Techniques and Procedures

281.  (1) Subject to sub-rule (2) artificial breeding consists of all techniques and procedures -

(a)  whereby semen can be obtained from a stallion and introduced into a mare;

(b)  relating to the collection, storage, chilling, freezing, transportation and use of semen;

Licences

282. (1)   The owner or lessee of a place who desires to use it as an artificial breeding station may make application to the Controlling Body for a licence.

(5)  The Controlling Body may suspend or cancel a licence for breach of a term or condition.

282A.  (1)  Application to license a place as an artificial breeding station shall be made on form R274-A.

(2)  sub-rules (2), (3), (4), (5), (7), (8) and (9) of rule 274A apply equally to an applicant to license a place as an artificial breeding station, to supporting certificates or documentation, to the holder of such a licence, and to the subject premises, as the case may be.

Note

Applicants for an artificial breeding technician’s licence are referred to sub-rules (4.1), (4.2), (4.3), (4.4), (4.5), (4.6) and (4.7) of rule 90A.

Importation of Semen

283. (1)  A person who desires to import semen from a source outside Australia must comply with the requirements in that regard imposed by Harness Racing Australia and the SBR.

Semen Controller

(6)  A semen controller who fails to comply with a determination made under sub-rule (5) is guilty of an offence.

(7)  A person not registered under this rule who acts or purports to act as a semen controller or who without the Controlling Body’s permission does things which the Controlling Body has determined that semen controllers shall or may do, is guilty of an offence.

284A.  (1)  Application for registration as a semen controller shall be made on form R284-A.

(2)  A semen controller may hold and deal with semen collected from a stallion not standing in Australia during the breeding season.

(3)  sub-rule (1.6) of rule 90A and sub-rules (2), (3), (4), (5), (7) and (8) of rule 274A apply equally to an applicant for registration as a semen controller, to supporting certificates or documentation required in respect of the applicant or the semen storage facility, to the state and condition of such facility and to a registered semen controller as the case may be.

(4)  A semen controller shall keep a record of all incoming semen and its dispersal and shall make such records available to the Controlling Body on request.

Artificial Breeding Requirements

285. (1)  The Controlling Body may impose requirements relating to artificial breeding.

(3)  If requirements under this Rule or Rule 283 are infringed then, in addition to any other penalty or consequence, HRA or the Controlling Body may refuse to register any progeny from mares however served or from mares which have been the subject of a technique or procedure of artificial breeding, owned by the persons responsible for, or who could or should have prevented the infringement.

285A.  Transported Semen

(3)  Transported semen may be used for artificial breeding only if:

(a)  the collection, storage and transportation of semen from the stallion complies with these rules and any requirements imposed under Rules 283 and 285.

(b)  repealed, approved 26th July 2002

(c)  repealed, approved 26th July 2002

(d)  the semen is transported in an approved sealed container;

(e)  the sealed container clearly labelled with the stallion's name is forwarded to the person carrying out the insemination;

(f)  repealed, approved 26th July 2002

(g)  repealed, approved 26th July 2002

(h)  the horse foaled as a result of insemination by transported semen and the dam thereof are DNA genotyped for parentage verification at the cost of the broodmare owner and the result lodged with HRA and the Controlling Body.

(4).  Transported semen shall be securely stored at a veterinary surgeon’s clinic or at an artificial breeding station or such other premises as may be approved by the Controlling Body for that purpose.

(5)  Any transported semen found to be diseased or defective in any way or found to be fraudulently certified shall be destroyed immediately.

Artificial Breeding Station

(6)  The licensee of an artificial breeding station, an artificial breeding technician and a studmaster operating an artificial breeding station shall -

(a)  comply with requirements relating to artificial breeding imposed by departments of the Commonwealth and State Governments;

(b)  conduct artificial breeding wholly within the licensed premises;

(c)  have such facilities and equipment as are deemed by the Controlling Body to be necessary for the conduct of artificial breeding;

(d)  maintain the facilities of and equipment in or used at the licensed premises to the satisfaction of the Controlling Body;

(e)  for each stallion whose semen is collected for artificial breeding within the licensed premises:

     (i)  possess and use separate semen handling and collecting equipment and without limiting the generality of the foregoing this shall include a separate liner, reservoir and semen processing vessels;

    (ii)  clearly mark each item of semen handling and collecting equipment with the name or identification of the stallion for which it is used;

(f)  clean and sterilise every item of semen handling and collecting equipment before each occasion on which it is used for any purpose;

(g)  store in a separate locker marked with the name or identification of the stallion for which it is used all semen handling and collection equipment when not being used for artificial breeding;

(h)  only permit semen handling and collecting equipment of 1 stallion to be within the licensed premises at any one time save for that equipment which is securely stored in lockers;

(i)  ensure that no stallion enter the artificial breeding station if semen of any other stallion or semen handling and collecting equipment used for any other stallion is within the artificial breeding station save for that equipment which is securely stored in lockers;

(j)  ensure that the semen of only 1 stallion shall be used within the artificial breeding station at any one time;

(k)  ensure the semen from 1 stallion shall not be mixed with semen from any other stallion;

(l)  perform the artificial breeding operation in respect of each mare with gloves, syringes, pipettes which are stored and maintained in a clean, hygienic state and are disposed of after each insemination operation.

Semen Generally

(7)  Semen imported into Australia cannot be used unless a copy of the import permit is first lodged with Harness Racing Australia.

(8)  Semen with the exception of that approved for transportation or freezing shall be used immediately upon its collection.

(9)  repealed

Embryo Transfer

(10)   (a)  Application for approval to perform an embryo transfer procedure is to be made on Form R285B-1.

(b)  Notification of a completed embryo transfer procedure is to be given within seven (7) days of completion and made on Form R285B-2.

(11)  A mare who has not attained the age of two years or is not registered in Australia cannot be used as a donor for an embryo transfer procedure.

(12)  A donor mare which has been used in a breeding season for an embryo transfer procedure in respect of which there has been official notification of a 42 day positive test result to such transfer shall not be used in the same breeding season for any method of breeding.

(13)  In a breeding season only 1 fertilised ovum may be transferred from the donor mare to a recipient mare at each breeding cycle until a successful pregnancy results.

(14)  A recipient mare must be of a breed type which in the opinion of the veterinary surgeon is compatible.

(15)  In a breeding season if more than one foal is born of a donor mare then only the first born foal is eligible for registration. 

Sperm Sorting

286.  (1)  A foal that is the product of sperm sorting shall not be eligible for registration.

(2)  A person who fails to comply with sub-rule (1) is guilty of an offence.

Notification

286.  repealed, approved 9th May 2002 and 26th July 2002

286A. repealed, approved 26th July 2002

Verification procedures

287. (1)  Any stallion whose semen is used for transportation and any stallion and donor mare used for embryo transfer shall be blood typed or DNA genotyped before the commencement of the procedure by the owner of such animal and the result thereof lodged with the Controlling Body where the stallion is registered.

(4)  A person who fails to comply with any provisions of this rule or with a direction given under sub-rule (3) is guilty of an offence.

Refusal to register stock

288.  Stock produced by artificial breeding in breach of any provision of a rule in Part 19 or the SBR may be refused registration by HRA or the Controlling Body.

Offences

289. (1)  A person who performs a technique or procedure of artificial breeding other than the receipt of semen and the introduction of that semen into a broodmare at a place not licensed for use under these rules as an artificial breeding station is guilty of an offence.

(2)  A person who permits or connives at a technique or procedure of artificial breeding other than the receipt of semen and the introduction of that semen into a broodmare being performed at a place not licensed for use under these rules as an artificial breeding station is guilty of an offence.

(5)  If a technique or procedure of artificial breeding other than the receipt of semen and the introduction of that semen into a broodmare is performed at a place not licensed for use under these rules as an artificial breeding station, the owner, lessee, studmaster, authorised agent, or person in charge of that place is guilty of an offence.

(6)  If a technique or procedure of artificial breeding is performed by someone other than a licensed artificial breeding technician, the owner, lessee, studmaster, authorised agent or person in charge of the place where the technique or procedure is performed, is guilty of an offence.

(7)  A person who holds or deals in frozen semen without a licence, registration or other authorisation under these rules relating to such holding or dealing is guilty of an offence.

(8)  A horse involved in the commission by a person of an offence under this rule may be disqualified and/or its registration refused or cancelled.

(9)  A person who knowingly permits or allows the transfer of a fertilised ovum from a donor mare to more than one recipient mare in a breeding season is guilty of an offence. 

Legal use of unlicenced premises

290. (1)  A procedure of artificial breeding that is required to be performed at an artificial breeding station may be performed at a place not licensed for use under these rules if the Controlling Body so determines.

(2)  Provided a determination made under sub-rule (1) is complied with, the owner, lessee, studmaster, authorised agent or person in charge of the place at which the technique of artificial breeding is performed, and the person performing that technique or procedure, is not guilty of an offence.