Attachment 16-1: Quarantine Requirements for the Importation of Bovine 
Serum 
(In case of any discrepancy between the English version and the Chinese text of these 
Requirements, the Chinese text shall govern.) 
 
Promulgated by Council of Agriculture on September 23, 2004 
Amended by Council of Agriculture on March 29, 2022 and entered into force on April 29, 
2022 
Amended by the Council of Agriculture on August 11, 2022  
 
1. The quarantine requirements regulate the importation of serum of cattle of the 
Bovinae subfamily (hereinafter referred to as “bovine serum”). 
2. Testing referred to in these requirements shall be conducted by laboratories owned, 
designated or approved by the government of the exporting country using methods 
listed in these requirements; or prescribed, recommended or considered suitable by 
the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Manual of Diagnostic Tests and 
Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (hereinafter the WOAH Manual) for confirmation of 
population or individual animals being free from infection with pathogens of 
corresponding diseases. For diseases with no such testing methods prescribed, 
recommended or considered suitable in the WOAH Manual, methods that have been 
published in international scientific journals may also be used. 
3. The disease-free countries or zones as stated in this requirements refer to countries or 
zones recognized by the central competent authority of the importing country as 
being free from foot and mouth disease (FMD) and contagious bovine 
pleuropneumonia (CBPP). 
4. For the importation of bovine serum, the following requirements shall be complied 
with: 
4.1 The serum shall be derived from cattle born and raised in the disease-free countries 
or zones. 
4.2 For the serum that are collected at slaughter, the serum shall originate from cattle 
passing the ante-mortem and post- mortem inspection conducted by the competent 
authority of the exporting country and one of the two following requirements shall be 
complied with: 
4.2.1 Prior to slaughter, the cattle must not be subject to a stunning process with a device 
injecting compressed air or gas into the cranial cavity, nor to a pithing process. 
4.2.2 The cattle originate from countries that are not recognized by the central 
competent authority of the importing country as countries (zones) with reported 
case(s) of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and are recognized by the 
central competent authority of the importing country as countries (zones) with 
negligible BSE risk. 4.3 For the serum not collected at slaughter, it must be collected from cattle which are 
found to be clinically healthy by physical examination. 
4.4 The serum processing facilities are supervised by the competent authority of the 
country where the processing facilities are located and shall process bovine blood 
materials only fulfilling the requirements stipulated in Article 4.1 to 4.3. However 
the blood material derived from non-susceptible animals of countries or zones that 
are not free from FMD or CBPP are not restricted.  
4.5 The serum shall be filtered through a filter with mesh size 0.22μM or less, or 
irradiated with γ-rays at a dosage of 25 kGray (MRad) or more. 
4.6. The serum shall be tested and found free from pathogens of mycoplasma, bovine 
viral diarrhea, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and bluetongue unless the diseases 
caused by the pathogens having not occurred in the country of cattle of origin in the 
previous 5 years at least. 
5. Each consignment shall be accompanied by an original veterinary certificate issued 
by the animal quarantine authority of the exporting country. The certificate shall state 
the following information in English or Chinese: 
5.1 Origin: 
5.1.1 Name of consignment, total quantity and lot number; 
5.1.2 The exporting country; 
5.1.3 Names, registration numbers, addresses and country of the processing facilities; 
and 
5.1.4 Name and address of the exporter. 
5.2 Destination: 
5.2.1 Country of destination; and 
5.2.2 Name and address of the importer. 
5.3 Result of the quarantine: 
5.3.1 Statement attesting that the bovine serum fulfills the requirements stipulated in 
Article 4.  For pathogens that are exempted from testing pertaining to Article 4.6, 
the statements regarding those diseases caused by the pathogens having not 
occurred in the country of cattle of origin in the previous 5 years shall be noted.  
5.3.2 The country of cattle of origin. 
5.4 Date of issuance, name and official stamp of the issuing authority, and name and 
signature of the issuing officer.