Northernhorse.com Blog

3 More Positive Stallions; Frozen Semen Implication; USDA to Raise
Permit Charges

Three more stallions have tested positive for presence of Taylorella
equigenitalis. Two are located in Illinois at the same facility as the
stallion previously identified as positive in that State. All three
stallions at that facility had also been collected at the same facility
as the previously identified fourth positive Wisconsin stallion during
the breeding seasons 2004-2007. The third newly identified positive
stallion is located in Wisconsin – the sixth to test positive in that
State – and is a Thoroughbred that had semen collected several times
between 2004 and 2008 at the same facility as the fifth positive
stallion in Wisconsin. Continue Reading »

Jos Mottershead of Equine-Reproduction.com has send some new CEM updates.

Canada Adjusts Import Restrictions for Equine Semen Coming from USA, but Originating in Another Country

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) today reported changes to import restrictions for semen being imported from the USA to Canada that originated in another country, but that was legally imported to the USA.
With the implementation of the increased restrictions on semen import to Canada of January 29th 2009 as a result of the CEM outbreak in the USA, importation to Canada from the USA of third-country semen was prevented. Continue Reading »

Canada Introduces Restrictions on Importation of all Equines, Equine Semen, and Equine embryos from the USA
CFIA has announced the introduction of import restrictions on horses and equine semen originating from the USA as a result of the current US outbreak of Contagious Equine Metritis. Horses and other equidae (asses, mules and zebras) will not require an import permit, but will require additional declarations on the health papers certifying that they have not been on a premises where Taylorella equigenitalis has been isolated during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation to Canada or a premises currently under quarantine or investigation for CEM; and that any female(s) in the shipment have not been bred naturally to, or inseminated with, semen from a stallion positive for CEM, or a stallion resident upon a positive premises or under quarantine or investigation for CEM. Additionally, the animals must not show any signs of CEM on the day of inspection. Continue Reading »

Two More States Announce Mare Testing and Quarantine

State Veterinarians from Texas and Oklahoma have announced that they
have quarantined and are testing mares that were bred with semen from,
or were in contact with, stallions that tested positive for the
Contagious Equine Metritis organism. This brings the total of States or
Provinces (Canada) that have announced that they are testing contact
horses to eight. With an estimated 20 States or Provinces involved in
shipments of semen from the stallions, undoubtedly more will be
announced. It is important for breeders to be aware that treatment of
mares for CEM and clearing of the pathogen from the the stallion’s
genitalia can be successfully achieved, so awareness of pathogenic
presence with the testing is an important first step to control and
eradication.
*01/03/2009*

Regards to all,

Jos Mottershead
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Another update by Jos Mottershead of equine-reproduction.com.

7 CEMO Positive; 9 Negative on Culture; 7 Pending

Two additional stallions have returned “negative” culture results for presence of the CEMO, and the index farm has listed results as following:

Positive:

• Gentlemen Send Roses
• Hot Lopin Sensation
• Indian Artifacts
• Invited Back
• Potential Investment
• Repeated In Red
• Zips Heaven Sent Continue Reading »

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency sent us the following news release:

OTTAWA, December 24, 2008 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has launched an
investigation after confirming that horse semen was imported into Canada from a United States stallion
subsequently determined to be infected with contagious equine metritis (CEM). There are no human health
implications with this disease. Continue Reading »

Due to the recent outbreak of CEM in Kentucky, we have a new article on our web site about Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM). It can be found in the articles section

The biggest concern is if the US should lose its CEM free status. If that should occur, it will have a SERIOUS impact on breeders shipping semen into Canada, as well as any horses being shipped into Canada as they would have to undergo quarantine and testing for CEM – a serious financial burden for all parties concerned! Continue Reading »

We have received 2 more updates on CEM from Jos Mottershead of the Equine Reproduction site.

CEMO-positive Stallion Number Increases

The number of stallions reported as positive for the presence of /Taylorella equigenitalis/ the causative agent for Contagious Equine Metritis in the Kentucky USA outbreak has risen to six the index farm reports. Seven stallions are shown as “believed negative”, with ten more having results still pending. The OIE (Office international des épizooties) – the international reporting agency for infectious animal diseases – is however currently reporting seven positive stallions, with 320 more potentially affected (exposed) animals. It is unclear where this  number discrepancy originates, but we will update the information as applicable once confirmed.
*12/30/2008* Continue Reading »

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a warning late Friday, Dec. 26, that semen from one of the four Quarter Horses confirmed positive for contagious equine metritis (CEM) had been shipped to farms in Ontario and Alberta. It had begun an investigation on Dec. 24.

Frozen semen from the stallion was sent to Ontario and Alberta in the spring of 2008. CFIA and provincial animal health officials are currently tracing the shipments to identify potentially exposed animals. As a precaution, the CFIA will place these animals under quarantine until they have tested negative for CEM.

Read more at The Horse.com

Hot Lopin Sensation, Indian Artifacts, Repeated in Red and Potential Investment standing at Degraff Stables/Liberty Farm Equine Reproduction enter LLC have all been identified as having tested positive for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM). Officials had considered this highly contagious venereal disease eradicated from the United States until it was identified during routine testing of a stallion earlier this month to qualify semen for exportation. Read more at The Horse.com