Introduction
In 2002, the scientific commission of the RSCE, of which I am the coordinator, presented a list of regulations for the canine artificial insemination due to the increased demand for these techniques in Spain. They were already regulated in most European countries and USA. The requirements for the use of chilled and frozen semen are very simple and similar to those of the American Kennel Club.
Dr. Luis Fernandez Garrido
RSCE Regulations for the use of frozen semen
- The donor must be registered in the Origin Book of a country accepted by the FCI.
- The donor must be identified by a tattoo or microchip and DNA tested or bring a blood or hair sample for DNA testing.
- The donor must be identified by a tattoo or microchip and DNA tested or bring a blood or hair sample for DNA testing.
- The donor must be younger than 11 years at the time of the semen extraction.
- The process must be supervised by a Veterinarian member of the Official College of the country where the extraction is done.
- Certificate of the Semen Storage Bank or of a Veterinarian member of an Official College that states the origin of the semen and data of the owner.
- Official certificate of the veterinarian that does the insemination stating origin of the semen and data of the owner.
- The RSCE has the right of inspecting the authenticity of the litter and making all the necessary morphologic and genetic tests. The owner runs with the costs of these tests.
General recommendations
In order to comply with the different local Spanish regulations and as courtesy to the colleges that make the insemination, we recommend that all semen that is to be transported abroad should have:
*Official veterinary certificate where it states that the testicles of the donor are normal and that its identity has been confirmed.
*Certificate of the quality of the semen. With frozen semen instructions for the thawing and recommendations of how many straws or vials to use in the insemination.
*Always use the name with which the dog is officially registered.
*Always include a second copy of all the certificates attached to the outside of the transport box. Sometimes the originals get lost on the transport or are taken by mistake.
*The straws or granules should be packed in such a way that they can be easily moved from the transport to the store tank. If the semen is frozen in pellets do not forget to include the bags needed for the thawing (Whirl-park, Nasco, USA) since they are not available in every country.
How to label the semen straws/ vials:
In order to comply with the requirements of most countries the semen straws or vials should be labelled including the following information:
-breed
-official dog´s name
-official registration number of the dog
-date of semen collection
-where the semen was collected or processed
Example:
Galg. Afg. B.S. Sandstorm S-06689-99 18-05-2001 SLU
The identification label information for the straws and vials, must be included in the certificates as well.