The world is changing and progressing quickly, and that means the cattle industry is changing and progressing too. Now that most everyone is plugged in to the internet, producers can now market and sell bovine genetics to most countries, which opens many more doors for improving herd genetics world-wide. This month's newsletter we will discuss exporting bovine genetics internationally.

What are the requirements?

What is the advantage of marketing your genetics abroad? Highly sought after cattle no longer need to be purchased at high prices and shipped which is a large savings and travel doesn't stress or cause the death of the animal.

Different countries have different embryo import requirements; how embryos are processed and disease control of the donor. For example; for embryos to be accepted into Australia, the donors require BVD (Bovine pestivirus) testing by way of a monoclonal immunoperoxidase (IP) blood or serum test. When BTL collects embryos we always perform the BVD-IP test on your animal, then collect and process the embryos in accordance with the International Embryo Transfer Association (IETA) and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) standards.

Most testing needs to be done at the time of embryo collection so if you are thinking about international sales, please contact us so we can ensure all bases are covered by confirming the specific country's health certificate requirements.

What about the Sire/Semen?

In-Vivo derived (conventional flushed) embryos are the most common and accepted form of embryos to export. In-Vitro Fertilized (IVF) embryos are growing in popularity and so is exporting them but different requirements need to be met in order for them to qualify. For example, the European Union will only accept IVF embryos that have been produced using semen from IBR negative bulls but will accept In-Vivo Embryos produced with CSS or exportable semen.

Before purchasing your semen, decide on In-Vivo collection or In-Vitro embryo production. CSS Certified or export qualified semen can be used for In-Vivo embryo collection as it assures buyers the bull is clean of disease. IBR Negative semen will be needed for IVF embryos. Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) is a highly contagious, infectious respiratory disease that is caused by Bovine Herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1). It can affect young and older cattle. In addition to causing respiratory disease, this virus can cause conjunctivitis, abortions, encephalitis, and generalized systemic infections. IBR Negative Bulls are not as common as most qualifying bulls so keep this in mind when making your decision for marketing abroad.

Semen certificates from the semen collection facility will need to accompany the shipment.

What do you need to do to export your embryos internationally?

BTL will review the Health Certificate to ensure your embryos qualify for the applicable country. Embryos will also need to be stored at BTL for a minimum of 30 days before they can be shipped. We can prepare a direct shipment, or we can pool shipments with other germinal product storage centers (like Semex) which can be a favorable way to cut costs.

Private, direct shipments to the purchaser will require the name of the authorized competent authority center that will accept the embryos. The purchaser's competent authority will then apply for the import permit (this is for customs & health clearance as the shipment will need to be inspected by a veterinarian prior to release), if we ship with Semex they will make these arrangements with Semex in the receiving country.

In both shipping cases, we need the purchasers name, address, phone number, email address, the mating of the embryos (sire/dam) and quantity of embryos to be shipped. A tank will need to be purchased with a direct shipment as the purchaser will keep it as it would cost more to ship back than the shipping tank is worth. There will also be CFIA fees, paperwork fees, and the air freight/courier fee. You should budget around $2,500 - $3,500 for a shipment and price your embryos accordingly. We are happy to provide a quote for you for the shipping prior to discussing with your purchaser so you are better informed on the cost. All costs need to be paid for prior to the release of the embryo shipment.

EU requirements have changed regarding the movement and storage of embryos, but this is only an issue if BTL did not produce the embryos. We can discuss this when you give us a call and we confirm your embryos are exportable and qualify to export to the requested country.

What about IVF Embryos?

There are some notable differences in sending IVF embryos, different or additional testing may be necessary. Some countries require testing for Bluetongue Virus or Epizootic Hemorrhagic disease and, as mentioned above, IBR negative bull semen may be a requirement. Australia requires a vaginal swab for bovine herpesvirus-1 and an ELISA test at time of oocyte collection.

It is important to discuss your export requirements when doing the original collection of In-Vivo or In-Vitro production as the tests may need to be done at the time of collection. BTL does process all in-vivo embryos to qualify for Australia and EU whether they are collected at BTL or in our certified mobile lab on-farm as long as CSS or export qualified semen was used for fertilization.

 In conclusion, it is quite simple to export your genetics, as we do all the export work for you, you just need to find the buyer! We also suggest dealing with your buyer in USD currency as it is the easiest for international bank wires.

Please note - We cannot ship embryos that have been stored on farm. They must be collected, processed and stored at BTL in order to qualify for export.

Let us know how we can help export your genetics worldwide!

At Bova-Tech Ltd. we offer services that will help to increase your herd’s productivity and value. Producers depend on us to optimize their most valuable cows by generating more embryos and pregnancies that will extend the impact of outstanding cattle genetics. Our programs are designed to meet producer’s specific needs, offering all our services either in-clinic or on-farm.