Bovine Semen Licences
Under the regulations there is a requirement for bovine animals used for the domestic or Intra-Community semen trade to be approved and licensed.
There is a similar requirement for quarantine, collection and storage centres to be approved and licensed.
The following licences are available from Animal Health under the Bovine Semen (England) Regulations.
- Bovine Animal Approval Licence – Unlicensed Premises (for domestic trade)
- Bovine Animal Approval Licence – Domestic Centre (for domestic trade)
- Bovine Animal Approval Licence – EC Centre (for Intra-Community trade)
- EC/Domestic Storage Centre Licence
- EC Quarantine Centre Licence
- EC/Domestic Collection Centre
Find details of each licence below.
Bovine Animal Approval Licence - Unlicensed Premises (for domestic trade)
3 month licence for the bovine animal to be used for the collection of semen to be traded in Great Britain and with certain countries outside the EU. In order to gain approval a bovine animal must pass tests for Tuberculosis (TB), Brucellosis (Bru.) and Enzootic Bovine Leukosis (EBL). The animal does not need to be moved to an approved collection centre for semen to be collected.
Bovine Animal Approval Licence - Domestic Centre (for domestic trade)
A licence for the bovine animal to be used for the collection of semen to be traded in Great Britain or with certain countries outside the EU. The bovine animal must pass tests for TB, Bru. and EBL before being moved to the approved domestic collection centre. Once the bovine animal has been moved to the domestic centre it will undergo an annual stud test for TB, Bru. and EBL.
Bovine Animal Approval Licence - EC Centre (for Intra-Community trade)
A licence for the bovine animal to be used for the collection of semen for trade in Great Britain, the EU and in certain countries outside the EU. The bovine animal must pass tests for TB, Bru., EBL, Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR), and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) before being moved to an approved EC quarantine centre. At the quarantine centre the bovine animal is further tested for Bru., IBR, BVD, Campylobacter and Trichomanas. (there may be several tests for Campylobacter and Trichomanas depending upon the age of the animal and the herd/group it is coming from). If all tests prove negative the animal is approved for EC semen collection. Once the bovine animal is located on the EC collection centre it will require routine quarterly examinations for TB, Bru, EBL, IBR, BVD, Campylobacter and Trichomanas.
EC/Domestic Storage Centre Licence
A licence that allows a centre to store bovine semen for use in domestic or EC trade. In order to receive a licence the storage centre must be constructed and isolated from contact with outside livestock, be constructed so that it can easily be cleaned and disinfected, employ staff that are trained and competent in disinfection and hygiene techniques that control the spread of disease. The centre must also have a veterinarian who is familiar with the EC Directive and Bovine Semen Regulations. Once licensed a storage centre will be subject to quarterly inspections to ensure that on site procedures comply with the terms of the licence and that appropriate records are maintained.
EC Quarantine Centre Licence
A licence that allows a centre to be used for the second series of tests for a Bovine Animal Approval Licence - EC Centre. Premises must meet an additional condition over and above the conditions for a storage centre; this is that the centre’s quarantine housing and isolation facilities must have no direct communication with the normal bovine animal housing units. Once licensed a quarantine centre will be subject to quarterly inspections to ensure that on site procedures comply with the terms of the licence and that appropriate records are maintained.
EC/Domestic Collection Centre
A licence that allows a centre to collect bovine semen for use in domestic or EC trade.
A collection centre must meet conditions, over and above those required for an EC quarantine centre. Additional conditions that the centre must meet are that it has separate collection facilities (including a separate equipment cleaning room), a semen processing facility, a semen quarantine room and that the animal housing, the semen quarantine room and the processing facilities are all separated. Once licensed a collection centre will be subject to quarterly inspections to ensure that on site procedures comply with the terms of the licence and that appropriate records are maintained.
Page last modified:21 May 2007
Page published: 21 May 2007