Shipping a mare from Canada to the US to be bred?

[over the moon]

Just looking for some input re: cost comparisons here...

Recently had a discussion with a friend about the stallion she would ideally like to breed her mare to... in the end the idea was essentially nixed because of all the potential complications with importing fresh semen to Canada from the US. With all the new regulations, vets and breeders alike are weary about taking on the challenge; it seems too likely that you'll hit a delay at the border, and then it all goes to hell. Furthermore, the farm with whom she'd like to do the breeding is not taking on Canadian clients at this time as they do not deal with frozen semen, and are waiting to see how shipping fresh semen goes before taking on more commitments.

A third party suggested that she ship her mare to the States to be bred. Now, to be honest, I have never heard of this being done before, but in retrospecht, it does make sense, if you have the money to do it.

So I'm wondering: has anyone here ever done it, or heard of it? Have you made the exchange with a friend or business acquaintance, or are there farms who do this professionally? What are the costs involved?

Just curious as I am looking to breed my mare via fresh semen, likely summer 2011, and while I have already accumulated a list of stallions in Canada that interest me, it would be neat to compare costs of using a Canadian stallion vs going this route and having more stallion options open to me.

Thanks in advance for any input!

[Go Fish]

Just looking for some input re: cost comparisons here...

Recently had a discussion with a friend about the stallion she would ideally like to breed her mare to... in the end the idea was essentially nixed because of all the potential complications with importing fresh semen to Canada from the US. With all the new regulations, vets and breeders alike are weary about taking on the challenge; it seems too likely that you'll hit a delay at the border, and then it all goes to hell. Furthermore, the farm with whom she'd like to do the breeding is not taking on Canadian clients at this time as they do not deal with frozen semen, and are waiting to see how shipping fresh semen goes before taking on more commitments.

A third party suggested that she ship her mare to the States to be bred. Now, to be honest, I have never heard of this being done before, but in retrospecht, it does make sense, if you have the money to do it.

So I'm wondering: has anyone here ever done it, or heard of it? Have you made the exchange with a friend or business acquaintance, or are there farms who do this professionally? What are the costs involved?

Just curious as I am looking to breed my mare via fresh semen, likely summer 2011, and while I have already accumulated a list of stallions in Canada that interest me, it would be neat to compare costs of using a Canadian stallion vs going this route and having more stallion options open to me.

Thanks in advance for any input!

Can you be more specific? I'm not understanding the "delay at the border." I have a friend in BC that used fresh from California last year. The semen came directly into Vancouver on FedEx and after some paperwork, she picked it up. Wham, bam, thank you 'mam. Has something changed this year?

[over the moon]

From http://www.equine-reproduction.com/board/messages/1/32563.html?1234983509#POST72751


Importation of semen from the USA to Canada is not insurmountable with the new regulations - indeed, they are essentially the same as the "old" regulations that were in place before the border opened to semen movement about 10 years ago - but they may prove impossible for some who want to ship cooled semen because of time-lines. The steps are as follows:

* The mare owner applies to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for an import permit. We have current application for available for downloading on our web site here (note that it is quite a large file at 552 Kb, so you will want a reasonably fast connection). It would be best to confirm with CFIA that the form is still the current one if someone is reading this in the more distant future!
* Upon receipt of the import permit, it must be sent to the stallion owner/manager to accompany the semen at time of shipment. If it is a multiple-entry permit (which we recommend with fresh semen in case of the need for a rebreed, even though it is more expensive), then a copy can accompany the semen shipment, but the original must be available for review by CFIA/CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency - formerly "Canada Customs") if requested;
* The semen is collected in the presence of a veterinarian certified by USDA-Aphis for the purpose (this is typically your normal vet), and they must issue a "Zoosanitary Export Certificate for Semen" that certifies as outlined at the foot of this post;
* That "Zoosanitary Export Certificate for Semen" is taken to a USDA-Aphis office for endorsement by the Federal Vet;
* A Customs Invoice must be completed and accompany the shipment - they are currently available on-line here;
* Semen presented for importation into Canada must be in individual receptacles or straws, each marked with the collection date, identity of the donor and the semen collection premises;
* The semen is shipped.

As you can see, it's not difficult, but there are some specific steps that must be completed. If they are not, then the semen will be rejected at the time of inspection by CBSA. The requirement for endorsement by USDA-Aphis in particular is the item that may produce impossible time constraints for some. Obviously frozen semen will permit longer time-delays.

Note that there are NO differences as to the region where the horse is located. Some of the above posts reference the stallion being in a "CEM free zone" or a State not currently affected, but that makes no difference to the import requirements. It is semen from ALL of the USA that must be certified in the manner described.

Current regulations can be obtained through the Canadian Automated Import Reference System.

[dilligaff2]

That protocol has been in place for over a year now and in fact has been changed slightly to make it easier (signed copies faxed to the border rather than having to accompany)

A mare shipped over is going to require the same CEM protocol at the border--a signed vet certificate stating that she has not been exposed to a CEM positive stallion. Therefore, the stallion will need to be tested for the vet to verify.

[over the moon]

That protocol has been in place for over a year now and in fact has been changed slightly to make it easier (signed copies faxed to the border rather than having to accompany)

Has anyone in Canada attempted to use fresh semen from the States in the past year? The general consensus from vets here is that it can be done, but there are heightened risks with delays, and where fresh semen is time sensitive, you run the chance of losing a lot of money in the process. Most vets discourage the use of fresh semen from the States, and and such, I'm not sure that it's a risk I would be willing to take at this time.

A mare shipped over is going to require the same CEM protocol at the border--a signed vet certificate stating that she has not been exposed to a CEM positive stallion. Therefore, the stallion will need to be tested for the vet to verify.

Ah, yes, but if procedures are done to acquire the semen after the mare is in the States, your only concern with your time line will be the regular shipping getting delayed, not it getting delayed at the border (far more likely than a US-to-US shipment).

[dilligaff2]

Yes, it was done many times last year. There are some breeders on this forum who continued to ship up even in the beginning of the protocol.

Edgar, Showjumpers66 and Equine Reproduction come to mind first off. In fact, I remember a thread about tracking any problems and for the most part, there were none--just extra planning.

[bvsporthorses]

Glad this thread got started! I too have been considering sending one of my mares across the the border to be inseminated in the US rather than in Canada this year. We are using fresh semen from an older stallion and because of the distance the semen will be shipped if there was a delay at the border we would probably end up with an unusable dose. So *IF* there was a problem at the border we would be looking at paying an extra collection, extra shipping, extra paperwork etc. and keeping our fingers crossed for better luck next time. My vet has also recommended using frozen if it is coming up from the US as it is less risky if possible delays do occur. However the mare is also slightly older and has never been bred using frozen.

Fortunately for me I am located about 10 minutes from the nearest border crossing and the repro clinic in the US is only about an 1.5 hours away. So its a nice short trailer trip for me. I usually send my mares to my vets cliinic to be bred anyways and they stay there for a few days. I have found that this is actually less expensive than having multiple call out fees (even when discounted), and far more convenient as I never have to wait around for the vet :). I pay $30 per day per mare for them to stay at the clinic, this includes all their feed.
So after pricing out the difference to have my mare bred in the US vs. Canada I am only looking at the extra fuel for trailering, and possibly a a few extra days board. Paperwork to get said mare back across the border is not much more than the paperwork to get the semen across the border in the first place. If the mare needs a coggins test etc because it is not current then that would be extra as well.
Based on how I have calculated it, it will only me a couple hundred dollars extra (if that) to have my mare bred in the US. This is less than the shipping cost alone on a second semen shipment if it was needed. In my situation, and with being so close to the US repro clinic it makes sense for me to send the mare there. Whether the mare goes there or the semen comes here I still need to deal with similar paperwork and most of the other costs are pretty much fixed for me anyhow.

[Royal Monaco]

I did bred my mare to Escapade I in June 2009 and had absolutely no problem at the border. I went directly at the fedex office in Mirabel (cargo airport in Quebec) to pick up the semen and the women at the border barely looked at the paperwork and cleared my shipment. It took 30 minutes.

I don't think the CEM regulation is a big issue if the SO knows what to do on his side.

[Fairview Horse Center]

In fact, I remember a thread about tracking any problems and for the most part, there were none--just extra planning.

It is doable, as now they are allowing the paperwork to be faxed, so the semen can be on its way, and the paperwork can "catch up" electronically.

It depends on how close the stallion is to a state vet, as to if the cost would be too high. For me, it would require a 5 hour round trip plus any time standing in lines to get the signature needed for each shipment.

To ship the mare, she would have to go thru import requirements.

[arizonard]

We brought lots of fresh and frozen across last year. As the year progressed, it became quite simple. Of about 10 shipments, only one got caught up at the border...and it was frozen, so no big deal.

We're doing it all over again this year without any hesitation. I did switch a few contracts to frozen as it is now a bit easier for us, but fresh is still do-able.