Australian Harness Racing Rules 281-290

Artificial Breeding


 

 


Please Note:   All forms mentioned in the Rules are available from State Controlling Bodies.  
 
Please Note:  On 1st March 2008 Harness Racing Australia Inc (HRA) replaced Australian Harness Racing Council Inc (AHRC) as the organisation's name.  All AHRC's formal structures, rules, regulations, policies, processes etc., now pertain to HRA, and any reference to Australian Harness Racing Council Inc, AHRC, Council or The Council shall mean Harness Racing Australia Inc or HRA.
 

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;

(c)  relating to the extraction of an embryo from a mare, and the placement of an embryo into a mare, and the transfer of an embryo from one mare to another;

(d)  which are determined by HRA or the Controlling Body to be techniques or procedures relating to artificial breeding.

(2)  The genetic practices of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), Ovum Pick-Up (OPU) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) are prohibited techniques and procedures

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.

(2)   A person who desires to practise as an artificial breeding technician may make application to the Controlling Body for a licence.

(3)  An application under sub-rule (1) or sub-rule (2) shall be made within the time, in the manner and form and be accompanied by such documentation, information and fees as the Controlling Body may determine.

(4)  The Controlling Body may grant a licence for such period and upon such terms and conditions as it thinks fit, or it may refuse to grant 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.

(2)  A person holding or dealing with semen collected from a stallion not standing in Australia at any time that semen is held or dealt with must comply with the requirements in that regard imposed by Harness Racing Australia and the SBR.

(3)  The Controlling Body may make determinations governing the importation into its jurisdiction of semen from any source or place or the holding or dealing with semen collected from a stallion standing anywhere in Australia or overseas.

(4)  A person who fails to comply with sub-rule (1) or sub-rule (2) or with a determination made under sub-rule (3) is guilty of an offence.

Semen Controller

284. (1)  A person may make application to the Controlling Body for registration as a semen controller.

(2)  An application under sub-rule (1) shall be made within the time, in the manner and form and be accompanied by such documentation, information and fees as the Controlling Body may determine.

(3)  The Controlling Body may grant registration for such period and upon such terms and conditions as it thinks fit or may refuse to grant registration.

(4)  The Controlling Body may cancel registration for breach of a term or condition.

(5)  The Controlling Body may make determinations as to the matters or things which a semen controller shall or may do or not do.

(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.

(2)  The requirements in force from time to time under this Rule and Rule 283 so far as they are applicable, form part of the terms and conditions attaching to licences granted under Rule 282.

(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

(1) (a)  Semen from an Australian registered sire which has died or disappeared or been gelded shall, subject to sub-paragraph (b) only be used in the breeding season in which the sire has died or disappeared or been gelded or the next breeding season.

(b)  If a broodmare has been inseminated by the sire which has died or disappeared or been gelded and that insemination did not produce a live foal then the progeny of a subsequent insemination of the same broodmare by the same sire shall be eligible for registration in the second breeding season following the death or disappearance or gelding of the sire.

(2) The provisions of sub-rule (1) do not apply to a registered standardbred which has prior to 1 September, 2020 died, disappeared or been gelded.

(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

286repealed, 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.

(2)  A foal resulting from embryo transfer or the use of transported semen shall be blood typed or DNA genotyped and the result thereof shall be lodged with HRA and the Controlling Body where the foal is to be registered.

(3)  The Controlling Body may direct the owner, lessee, studmaster, authorised agent or person in charge of an artificial breeding station on which artificial breeding is being conducted to DNA genotype or otherwise test stock for parentage verification.

(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.

(3)  A person other than a licensed artificial breeding technician who performs a technique or procedure of artificial breeding is guilty of an offence.

(4)  A person who performs a technique or procedure of artificial breeding in breach of a term or condition of a licence 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.

PLEASE NOTE:
Rules Effective from 1st September 1999 (State Controlling Bodies must adopt)
Rules Approved - 16th March 1999 (AHRC Meeting)
 

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