Health certificate No______________________________ 

HEALTH CERTIFICATE FOREXPORT OF IN VIVO-DERIVED BOVID EMBRYOS [Specifically Bovine (Bos taurus, Bos 

indicus, Bison bison), Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), Yak (Bos grunniens)] 

FROM FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE-FREE MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 

TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

Note: A separate certificate must be issued for each consignment of in vivo embryos. The original of this certificate must accompany the shipment. 

1. EU Member State and competent authority: 2. Health certificate number: 

This certificate is valid for 30 days. 

A. ORIGIN OF EMBRYOS 

3. Approval number of the embryo collection team___________________________________________________________________________ 

4. Name and address of the embryo collection team: 5. Name and address of the consignor: 

6. Member State where embryos were collected: 7. Means of transport: 

B. DESTINATION OF EMBRYOS 

8.1. Name and address of the consignee: 

8.2. Port of entry into the United States: 

C. IDENTIFICATION OF THE EMBRYOS 

9. Identification of straws/ vials (freeze code): 

9.1 ID# on 

straws 

9.2 ID# of dam/ 

ID# of sire 

9.3 Breed of dam/ 

Breed of sire 

9.4 Date of embryo 

collection 

9.5 Number 

of straws/ 

vials 

9.6 Indicate if 

sexed semen 

was used 

10. Seal number of container(s):______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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Health certificate No______________________________ 

D. HEALTH INFORMATION 

Section A (to be signed by the Team Veterinarian) 

11 

11.4 

11.5 

11.6 

11.7 

11.8 

11.9 

11.10 

11.11 

11.12 

11.13 

11.14 

11.15 

11.16 

I, the undersigned Team Veterinarian of the described embryo collection team, hereinafter “ECT,” certify, either by direct examination or 

based on supporting documentation in my possession that has been separately attested to by an official veterinarian, that: 

During the 12 months prior to the collection of embryos for export to the United States, there was no clinical or pathological evidence of 

brucellosis or tuberculosis (TB) found in the donor dams or on any premises on which the donor dams were located during that time. 

During the 60 days prior to the collection of embryos for export to the United States, the donor dams were not corralled, pastured, or held 

with animals of lesser health status or under any restrictions which wouldmake them ineligible as embryo donors for export to the United 

States. 

During the 60 days prior to the collection of embryos for export to the United States, the donor dams were inspected at least once and 

appeared healthy and were found clinically free of contagious or communicable diseases. 

Each of the donors were examined on the day of embryo collection and appeared healthy and were clinically free of contagious or 

communicable diseases. 

The donor dams originated from herds officially free of tuberculosis and paratuberculosis. 

SELECT ONE 

The embryos were either (retain the applicable part and strike out the other) collected prior to June 1, 2011; OR 

The embryos were collected after June 1, 2011, from donors negative to two serum neutralization tests for Schmallenberg virus (using a 

1:8 cutoff titer), with the first performed within 30 days prior to collection, and the second between 28 and 60 days after collection. 

Tests were performed in a laboratory approved by the national Competent Authority. 

SELECT ONE for epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). 

 The animals originate from a Member State where no cases of EHD have been reported within the previous 12 months, and where 

no serological evidence of EHD infection exists; OR 

 The following serotypes of EHD exist:_______and animals were tested on two occasions by an agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) 

with negative results; OR 

 Testing was by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA) AND a whole-blood PCR test for all the above-listed 

serotypes of EHD, with negative results using blood samples taken prior to, and not less than 21 days following collection of the 

semen (the two samples may not be taken more than 12 months apart). OR 

 Testing was by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA) AND a virus neutralization test (VNT) for all the abovelisted serotypes of EHD, with negative results using blood samples taken prior to, and not less than 21 days following collection of 

the semen (the two samples may not be taken more than 12 months apart). 

SELECT ONE for Bluetongue virus, the donor animals were: 

 Kept in a BTV free member state or zone, where no cases of BTV have been reported within the previous 12 months and no 

serological evidence of BTV infection exists OR 

 Tested negative by an ELISA test for the BTV group on blood serum during the pre-entry quarantine period, OR 

 Tested with a whole blood PCR test for BTV group with one negative test at the beginning of th collection period OR 

 Tested with a whole-blood virusisolation test for BTV group with one negative test at the beginning of the collection period. 

The semen used for in vivo embryo production was collected in the same Member State as that in which the embryos were conceived 

(except for semen imported from United States and/or Canada). 

The semen used to fertilize the embryos for export to the United States was collected in an approved semen collection center (SCC), in 

accordance with legislation in force, notably Council Directive 88/407/EEC, as amended, or the updates in Regulation (EU) 2016/429. 

At the time of collection of the semen, the Member State was considered by the USDA to be free of foot-and-mouth disease, as listed in 

Title 9 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 94 and other official publications. 

In addition, the semen was either (SELECT ONE) 

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Health certificate No______________________________ 

 Collected prior to June 1, 2011; OR 

 The semen in the consignment was collected after June 1, 2011, from donors that were negative to two serum neutralization tests 

for Schmallenberg virus (using a cutoff titer of 1:8), with the first performed within 30 days prior to collection, and the second 

between 28 and 60 days after collection. Tests were performed in a laboratory approved by the national Competent Authority, OR 

 Bovid semen used to fertilize the embryos for export to the United States was legally imported from the United States or Canada 

from U.S. origin and/ or Canadian origin donors. Copies of the export health certificate (2) for this semen must accompany the 

shipment of embryos to the United States. 

11.17 (Retain if applicable or strike out if not applicable) If embryos were fertilized with sexed semen: 

11 .17 . 3. The semen sexing facility used to sex the semen is located in the Member State where the semen was collected. Bovid semen imported 

from the United States or Canada may be used; copies of the export health certificate (2) for this semen must accompany the shipment. 

The semen collection center is under the supervision of an approved Center Veterinarian and is regularly inspected and approved in 

accordance with EU Directive 88/407/EEC and updated in Regulation (EU) 2016/429. The sexing facility followed the United States 

Department of Agriculture approved “Cleaning and Disinfection Standard Operating Protocol” while processing this semen for export 

to the UnitedStates. 

11 .17 . 4. The integrity of the semen shipment was maintained through the semen sexing process and no semen from other donors was mixed with 

semen during processing. 

11.18 The embryos were collected using a closed collection system, and any instrument coming in contact with reproductive tract tissue or fluids 

was either new or equipment sterilized before use. 

11.19 The embryos were washed at least 10 times and treated with trypsin in accordance with the latest edition of the Manual of the International 

Embryo Transfer Society. After the last wash, each embryo was examined microscopically over its entire surface at not less than 50x 

magnification. 

11.20 The zona pellucida of each embryo was found to be intact and free from any adherent material subsequent to washing. 

11.21 Embryos from different donors were not washed together. 

11.22 The storage and shipping containers were clean, recently disinfected, and empty prior to use for this project, and only fresh liquid nitrogen 

has been used. 

11. Date and place 12. Name and address of Team Veterinarian 13. Signature and stamp of Team Veterinarian 

(The signature and stamp must be a different color than that 

of the printed template text.) 

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Health certificate No______________________________ 

Section B (to be signed by the Official Veterinarian after the Center Veterinarian has signed) 

14. I, the undersigned Official Veterinarian of Member States certify that: 

14.1. The Member State is considered by the USDA to be free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) as listed in Title 9 

Code of Federal Regulations, Part 94, and other official publications, and was free of these diseases at the time of embryo collection. 

14.2. The Member State is free from contagious bovine pleuropneumonia. 

14.3. The donor dams were part of the national herd of the Member State for a minimum of 60 days prior to collection and were free from any 

movement or quarantine restrictions. 

14.4. The embryos were collected from live cattle of documented health history and processed in accordance with the standards of the 

International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS) by an embryo collection team approved by the competent authority of the Member 

State in accordance with EU legislation in force, notably Council Directive 89/556/EEC, as amended. 

14.5. All diagnostic testing of the donor dams and sires were conducted in laboratories approved by the National Veterinary Services to 

conduct such tests for export. 

14.6. All media additives of animal origin were sourced from countries considered by the USDA to be free from FMD. Trypsin of 

porcine origin was sourced from countries considered by USDA to be free from FMD, classical swine fever and African swine 

fever as listed in 9 CFR Part 94 and other official publications. See USDA APHIS | Animal Health Status of Regions. 

14.7. The embryos were maintained under lock and key or in the custody of the embryo collection team veterinarian until being sealed for 

direct transport to the United States. 

14.8. The Team Veterinarian completing Section A of this certificate is authorized by the National Veterinary Service to perform this service. 

15. Date and place 16. Name and address of Team Veterinarian 17. Signature and stamp of Team Veterinarian 

(The signature and stamp must be a different color than 

that of the printed template text.) 

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