inspectors to approve the facility
Audit process – at least annual (some cases twice yearly e.g. EU) ** Strict process by MPI / AQ
Centre Veterinarian supervising the process and signing export certificates

12. Embryos
Embryos are safe from a biosecurity perspective – zona pellucida
More flexibility around collection – sometimes on farm
Washing process as an added precaution against disease
Centre or the team is approved
Some cases there is value in sourcing very best females and ending up with full genetics not just half

13. What the WGCF and breeders within countries are required to do to ensure ready access to semen and embryos from all other countries.
Certificates must be in place between governments
Country disease status is critical
Farm of origin disease status is something partly within you control
Approved Centres / Teams must carry process out according to conditions
Import Permit