Ministry for Primary Industries  
Standards  
Animal & Animal Products  
PO Box 2526, Wellington 6140 
animalimports@mpi.govt.nz  
 
Import Health Standard  
 
Importation of Pig Semen  
 
 
PIGSEMIC.GEN  
  
 
 
 
 February  2013 
 
 
 
   
 
 
  
  
   
 
 
Issuing Authority  
 
This sta ndard is issued under section 24A  of the Biosecurity Act 1993.  
 
 
 
Dated at Wellington this               day of                                           2013 
 
 
 
 
Howard Pharo  
Manager Import and Export  Animals   
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)  
 
 
For Director General  
Ministry for Primary Industries  
(Under  delegated authority)   
Import Health Standard for Pig Semen  February 2013 i Contents   
Part A: Introduction 1 
Background  1 
Scope 1 
Outcomes  1 
Part B:  Definitions  2 
Part C: General Requirements  3 
Approved countries  3 
Documentation  3 
Laboratory testing  4 
Donor eligibility  4 
Semen collection centre requirements  4 
Donor and semen collection centre health status  5 
Semen collection, processing, storage and transport  5 
Part D: Specific Requirements  6 
African swine fever (ASF)  6 
Aujeszky’s disease (AD)  6 
Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD -2) 6 
Blue eye disease virus  6 
Classical swine fever (CSF)  7 
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)  7 
Japanese encephalitis (JE)  8 
Porcine myocarditis (Bungowannah virus)  8 
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS)  8 
Swine vesicular disease (SVD)  9 
Brucella suis  10 
Leptospira spp. 10 
Part E:  Equivalence  10  
Import Health Standard for Pig Semen  February 2013 1 Part A: Introduction  
Background  
 
1. Under section 24A  of the Biosecurity Act 1993, this document is the Import Health 
Standard for Pig Semen.  
 
2. A guidance document issued by MPI accompanies this import health standard. The 
guidance document provides information relevant to how requirements may be met 
and incl udes definitions of general terms used in this standard.  
 
Scope  
 
3. This standard specifies the requirements that must be met to import pig semen to 
New Zealand.  
 
4. For the purposes of this standard pig semen means frozen or fresh semen derived 
from any domesti cated member of the family Suidae.  
 
5. All imported consignments of pig semen must meet the requirements specified in this 
standard, including the general requirements contained in Part B of this standard, and 
the specific requirements contained in Part C of this standard.  
 
Outcomes  
 
6. All imports of pig semen must be subject to risk management measures  for specified 
risk organisms appropriate to the status of the risk organism,  their likelihood of entry 
and/or establishment in New Zealand and consequent impacts . 
 
7. The risk organisms associated with pig semen that are subject to specific risk 
management requirements are:  
 
a. African swine f ever (ASF) virus  
b. Aujeszky’s disease (AD) virus  
c. Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD -2) virus   
d. Blue eye disease  
e. Classical swine fever (CSF) virus  
f. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) virus  
g. Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus  
h. Porcine myocarditis virus (Bungowannah virus)  
i. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus  
j. Swine vesicular disease (SVD) virus  
k. Transmissible g astroenteritis  
l. Bruce lla suis 
m. Leptospira spp.  
  
8. For each risk organism, specific risk management requirements are specified in Part 
C using  the general form:  
 
a. Country, zone or compartment freedom; OR  
b. Specified measures to verify premises and/or donor freedom.  
 Import Health Standard for Pi g Semen  February 2013  
 2 9. MPI will, in conjunction with the Competent Authority of the approved exporting 
country, determine the content of the veterinary certificate to achieve an equivalent 
level of risk management as specified by this standard,  taking into account:  
 
a. the verifiable health status of the exporting country/zone/compartment; AND  
b. the national systems  and standards in the exporting country for  regulatory 
oversight of the  germplasm industry; AND  
c. the capabilities and preferences of the exporting country’s  Competent 
Authority.  
 
10. Country -specific veterinary certificate templates are  included in the Guidance 
Document for importing pig semen.  
 
 
Incorporation of material by reference  
 11. The following international standards are incorporated by reference in this import 
health standard under sec tion 142M of the Biosecurity Act:   
 
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Manual of Diagnostic Tests and 
Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (available at the OIE website free of charge: 
http://www.oie.int/international -standard -setting/terrestrial -code/access -online/  
The World Organisation for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health Code. (availa ble 
on the OIE Website free of charge: http://www.oie.int/international -standard-
setting/terrestrial -manual/access -online/ ) 
 
Under section 142O (3) of the Biosecurity Act it is declared that section 142O(1) does not apply, that is, a notice under section 142O(2) of the Biosecurity Act is not required 
to be published before material that amends or replaces the above listed standards 
has legal effect as part of these documents.  
 
Part B:  Definitions  
 
The definitions below relate to specific terms used in this standard. Words used but not 
defined in this standard have the same meaning as words defined in the Biosecurity Act, 
1993.  
 
Batch  
The unique identifier for the semen from that donor.   In most cases it is all of the semen from 
that dono r for that day. The unique batch reference of the semen allows traceability to the 
donor and date of collection.  
 
Collection period 
Period from  the first day of semen collection of the donor boar up to, and including the last 
day of semen collection of the donor boar for the consignment of pig semen destined for 
export to New Zealand.  
 Competent Authority  
The Veterinary Authority  or other Governm ental Authority of an OIE Member that has the 
responsibility and competence for ensuring, or supervising, the implementation of animal  
health and welfare measures, international veterinary certification and other standards, and 
recommendations in the Terr estrial OIE Code in the whole territory.  
 
  
Import Health Standard for Pig Semen  February 2013 3 Donor boars  
Pigs from which semen was collected.  
 
Germplasm  
Animal genetic material, i.e. semen and embryos.  
 
Herd of origin  
The herd in which the donor boar resided prior to entering the semen collection centre. If the 
donor animal has been in the semen collection centre for more than 30 days the semen 
collection centre herd can be deemed to be the herd of origin.  
Official veterinarian  
A veterinarian authorised by the Competent Authority of the exporting c ountry to perform 
certain designated official tasks associated with animal health and/or public health and 
inspections of commodities and, when appropriate, to certify in conformity with the provisions 
of the Certification Procedures Chapter of the OIE Cod e pertaining to principles of 
certification.  
OIE Code  
The World Organisation for Animal Health’s Terrestrial Animal Health Code, or any code that replaces that code –  available online at 
http://www.oie.int/international -standard -
setting/terrestrial -code/access- online/ .  
 
Terrestrial Manual  
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Manual o f Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines 
for Terrestrial Animals (available at the OIE website free of charge: 
http://www.oie.int/international -standard -setting/terrestrial -manual/access -online/  
Perm it to Import  
A permit issued by the Director General or person authorised by the Director  General of MPI 
under section 24(D)(2)  of the Biosecurity Act 1993. See Guidance Document for how to 
apply for a permit.  
Veterinary certificate  
A certificate, signed by an official veterinarian of the exporting country’s Competent Authority, 
issued in conformity with the provisions of the OIE guidelines on certification procedures .  
See Guidance Document for model veterinary certificates.  
 
Part C: General Requirements  
Approved countries  
 
12. Countries must be approved by MPI to export pig semen to New Zealand. A list of approved countries is included in the guidance document for this standard.  
 
Documentation  
 
13. The consignment must be accompanied by the following documentation:  
• Copy of the permit to import issued by MPI; AND  
• Veterinary certificate / negotiated export certificate; AND  
• Copies, original laboratory reports or tabulated summary of laboratory results 
(must include unique identification for each donor, consistent with the veterinary Import Health Standard for Pi g Semen  February 2013  
 4 certificate; date(s) of semen collection, date(s) of sample collection; test 
undertaken; report result).  
NOTE  Copies or tabulated summaries are only accepted if endorsed by  the 
Official Veterinarian, see below.  
 
14. The documentation must:  
a. be original, unless otherwise stated; AND  
b. accompany the consignment and must be provided to the Official Veterinarian 
at the port of entry; AND  
c. be in English, or have an English translation th at is clear and legible; AND  
d. be endorsed by the Official Veterinarian with their original stamp, signature and date on every page (except the permit to import) or MPI approved alternate 
security features offered by paper certificates; AND  
e. be supplied to the New Zealand Official Veterinarian at the New Zealand port of 
entry at least one working day before arrival.  
 
Laboratory testing  
 
15. All required laboratory testing must be conducted at a laboratory approved or endorsed by the Competent Authority of the exporting country to conduct export 
testing.  
 
16. Laboratory or other diagnostic tests must be those prescribed for that disease by the  
OIE for use during international trade, or specifically approved by MPI.  
 
Donor eligibility  
 
17. Donor boars must have lived continuously in the exporting country for at least 90 
days and in the herd of origin for at least 30 days immediately prior to their entry into 
isolation prior to collection of semen for export to New Zealand.  
 
Semen collection centre requirements  
 
18. Semen mu st be collected, handled, prepared, processed and stored under the 
supervision of the approved semen collection centre veterinarian and in accordance 
with the OIE code.  
 
19. Pig semen must be collected, handled, prepared, processed and stored at semen collect ion centres approved for export by the Competent Authority. Semen collection 
centres must be subject to regular inspection by an Official Veterinarian and must be 
under the supervision of a semen collection centre veterinarian approved by the 
Competent Aut hority. The name and approval numbers of these semen collection 
centres must be recorded on the veterinary certificate.  
  
Import Health Standard for Pig Semen  February 2013 5  
Donor and semen collection centre health status  
 
20. The donor boars must not be resident in any establishment that is subject to 
quaranti ne restrictions, for at least the 90 days before the first semen collection for 
this consignment to New Zealand until completion of the testing of the donors as 
required by this standard.  
 
21. Prior to admission to the semen collection centre, the donors must be isolated for at 
least 30 days at a place specifically approved for this purpose by the Competent 
Authority. During this time they are not used for natural mating and must be isolated from animals not of equivalent health status.  
 
22. The approved semen coll ection centre veterinarian is responsible for ensuring that, 
on the day(s) of collection of the semen, the health status of each donor is monitored and recorded, and the donor does not show any clinical evidence of infectious 
diseases transmissible in semen.  
 
Semen collection, processing, storage and transport  
 
23. Semen must be collected, handled, prepared, processed and stored under the 
supervision of the approved semen collection centre veterinarian and in accordance 
with the OIE code  
 
 
24. Antibiotics must be added to the semen diluent in accordance with the OIE Code 
chapter on collection and processing of pig semen. The names of antibiotics added 
and their concentration must be stated on the veterinary certificate. After addition of 
antibiotics, semen must hav e been held at a temperature of not less than 5 degrees 
Celsius (for semen to be frozen) or 15 degrees Celsius (for fresh semen) for at least 
45 minutes.  
 
25. All straws must be sealed and have a legible permanent mark to identify the donor 
and the date(s) of collection. If a code is used for this information, its decipher must 
accompany the consignment. The marking should, in accordance with the OIE Code, 
conform to the international standards of the International Committee for Animal 
Recording (ICAR; www.icar.org ) 
 
26. The semen can only be stored with germplasm that has been collected and 
processed in compliance with the OIE Code. Containers must be held until export in a 
storage place approved by the Competent Authority of the exporting country.  
 
27. Frozen semen must be placed in transport containers filled with fresh (previously 
unused) liquid nitrogen. Transport containers may be either new (or disposable in the 
case of fresh semen) or disinfected. For the transport container used to transport the 
semen to New Zealand, the disinfectant used, its active chemical and date of disinfection must be recorded on the veterinary certificate.  
 
28. The transport container, in which the semen is to be transported to New Zealand, 
must be sealed, by  either the semen collection centre veterinarian or an Official 
Veterinarian, using tamper evident seals. The seal number must be recorded on the veterinary certificate.  
 Import Health Standard for Pi g Semen  February 2013  
 6 Part D: Specific Requirements  
African swine fever (ASF)  
 
EITHER  
 
29. Semen originates from donor boars that have lived their entire lives in a  country or 
zone free from ASF in accordance with t he requirements of the OIE Code;  
 
OR 
 
30. Semen originates from a semen collecti on centre that complies with OIE  guidelines 
for General hygiene in semen collection and processing centres  and also complies 
with relevant aspects of the OIE guidelines on the Collection and processing of 
bovine, small ruminant and porcine semen  
 
Aujeszky’s disease (AD)  
 
EITHER  
 
31. Semen originates from donor boars that were kept  in a semen collection centre 
located in an AD -free country or zone (in accordance with the requirements of the 
OIE Code) at the time of semen collection;  
 
OR 
 
32. Semen originates from a semen collection centre that complies with OIE  guidelines 
for General hy giene in semen collection and processing centres and also complies 
with relevant aspects  with OIE guidelines on the Collection and processing of bovine, 
small ruminant and porcine semen.   
 
 
 
Blue eye disease virus  
 
EITHER  
 
33. Semen originates from donor boars that have lived their entire lives in a country  
recognised by MPI as being  free from Blue eye disease.   
 
OR 
 
34. Semen or iginates from donor boars that have been  subject to serological testing 
using MPI approved tests with negative results  
Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD -2) 
 
EITHER  
 
35. Semen originates from donor boars  that have lived their entire lives in countries that 
are free from BVD -2; 
 
   
Import Health Standard for Pig Semen  February 2013 7 OR 
 
36. Semen originates from donor boars that were tested for antibody to BVD -2 virus by a 
MPI approved test at least 21 days after collection of the semen batch for export, with 
negative results.  
 
 
Classical swine f ever (CSF)  
 
EITHER  
 
37. Semen originates from donor boars have lived their entire lives in countries that are 
free from CSF (in accordance with the requirements of the OIE Code);  
 
OR 
 
  
38. Semen originates from a semen collection centre that complies with OIE  guidelines 
for General hygiene in semen collection and processing centres and also complies 
with relevant aspects of the OIE guidelines on the Collection and proce ssing of 
bovine, small ruminant and porcine semen   
 
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)  
 
EITHER  
 
39. Donors were resident for at least 3 months before semen collection in a country or 
zone that is free from FMD without vaccination (in accordance with the  requirements 
of the  OIE Code);  
 
OR 
 
40.  
 
a. The herds of origin, semen collection centre, donor animals and semen for export  
comply with OIE Code recommendations for export of pig semen from countries or zones presenting a risk of FMD;  
 
AND 
 
b. The semen collection, processing and storage facility in the exporting country  
used during the preparation of the consignment to New Zealand has been 
approved by M PI. The approval will be dependent on the facility, its location and 
operating standards, an d that the verification systems of the Competent Authority 
achieve a very high level of risk management for FMD. The process for MPI 
approval may include site inspection. MPI reserves the right to supervise 
collection, require the use of New Zealand approv ed semen collection personnel, 
or require any other measures deemed necessary to ensure compliance with 
facility and operating standards upon which the approval is based.  
 
 Import Health Standard for Pi g Semen  February 2013  
 8  
Japanese encephalitis (JE)  
 
41. Semen originates from donor boars that have lived thei r entire lives in zones that are 
free from JE virus  at the time of semen collection.   
 
Porcine myocarditis (Bungowannah virus)  
 
EITHER  
 
42. Semen originates from  donor boars that have live d their entire lives  in a country, zone 
or compartment that is  free from porcine myocarditis virus;  
 
OR 
 
43.  
a. Donor boars originated from properties where porcine myocarditis has been 
diagnosed and were isolated and tested using MPI approved  tests to 
demonstrate they were seropositive for porcine myocarditis virus and negative 
for porcine myocarditis virus RNA before entering the semen collection centre;  
 
AND 
 
b. An aliquot of each batch of semen to be imported was tested by a MPI 
approved  RT-PCR tes t, with negative results  
 
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS)  
 
EITHER  
 
44. Semen originates from donor boars that have lived their entire lives in a country  
recognised by MPI as being  free from PRRS .  
 
            OR 
 
 
45. Boars were sourced from donor herds that do not vaccinate against PRRS,  
and were tested by a multivalent serum ELISA for PRRS antibodies that uses both 
European and American strain antigens with negative results  before entering the 
semen collection centr e  
 
AND 
 
a. At the start of the collection period and no less than 30 days subsequently, 
donor boars were tested for PRRS virus by serum PCR, with negative results;  
 
AND 
 
b. 21 to 50 days after the final semen  collection, donor boars were tested by a  
multivalent serum ELISA for PRRS antibodies that uses both European and 
American strain antigens, with negative results.   
Import Health Standard for Pig Semen  February 2013 9  
 
Swine vesicular disease (SVD)  
 
EITHER  
 
46. Semen originates from donor boars that have lived their entire l ives in a country free 
from SV D (in accordance with the requirements of the OIE Code.  
 
OR 
 
47. Semen originates from a semen collection centre that complies with OIE  guidelines 
for General hygiene in semen col lection and processing centres and also complies 
with the relevant aspects of the OIE guidelines on the Collection and processing of 
bovine, small ruminant and porcine semen.    
 
 
Transmissible Gastroenteritis (TGE)  
 
EITHER  
 
48. Semen originates from donor boars that have been resident since birth in a country in 
which TGE is officially notifiable and no clinical case has been recorded in the 
previous three years  
AND 
 
Semen originates from a semen collection centre that complies with OIE  
guidelines for General hygiene in semen collection and processing centres and also complies with  the relevant aspects of the OIE guidelines on the 
Collection and processing of bovine, small ruminant and porcine semen  
 
OR 
 
49. The donor boars showed no clinical sign of TGE on the day of collection of the 
semen;  
AND  
the donor boars  have been resident for at least 40  days on an artificial 
insemination centre, and all the pigs on this artificial insemination centre were 
free from clinical signs of TGE during the 12 months prior to collection ; 
AND 
for fresh semen, the donor boars were subjected to a diagnostic test for TGE        
with negative results during the 30 days prior to collection;  
for frozen semen, the donor boars were subjected to a diagnostic test for TGE 
with negative results at least 14  days after collection;  
AND Import Health Standard for Pi g Semen  February 2013  
 10 Semen originates from a semen collection centre that complies with OIE  
guidelines for General hygiene in semen collection and processing centres   
and also complies with OIE guidelines on the Collection and processing of  
porcine semen  
 
Brucella suis  
 
EITHER  
 
50. Semen originates from donor boars that have lived their entire lives in a country  
that is free from B. suis . 
 
OR 
 
51. Semen originates from a semen collection centre that complies with OIE guidelines 
for General hygiene in semen collection and processing centres  and also complies 
with relevant aspects of the OIE guidelines on the Collection and processing of 
bovine, small  ruminant and porcine semen.  
 
 
Leptospira  spp. 
 
52. Semen diluents containing antibiotics effective against Leptospira  spp. were used  
in the preparation of the semen.  
 
 
Part E:  Equivalence  
 The requirements for importation of pig semen are met if, in the opinion of the Director -
General, the measures taken for managing the risks associated with the importation of those 
goods, are equally effective at managing those risks as the requirements specified in (1) to 
(52) above.  If an equivalence measure(s) is ap proved, MPI will issue a Permit to Import with 
the equivalent measure(s) as special conditions.