Chapter 6 – Export to Mexico
6.6 Cervids (updated April 2018)

Health certificate

1. General information about exportation to Mexico mentioned in module 6.1 must have been reviewed.

2. The accredited veterinarian must use the most recent version of the export certificate. The terms and conditions of export are subject to change from time to time and without notice. The status of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) export certificate (HA2949) must be verified with the local district office of the CFIA prior to the commencement of testing, to ensure it is current and matches the list of conditions contained in the "hoja de requisitos" (document similar to an import permit).

3. The animals were born and raised in Canada or were legally imported into Canada and have remained in this country for at least 90 days.

4. In Canada, there are animal health regulations in place that prohibit the feeding of ruminants with meat and bone meal or greaves of ruminant origin.

5. Canada must be free of Boophilus spp. ticks

6. The farm(s) of origin had no reports of bluetongue, anthrax or other reportable disease to which the species is susceptible and are not under movement restrictions and have not been quarantined by the CFIA for an infectious disease affecting cervids.

7. The animals were free of clinical signs of infectious or contagious diseases affecting the species at inspection prior to export. The animals showed no sign of Bluetongue on the day of shipment.

Certification procedure

8. Bovine brucellosis: (delete unused option)

Either

The animals to be exported originate from a country, province or herd officially free of brucellosis (Brucella spp.).

or

The animals were submitted to an individual serological test with negative results (FPA or CF) within thirty (30) days prior to the date of export.

or

The animals are not tested and are less than 6 month of age at the day of shipment.

9. Bovine Tuberculosis: (delete unused option)

Either

The animals to be exported originate from a country, province or herd officially free of Tuberculosis.

or

The animals were individually tested with negative results by federal or accredited veterinarians for the diagnosis of tuberculosis; the test was done within the 60 days prior to export. The date of reading must be recorded.

or

The animals were not tested and were younger than one month of age

10. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies:

1. In the herd of origin there have been no cases (confirmed or suspect) of CWD during the 5 years prior to the date of exportation.
2. Animals are not exhibiting nervous signs compatible with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
3. The animals are from herds that are not under, nor have they been in contact with herds having animal health restrictions due to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

4. The animals are from herds (delete unused option)

   Either

   Registered in an official monitoring program for chronic wasting disease of deer (CWD) and that have been in that program for at least the last five years.

   or

   From a zone free of CWD. (This option needs to be struck out. There is no official free zone for CWD at the moment)

11. Bluetongue requirements are related to possible activity of the vectors.

Note: the tests must be submitted to a CFIA laboratory. Contact the CFIA district office to obtain a notification number and to discuss the tests available. Consult section 3.2: Special procedure for submission to CFIA laboratories, applicable to samples from bovine tested in isolation (IAI notification), and from sheep and goats or cervids for export to Mexico (mandatory template).

12. Animals were treated for internal and external parasites with a product approved by the competent authority for use in animals 15 days prior to shipping. Name the active compound, concentration and dose.

How to complete the Canadian health certificate (HA2949)

13. The accredited veterinarian must use the most recent version of the HA2949 export certificate. Mexican authorities do not accept hand written certificates. The certificate must be typed, including the reference number. Fillable PDF certificates to Mexico are available from the CFIA district office. Please contact your district office for more information.

14. Sentences or paragraphs marked with exponent ⁽¹⁾ need to have non applicable option(s) deleted.

15. All the cervids must be identified with an approved or official unique identifier which allows traceability.

16. In the column "Age", record the age in months. The breed and sex must be recorded in full on the certificate. Abbreviations are not allowed.

17. The accredited veterinarian must complete the export health certificate by entering all the necessary information with the exception of the number of animals in the shipment and the seal numbers. The completed and signed health certificate shall be submitted to a CFIA veterinary inspector to review and, if all requirements have been met, the certificate will be endorsed. An incomplete export certificate will be returned to the accredited veterinarian for completion. A fee will be charged for CFIA endorsement. The endorsed certificate will be returned to the accredited veterinarian.

18. The original and three copies of the official export certificate must accompany the shipment.

19. Animals are transported in sealed conveyance that has been cleaned and disinfected before loading. The accredited veterinarian or their technician must, on the day of export, return to the farm, supervise the loading and apply CFIA seals to the transporting vehicles, after verifying that only the animals listed on the export certificate are included in the shipment. A CFIA seal must be applied to every door on the trailer.

20. The accredited veterinarian or their technician must record the number of animals in the shipment and the CFIA seal numbers in the appropriate section on the endorsed original health certificate, and initial the appropriate section. Please repeat this information on the copies of the certificate, as well as on the copy kept in the accredited veterinarian file.

Use and control of CFIA seals

21. The export of cervids to Mexico must be done in vehicles that are sealed at the location from which the animals are being shipped. Seals must be applied by the accredited veterinarian or by a technician designated by the accredited veterinarian.

22. To perform this function, accredited veterinarians or their technicians must be designated under the Health of Animals Act to affix official seals. Contact the CFIA district veterinarian to obtain a designation certificate. Please note that this designation does not allow the removal of CFIA official seals. For each situation where official seals must be removed, the designated accredited veterinarian or technician must contact their CFIA district office in advance to obtain an authorization to remove official seals.

23. Accredited veterinarians will provide the CFIA district veterinarian with the names of any technicians able to perform the duties of sealing vehicles for the shipment of animals to Mexico. This list must be updated as soon as changes in staff are made.

24. The CFIA's Animal Health district office will provide seals for the vehicles. Seals may be allocated to an accredited veterinarian or to a veterinary clinic when more than one accredited veterinarian is employed by the same clinic.

25. The district office will keep records containing the seal numbers and the names of the accredited veterinarians or veterinary clinics to which the seals were distributed.

26. Once seals are applied to all possible exits of a vehicle transporting cervids, accredited veterinarians or their designated technicians must record the numbers on the official export certificate in the appropriate section and initial the appropriate section.

27. Accredited veterinarians are responsible to keep records of the seals that were used. Seal numbers must be matched with export certificate numbers. These records must be kept for a minimum of three years.

28. Accredited veterinarians must submit, upon request, a list of the seals used and the corresponding export certificate numbers to the CFIA's Animal Health district office. The following list can be put in a table and used to submit this information. The document can be sent by facsimile, electronic mail or regular mail.

• Accredited Veterinarian or Technician
• Seal Numbers
• Export Certificate Reference Number
• Date of Application of Seals
• Truck or Trailer License Plate Number

Inspections at U.S. ports of entry

29. The animals must be presented by appointment at the U.S. port of entry.

30. A USDA transit import permit will be required to transit the USA. The transit permit may contain additional requirements such as an insecticide treatment before the transit.

References

The export health certificate HA2949 is available at the CFIA district office.

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