Approving a semen collection centre (by species - bovine, ovine/caprine, equine or swine) and centre veterinarian

Semen collection centres must comply with specific structural and health requirements in order to continue to operate and trade the semen collected on the national and international market. This approval also includes information on the centre’s veterinary medical officer.

Service channels

Procedure and requirements

Procedure

Approval of a semen collection centre is intended for an individual or collective undertaking seeking to collect, process and store semen.

You must state which species you will work with (bovine, ovine/caprine, equine or swine) and provide the name of the centre’s veterinary medical officer.

Approval may be requested by the owner of the undertaking or a representative. In such cases, there are no special requirements with respect to professional training. However, there must be a veterinary medical officer who will ensure that all health and animal welfare requirements are complied with. Information must also be provided on other members (if any) of the technical team involved.

The form provided must be completed and all the documents requested in the form must be provided.

You must apply online through the ePortugal portal. Applications are then examined by the DGAV.

The procedure is set out below.

  1. Submitting the form
    • Click on the ‘access’ button.
    • Confirm your identity using a valid means of electronic identification (Digital Mobile Key, Citizen Card or Digital Certificate).
    • Complete the online form and attach the documents.
    • Submit your application.
  2. Examination of documents
    • The DGAV receives and examines the documents and, if necessary, requests any additional information or documents.
    • Inspection
    • An inspection will be scheduled to verify the location and structural requirements. An inspection report will then be drawn up stating whether or not approval has been granted.
    • The centre and the applicant are notified when approval is granted.
    • Should approval not be granted, the centre will be informed of the aspects requiring correction. A new visit may be required to verify these corrections. If everything is in order, a unique approval number is allocated and the applicant is notified.

Time of issue/decision

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Additional Data

  • A semen collection centre may not be approved without indicating details of the veterinary medical officer.
  • The facilities must be licensed to operate as a farm. Since these are places where animals are present, they must be licensed to operate as an agricultural holding under the NREAP.
  • The semen collected at the centre may be traded with other countries, but this requires the centre to be registered as an operator/receptor. Such registration is required both to sell germinal products within the European Union and to third countries. Recipients of germinal products must also be registered in their respective countries.
  • Registration is required for: animals entering the facilities, semen collection, semen characteristics, doses produced, stored and traded with an indication of the number of doses and recipients.

Legislation, refusals, contests, claims

Legislation

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Reasons for refusal

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Competent Entity

Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária

Address: Campo Grande n.º 50 1700-093 Lisboa

Phone number: 213 23 9 500

Fax: 213 463 518

Email address: geral@dgav.pt

Web url: https://www.dgav.pt/