Import Health Standard 
For 
Bovine Embryos 
 
Short Name: bovemid.gen 
 
  
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 
P.O Box 2526 
Wellington 6011 
New Zealand 
Import health standard for bovine embryos  
BOVEMID.GEN 21 June 2010  Page 1 of 10 
  
Import health standard for bovine embryos  
BOVEMID.GEN 21 June 2010  Page 2 of 10 
 Issuing Authority 
 
This standard is issued under section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act).   
 
Dated at Wellington this               day of                                           2010 
 
 
 
 
       Manager Animal Imports and Exports Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry ( MAF ) 
 For Director General Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Pursuant to delegated authority)    Version number: 0.1  
  
Imp rto  health standard for bovine embryos  
BOVEMID.GEN 21 June 2010  Page 3 of 10 
 Import Health Standard for Bovine Embryos 
 
 PART A. BACKGROUND, SCOPE AND OUTCOMES   Background 
 1. Under section 22 of the Biosecurity Act, this document is the import health standard for 
bovine embryos. 
 
2. If this standard needs to be amended or revoked urgently, or the Director General 
considers that an amendment is minor, the amendment or revocation may be carried out without prior consultation. 
 3. A guidance document will be issued by MAF to accompany this import health standard. 
The document will provide guidance information relevant to how requirements may be met including definitions of terms (shown in italics) used in this standard. 
 
Scope 
 
4. This standard specifies the requirements that must be met to import bovine embryos to 
New Zealand, bovine embryos being embryos derived from any member of the sub-
family Bovinae .   
 
5. The bovine embryos must meet the general requirements and documentation 
requirements contained in PART B of this standard and to the extent that PART C of this standard applies, the specific requirements contained in PART C of this standard.  
 Outcomes 
 
6. All imports must be subject to risk management measures for specified risk organisms 
associated with the commodity 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 the commodity that are subject to specific risk 
management requirements are (with category and legal status under the Biosecurity Act 
as well as presence in New Zealand):  
o Borna disease virus (Unwanted; Exotic) 
o Bovine viral diarrhoea virus type 2, BVDV2 (Unwanted; Exotic) 
o Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, CCHFV (Unwanted; Exotic) 
o Foot and mouth disease virus, FMDV (Unwanted; Exotic; Notifiable) 
o Lumpy skin disease virus, LSDV (Unwanted; Exotic; Notifiable)  
o Rift Valley Fever virus, RVFV (Unwanted; Exotic ;Notifiable) 
o Vesicular stomatitis virus (Unwanted; Exotic; Notifiable) 
o Bovine tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis (Unwanted; Reportable under the Bovine 
Tb Pest Management Strategy) 
o Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, CBPP, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. 
mycoides  SC (Unwanted; Exotic; Notifiable) 
o Mycoplasma bovis  
o Q fever, Coxiella burnetii (Unwanted; Exotic; Notifiable) 
  
8. For each risk organism, specific risk management requirements are specified in PART C 
using the general form: 
o Country, zone or compartment freedom; OR  
Import health standard for bovine embryos  
BOVEMID.GEN 21 June 2010  Page 4 of 10 
 o Specified measures to verify premises and/or donor freedom. 
  
9. MAF  and the veterinary authority  of the exporting country will negotiate the content of the 
zoosanitary certificate  to achieve an equivalent level of risk management as specified by 
this standard, taking into account: 
o the verifiable health status of the exporting country/zone/compartment; AND 
o the national systems and standards in the exporting country for regulatory oversight 
of the germplasm industry; AND 
o the capabilities and preferences of the exporting country’s veterinary authority.  
Upon conclusion of negotiations, country-specific zoosanitary certificate  templates will be 
included in the guidance document for this standard. 
 
PART B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS  
 Approved countries  
 10. Countries must be approved by MAF  to export bovine embryos to New Zealand.  A list of 
approved countries is included in the guidance document for this standard. 
 Donor eligibility  
 11. Donors  that were imported to the exporting country must have lived continuously in the 
exporting country for at least 90 days and in the herd of origin  for at least 30 days prior to 
embryo collection for export. 
 Embryo collection team and facility requirements 
 
12. At the time of embryo collection for consignment to New Zealand, the embryo collection 
team was approved by and registered with the veterinary authority  of the exporting 
country to collect, process, and store bovine embryos for export in accordance with the 
current recommendations of the OIE Code . 
 
13. During the collection of embryos for consignment to New Zealand, and until the testing 
specified in this standard was completed, donors  were held in a veterinary authority  
approved and registered embryo collection facility.  During this time they were isolated 
from animals not of an equivalent health status. 
 14. Prior to collection of embryos for this consignment the donors  must be subject to a period 
of isolation of at least 30 days in accommodation specifically approved for this purpose by the veterinary authority of the exporting country.  During this time they were isolated 
from animals not of an equivalent health status. 
 
Donor and facility health status 
 
15. The herd(s) of origin of the donors  and the embryo collection facilities must remain free 
from any quarantine restrictions from 90 days before the first embryo collection for the 
consignment until completion of the testing of the donors  as required by this certificate. 
 
16. Each donor was inspected by the veterinary authority  approved embryo collection team 
veterinarian or an Official Veterinarian on each day that embryos were collected for consignment to New Zealand, and was found to be free from clinical signs of infectious diseases transmissible in embryos. 
   
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 17. The semen used to produce the embryos in the consignment either: 
o met the minimum health standards for semen imported into the exporting country; 
OR  
o was collected and processed at a semen collection centre that fully complies with 
the current OIE Code  chapter on collection and processing of bovine semen; OR 
o where natural service or fresh semen was used, donor males were of an 
equivalent isolation and tested health status to the donor females. 
 
 
Embryo collection, processing, storage and transport  
 18. Embryos must have been collected, handled, processed, and stored under the 
supervision and authority of a veterinary authority approved embryo collection team 
veterinarian in accordance with the recommendations in the OIE Code  chapter on 
collection and processing of in vivo derived bovine embryos. 
 
19. All the embryos in the consignment were fertilised in vivo , collected, processed, 
identified, stored, and transported in accordance with OIE Code  recommendations. 
 
20. Embryos were collected, washed, processed, identified, and stored under conditions 
which comply with the recommendations in the Manual of the International Embryo Transfer Society ( IETS ).  The embryos were treated with trypsin during the washing 
process as described in the IETS  Manual .  Each embryo had an intact zona pellucida and 
was examined over its entire surface at not less than 50X magnification and found to be free of adherent material. 
 
21. All biological products of animal origin used in the media and solutions for collection, 
processing, washing or storage of embryos were free of pathogenic organisms including pestiviruses.  Media and solutions were sterilised by approved methods according to the IETS  Manual  and handled in such a manner as to ensure that sterility was maintained.  
Antibiotics as recommended in the IETS  Manual , or a combination of antibiotics with 
equivalent activity, were added to collection, processing, washing and storage media. 
 22. All straws must have been sealed and clearly marked with the identification of the donor 
animals and the date of freezing. If a code is used for this information, its cipher must accompany the consignment. The code marking should, in accordance with the OIE 
Code , conform to the international standards of the International Committee for Animal 
Recording (ICAR; www.icar.org
) and the IETS ( http://www.iets.org ). 
 
23. The embryos for export were stored in the frozen state for at least 28 days before 
shipment to New Zealand and during this time the donors  and all animals in contact with 
them must have remained healthy and free from any diseases transmissible in embryos.  
 24. The embryos must have been stored only with semen or embryos that were eligible for 
export. Containers must have been held until export in a storage place approved by the veterinary authority  of the exporting country. 
 25. The embryos must have been placed in transport containers filled with fresh (previously 
unused) liquid nitrogen.  Transport containers may be either new or disinfected.  If disinfected, the date of disinfection, the disinfectant used, and its active chemical must be 
recorded on the zoosanitary certificate . 
 
26. Prior to export, the container in which the embryos are to be transported must be sealed 
by either the veterinary authority  approved embryo collection team veterinarian or by an  
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BOVEMID.GEN 21 June 2010  Page 6 of 10 
 Official Veterinarian  AND the seal number must be recorded on the zoosanitary 
certificate . 
  
Laboratory testing 
 
27. All required laboratory testing must have been conducted at a laboratory approved by the 
veterinary authority  of the exporting country to conduct export testing. 
 
28. Samples of embryos/oocytes, collection fluids, and washing fluids for laboratory testing 
must have been collected, processed, and stored in accordance with the recommendations in the OIE Code  chapter on collection and processing of  in vivo 
derived embryos of livestock. 
 29. Laboratory or other diagnostics tests must be those prescribed for that disease by the 
OIE for use during international trade, or specifically approved by MAF . 
 
Documentation accompanying the consignment 
 
30. The documentation that accompanies the consignment to New Zealand must consist of: 
o An original zoosanitary certificate  signed and stamped on every page by an official of 
the veterinary authority of the exporting country; AND 
o a tabulated summary of laboratory test results for each donor completed in 
accordance with the specific requirements in the zoosanitary certificate  (indicating 
donor identification consistent with the zoosanitary certificate , the dates of embryo 
collection, and for each relevant disease the date/s samples were drawn, the test undertaken, the laboratory, the reported result, and the accession number reference); 
AND 
o copies of laboratory reports for all tests ( N.B. where the requirement is a regimen of 
multiple tests, for instance during qualification to enter and annually while resident on a collection facility, tested health status can be verified by providing laboratory reports 
of the most recent test/s); AND 
o an import permit. 
 
 
PART C. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR IDENTIFIED RISK ORGANISMS 
 
Borna disease 
 
EITHER  31. Donors have been resident since birth in a country or countries that has never had a 
reported case of Borna disease; OR 
 32. Borna disease is officially notifiable in the exporting country, and donors  have been 
resident since birth in herds where there has been no reported case in the period from 5 years prior to commencement of collection until conclusion of collection of for export; OR 
 33. Donors  or samples of embryos/oocytes, collection fluids, and/or washing fluids have been 
tested using a MAF-approved  test and process, and are negative for Borna disease. 
 
Bovine viral diarrhoea type 2 (BVDV2) 
 EITHER 
  
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BOVEMID.GEN 21 June 2010  Page 7 of 10 
 34. At the time of collection, the exporting country was free of BVDV2, i.e. there have been 
no clinical cases of BVDV2 for at least 3 years; OR 
 
35. The embryo collection facility must have been maintained as free from BVDV from the 
commencement until after conclusion of colle ction of embryos for export to New Zealand 
through compliance with the recommendations of the OIE Code  applicable to animals 
entering and residing on an artificial insemination centre  in relation to BVDV, including:  
o testing all cattle for antibodies and antigen using prescribed tests prior to entry into 
pre-entry isolation and during pre-entry isolation, and only approving entry for groups where pre-entry isolation test results indicate the absence of sero-conversion and 
absence of antigen-positive cattle; AND 
o thereafter, annual re-testing of sero-negative cattle; AND  
o for every seropositive donor, testing of embryos/oocytes, collection fluids, and/or 
washing fluids for BVDV using a prescribed test, with negative result, prior to initial 
dispatch; AND 
o for seronegative donors , an antibody test using prescribed methods, with negative 
result, from samples collected after the conclusion of embryo collection for export; 
AND 
 
36. Embryo donors  that have been on the embryo collection facility for less than 3 years have 
had a sample of embryos/oocytes, collection fluids, and/or washing fluids from each 
collection in the consignment tested for BVDV2 using prescribed methodology, such as virus isolation (VI) or validated reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), with negative results. 
 Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) 
 
EITHER  37. CCHF is officially notifiable in the exporting country, and there has never been a reported 
case of CCHF in the country or countries in which the donors  have been resident for the 
21 days before, and during, embryo collection for export to New Zealand; OR 
 38. Donors  were treated for ticks with an efficacious acaricide in accordance with the 
manufacturer’s directions, inspected after ten days and found to be free of ticks, and then were resident in a tick-free embryo collection facility for at least 3 weeks prior to the 
commencement of collection until conclusion of  collection of embryos for export to New 
Zealand. Verification of tick freedom in the embryo collection facility is performed by 
inspections done at least monthly where no ticks were found; OR 
 39. Donors  were serologically tested for CCHF using prescribed methods such as a 
validated  enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect IgG and IgM antibodies on blood samples collected within 7 days prior to commencement,  every 60 days thereafter, until 21 to 60 days after conclusion of embryo collection for export to New Zealand. The results must indicate: o that any donor seronegative at the start of testing has maintained a seronegative 
status; AND 
o that any donor seropositive at the start of testing did not have a rise in titre over 
consecutive tests.  
 
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) 
 EITHER 
  
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BOVEMID.GEN 21 June 2010  Page 8 of 10 
 40. Donors  were resident for at least the 3 months before, and during, embryo collection in a 
country or zone that was free from FMD without vaccination in accordance with the OIE 
Code ; OR  
  
41. MAF  will individually approve each embryo collection, processing and storage facility/ies 
in the exporting country intended to be used during the preparation of an export consignment to New Zealand. The approval will be dependant on the facility, its location and operating standards and that the verification systems of the veterinary authority  
achieve a very high level of risk  management for FMD. The process for MAF  approval 
may include site inspection. MAF  reserves the right to supervise collection, require the 
use of New Zealand approved embryo collection personnel, or require any other measures deemed necessary to ensure comp liance with facility and operating standards 
upon which the approval is based.  
 Lumpy skin disease (LSD) 
 
EITHER  42. Donors  must have been resident for 6 months prior to embryo collection in a country or 
zone that is free of LSD as defined by the OIE Code ; OR 
 43. Donors  must have been resident in an establishment or embryo collection facility that 
was free of clinical evidence of LSD during a period from at least 6 months prior to commencement until 28 days after conclusion of collection of embryos for export to New Zealand; OR 
 44. A sample of embryos/oocytes, collection fluids, and/or washing fluids from each embryo 
collection for the export consignment to New Zealand must have been subjected to a validated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for LSD, with negative result. 
 Rift Valley fever (RVF) 
 
EITHER  45. Donors  were resident, for at least the 3 months prior to and during embryo collection, for 
consignment to New Zealand, in a country or zone that is free from RVF in accordance 
with the OIE Code ; OR  
 
46. Donors  were resident for the 6 months prior to and during collection of embryos for 
export to New Zealand in a RVF infected country, during which climatic changes predisposing to outbreaks have not occurred; OR 
 47. Donors  have been held in mosquito-free premises for at least the 30 days prior to 
commencement until conclusion of collection of embryos for consignment to New Zealand. 
 Vesicular stomatitis (VS) 
 
EITHER  48. Donors  were resident in a country that is free from VS in accordance with the OIE Code ; 
OR 
   
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BOVEMID.GEN 21 June 2010  Page 9 of 10 
 49. VS is officially notifiable in the exporting country, and no cases have occurred within 
100km of the embryo collection facility during the period from 30 days prior to 
commencement until 30 days after conclusion of collection of embryos for export to New 
Zealand; OR 
 
50. Donors  were kept in insect free premises from at least the 30 days prior to 
commencement until conclusion of embryo collection for export to New Zealand, and were subject to a validated serological test for VS, with negative results, between 3-6 weeks after embryo collection for the consignment to New Zealand. 
 
Bovine tuberculosis 
 
EITHER  
51. Donors  have been kept since birth in a country that is free from bovine tuberculosis in 
accordance with the OIE Code ; OR 
 
52. Donors  and other susceptible animals in the herd of origin showed no clinical signs of 
bovine tuberculosis during the 24 hours prior to collection of embryos for consignment to 
New Zealand; AND 
 
53. Donors originate from a herd free of bovine t uberculosis as defined by the current OIE 
Code  or by the veterinary authority of the MAF  approved exporting country, and were 
subjected to an OIE prescribed test for bovine tuberculosis during the 30 day period of 
isolation prior to collection of embryos for the consignment to New Zealand.  
 
Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) 
 
EITHER  
54. Donors  were born in and have been continuously resident in a country that is free from 
CBPP in accordance with the OIE Code ; OR 
 
55. Donors  have never been vaccinated for CBPP; AND 
 56. Donors  have been kept since birth or for at least the 6 months prior to commencement 
and until conclusion of embryo collection for export to New Zealand in establishments where no case of CBPP has been reported and which are not situated in a CBPP infected zone as defined by the OIE Code ; AND 
 57. Donors  must have been serologically tested for CBPP, with negative results, using OIE 
prescribed methods on two occasions 21-30 days apart, with the last test within 14 days prior to each embryo collection for export to New Zealand. 
 
Mycoplasma bovis 
 58. Donors  have never recorded a positive test for Mycoplasma bovis ; AND  
 
EITHER 
 
59. Donors  were subject to a MAF approved  serological test for Mycoplasma bovis , with 
negative result, on a sample collected between 21 and 120 days after each collection of 
embryos for export to New Zealand; OR 
  
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BOVEMID.GEN 21 June 2010  Page 10 of 10 
 60. A sample of embryos/oocytes, collection fluids and/or washing fluids from each embryo 
collection for each donor in the consignment for export to New Zealand, was subjected to 
a validated and MAF approved PCR test for Mycoplasma bovis , with negative result; OR 
 
61. The herd of origin has been subject to a MAF approved whole herd serological test or a 
serological test on a random sample of at least 60 animals (whichever is the lesser number) for Mycoplasma bovis no more than 6 months before/after embryo collection for 
consignment to New Zealand, with negative results.  
 
Q fever 
 
62. Donors  have never recorded a positive test for Q fever; AND  
 EITHER 
 
63. Donors  were subject to a MAF approved  serological test for Q fever, with negative result, 
on a sample collected between 21 and 120 days after each collection of embryos for export to New Zealand; OR 
 64. A sample of embryos/oocytes, collection fluids, and/or washing fluids from each embryo 
collection for each donor in the consignment for export to New Zealand, must have been 
subjected to a validated and MAF approved PCR test for  Q fever, with negative result; 
OR 
 65. The herd of origin has been subjected to a MAF approved whole herd serological test or 
a serological test on a random sample of at least 60 animals (whichever is the lesser number) for Q fever no more than 6 months before/after embryo collection for 
consignment to New Zealand, with negative results.  
 
 
PART D.  EQUIVALENCE 
 
66. The requirements for importation of bovine embryos 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 (65) above.  If an equivalence measure(s) is approved, 
MAF  will issue an import permit (under Section 22 of the Biosecurity Act).