Chapter 4.7.

Collection and processing of bovine, small ruminant and porcine semen

Article 4.7.1.

General considerations

The purposes of official sanitary control of semen production are to:

maintain the health of animals on a semen collection centre at a level which permits the international distribution of semen with a negligible risk of infecting other animals or humans with pathogenic agents transmissible by semen;
ensure that semen is hygienically collected, processed and stored.

Semen collection centres should comply with recommendations in Chapter 4.6.

Standards for diagnostic tests are described in the Terrestrial Manual.

Article 4.7.2.

Conditions applicable to testing of bulls and teaser animals

Bulls and teaser animals should enter a semen collection centre only when they fulfil the following requirements.

Prior to entering pre-entry isolation facility
The animals should comply with the following requirements prior to entry into isolation at the pre-entry isolation facility where the country or zone of origin is not free from the diseases in question.
1. Brucellosis – Chapter 8.4.
2. Bovine tuberculosis – Article 8.12.7.
3. Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD)
  The animals should be subjected to:
  1. a virus isolation test or a test for virus antigen, with negative results; and
  2. a serological test to determine the serological status of every animal.
4. Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis
  If the semen collection centre is to be considered as infectious bovine rhinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis free (IBR/IPV), the animals should either:
  1. come from an IBR/IPV free herd as defined in Article 11.8.3.; or
  2. be subjected, with negative results, to a serological test for IBR/IPV on a blood sample.
5. Bluetongue
  The animals should comply with Articles 8.3.7. or 8.3.8., depending on the bluetongue status of the country or zone of origin of the animals.
Testing in the pre-entry isolation facility prior to entering the semen collection facilities
Prior to entering the semen collection facilities of the semen collection centre, bulls and teaser animals should be kept in a pre-entry isolation facility for at least 28 days. The animals should be tested as described below a minimum of 21 days after entering the pre-entry isolation facility, except for Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis and Tritrichomonasfoetus, for which testing may commence after 7 days in pre-entry isolation. All the results should be negative except in the case of BVD antibody serological testing (see point 2 b) i) below).
1. Brucellosis
  The animals should be subjected to a serological test with negative results.
2. BVD
  1. The animals should be subjected to a virus isolation test or a test for virus antigen, with negative results. Only when all the animals in pre-entry isolation have had negative results, may the animals enter the semen collection facilities.
  2. All animals should be subjected to a serological test to determine the presence or absence of BVD antibodies.
  3. Only if no seroconversion occurs in the animals which tested seronegative before entry into the pre-entry isolation facility, may any animal (seronegative or seropositive) be allowed entry into the semen collection facilities.
  4. If seroconversion occurs, all the animals that remain seronegative should be kept in pre-entry isolation until there is no more seroconversion in the group for a period of three weeks. Serologically positive animals may be allowed entry into the semen collection facilities.
3. Campylobacterfetus subsp. venerealis
  1. Animals less than six months old or kept since that age only in a single sex group prior to pre-entry isolation should be tested once on a preputial specimen, with a negative result.
  2. Animals aged six months or older that could have had contact with females prior to pre-entry isolation should be tested three times at weekly intervals on a preputial specimen, with a negative result in each case.
4. Tritrichomonas foetus
  1. Animals less than six months old or kept since that age only in a single sex group prior to pre-entry isolation, should be tested once on a preputial specimen, with a negative result.
  2. Animals aged six months or older that could have had contact with females prior to pre-entry isolation should be tested three times at weekly intervals on a preputial specimen, with a negative result in each case.
5. IBR/IPV
  If the semen collection centre is to be considered as IBR/IPV free, the animals should be subjected, with negative results, to a diagnostic test for IBR/IPV on a blood sample. If any animal tests positive, the animal should be removed immediately from the pre-entry isolation facility and the other animals of the same group should remain in pre-entry isolation and be retested, with negative results, not less than 21 days after removal of the positive animal.
6. Bluetongue
  The animals should comply with the provisions referred to in Articles 8.3.6., 8.3.7. or 8.3.8., depending on the bluetongue status of the country or zone where the pre-entry isolation facility is located.
Testing programme for bulls and teasers resident in the semen collection facilities
All bulls and teasers resident in the semen collection facilities should be tested at least annually for the following diseases, with negative results, where the country or zone where the semen collection facilities are located is not free:
1. Brucellosis
2. Bovine tuberculosis
3. BVD
  Animals negative to previous serological tests should be retested to confirm absence of antibodies.
  Should an animal become serologically positive, every ejaculate of that animal collected since the last negative test should be either discarded or tested for virus with negative results.
4. Campylobacterfetus subsp. venerealis
  1. A preputial specimen should be tested.
  2. Only bulls on semen production or having contact with bulls on semen production need to be tested. Bulls returning to collection after a lay-off of more than six months should be tested not more than 30 days prior to resuming production.
5. Bluetongue
  The animals should comply with the provisions referred to in Article 8.3.9. or Article 8.3.10.
6. Tritrichomonas foetus
  1. A preputial specimen should be cultured.
  2. Only bulls on semen production or having contact with bulls on semen production need to be tested. Bulls returning to collection after a lay-off of more than six months should be tested not more than 30 days prior to resuming production.
7. IBR/IPV
  If the semen collection centre is to be considered as IBR/IPV free, the animals should comply with the provisions in point 2 c) of Article 11.8.3.
Testing for BVD prior to the initial dispatch of semen from each serologically positive bull
Prior to the initial dispatch of semen from BVD serologically positive bulls, a semen sample from each animal should be subjected to a virus isolation or virus antigen test for BVD. In the event of a positive result, the bull should be removed from the centre and all of its semen destroyed.
Testing of frozen semen for IBR/IPV in semen collection centres not considered as IBR/IPV free
Each aliquot of frozen semen should be tested as per Article 11.8.7.

Article 4.7.3.

Conditions applicable to testing of rams/bucks and teaser animals

Rams/bucks and teaser animals should only enter a semen collection centre if they fulfil the following requirements.

Prior to entering pre-entry isolation facility
The animals should comply with the following requirements prior to entry into isolation at the pre-entry isolation facility where the country or zone of origin is not free from the diseases in question.
1. Brucellosis – Chapter 8.4.
2. Ovine epididymitis – Article 14.6.3.
3. Contagious agalactia – Points 1 and 2 of Article 14.2.1.
4. Peste des petits ruminants – Points 1, 2 a) or 3 of Article 14.7.10.
5. Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia – Article 14.3.7., depending on the CCPP status of the country or zone of origin of the animals.
6. Paratuberculosis – Free from clinical signs for the past two years.
7. Scrapie – Comply with Article 14.8.8. if the animals do not originate from a scrapie free country or zone as defined in Article 14.8.3.
8. Maedi-visna – Article 14.5.2.
9. Caprine arthritis/encephalitis – Article 14.1.2. in the case of goats.
10. Bluetongue
  The animals should comply with Articles 8.3.7. or 8.3.8., depending on the bluetongue status of the country or zone of origin of the animals.
11. Tuberculosis – In the case of goats, a single or comparative tuberculin test, with negative results.
Testing in the pre-entry isolation facility prior to entering the semen collection facilities
Prior to entering the semen collection facilities of the semen collection centre, rams/bucks and teasers should be kept in a pre-entry isolation facility for at least 28 days. The animals should be tested as described below a minimum of 21 days after entering the pre-entry isolation facility, with negative results.
1. Brucellosis – Chapter 8.4.
2. Ovine epididymitis – Point 1 d) of Article 14.6.4.
3. Maedi-visna and caprine arthritis/encephalitis – Test on animals.
4. Bluetongue
  The animals should comply with the provisions referred to in Articles 8.3.6., 8.3.7. or 8.3.8., depending on the bluetongue status of the country or zone where the pre-entry isolation facility is located.
Testing programme for rams/bucks and teasers resident in the semen collection facilities
All rams/bucks and teasers resident in the semen collection facilities should be tested at least annually for the following diseases, with negative results, where the country or zone where the semen collection facilities are located is not free:
1. Brucellosis;
2. ovine epididymitis;
3. Maedi-visna and caprine arthritis/encephalitis;
4. tuberculosis (for goats only);
5. bluetongue.
  The animals should comply with the provisions referred to in Article 8.3.9. or Article 8.3.10.

Article 4.7.4.

Conditions applicable to testing of boars

Boars should only enter a semen collection centre if they fulfil the following requirements.

Prior to entering pre-entry isolation facility
The animals should be clinically healthy, physiologically normal and comply with the following requirements within 30 days prior to entry into isolation at the pre-entry isolation facility where the country or zone of origin is not free from the diseases in question.
1. Brucellosis – Chapter 8.4.
2. Foot and mouth disease – Articles 8.8.10., 8.8.11. or 8.8.12.
3. Aujeszky’s disease – Article 8.2.9. or Article 8.2.10.
4. Transmissible gastroenteritis – Article 15.5.2.
5. African swine fever – Article 15.1.6. or Article 15.1.7.
6. Classical swine fever – Article 15.2.9. or Article 15.2.10.
7. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome – Test complying with the standards in the Terrestrial Manual.
Testing in the pre-entry isolation facility prior to entering the semen collection facilities
Prior to entering the semen collection facilities of the semen collection centre, boars should be kept in a pre-entry isolation facility for at least 28 days. The animals should be subjected to diagnostic tests as described below a minimum of 21 days after entering the pre-entry isolation facility, with negative results.
1. Brucellosis – Chapter 8.4.
2. Foot and mouth disease – Articles 8.8.13., 8.8.14., 8.8.15. or 8.8.16.
3. Aujeszky’s disease – Articles 8.2.13., 8.2.14. or 8.2.15.
4. Transmissible gastroenteritis – Article 15.5.4.
5. African swine fever – Article 15.1.9. or Article 15.1.10.
6. Classical swine fever – Article 15.2.11. or Article 15.2.12.
7. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome – The test complying with the standards in the Terrestrial Manual.
Testing programme for boars resident in the semen collection facilities
All boars resident in the semen collection facilities should be tested at least annually for the following diseases, with negative results, where the country or zone where the semen collection facilities are located is not free:
1. Brucellosis – Chapter 8.4.
2. Foot and mouth disease – Articles 8.8.13., 8.8.14., 8.8.15. or 8.8.16.
3. Aujeszky’s disease – Articles 8.2.13., 8.2.14. or 8.2.15.
4. Transmissible gastroenteritis – Article 15.5.4.
5. African swine fever – Article 15.1.9. or Article 15.1.10.
6. Classical swine fever – Article 15.2.11. or Article 15.2.12.
7. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome – The test complying with the standards in the Terrestrial Manual.

nb: first adopted in 1986; most recent update adopted in 2024.