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Questions
and Answers are from our
Year 2000 Importation and AI experience
Question Asked: Would
you please tell me about your experience of importing semen from
Iceland and AIing?
My
Reply: Ordering
semen from the Southram
station in Iceland was a very easy process.
I did it all through e-mail.
They e-mailed me the list of available sires and I looked them
all up on their website. Once
I chose my sires, Southram e-mailed me the total cost.
I express mailed them a personal check.
I
got an import permit from the USDA.
It took about 2 weeks from when I sent my import
application in to when I actually received the permit.
I noticed recently on the USDA website that they also have an
on-line
application
form.
Once
I received the import permit, I express mailed the original copy to
Southram as it had to go with the shipment.
The semen arrived in a liquid nitrogen tank into the JFK
airport in New York customs around the first part of October 2000.
I had a customs broker help me get it through customs in 2 days
and then it was overnight Fed-X’ed to me.
It arrived on my back porch the next day.
I signed for it and carried it to my barn.
I go out each day to check to make sure it is really here!
Question
Asked: What
special equipment have you had to acquire? What
costs were involved? etc..
My
Reply: My
costs for year 2000:
$27.50 for the Import permit (it has gone up to $94 for year
2001)
$800 shipping tank from Iceland which included the shipping cost.
$18 for each semen straw (includes the laboratory fees)
$385 for the customs broker which included Fed-X overnight plus
insurance to me.
$42 misc. additional costs (express mail to Iceland and to customs
broker)
$63 for each recharge of my liquid nitrogen tank (about every 8-12
weeks)
$92.67 Airfare & transportation costs for inseminator (expenses
split with another farm)
$28.75
each ewe AI'ed (including: sponges, hormones, AI set up fee)
Question
Asked: Do I purchase my own liquid nitrogen tank or can I
purchase one from Southram station?
My
Reply: I
purchased my tank from the Southram Station. The shipping tank
that came from Iceland is actually a very nice tank that can be used
as a main storage tank also so you wouldn't need to buy another tank
for storage. The
tank from Iceland would need to be recharged about every 8 weeks. Even
less than that if you were not in the tank very much.
You can purchase your own tank and send it to Iceland but it can
not have been used before.
Question
Asked: Have
you already done it this year or is it later this month? How did it
go?
My
Reply: Our
AI date is scheduled for Nov. 28th, 2000.
We inserted sponges into 30 ewes last Saturday.
On Nov. 26th we will be pulling the sponges and
injecting the ewes with hormones.
All the ewes should come into cycle at the same time on Nov. 28th.
I think I will hire some extra bodies this spring to help me
get through the AI lambing experience.
30 ewes lambing within a 10 day period……..
I’m
working on a web page about the whole AI process from purchasing the
semen directly from Iceland, to the actual AI process itself so as to
help others that might be interested in pursuing this avenue also.
It was not only easy, but is a very affordable way to
bring in outside genetics into ones flock.
Question
Asked:
How did you find a semen broker to get you through customs (can you
give me a referral)?
My
Reply:
I
used Trans-World Shipping Corp. out of NY.
They were wonderful to work with and so helpful.
My
contact was Steve Ellis
Phone: 212-267-4800
Question
Asked:
Who
did you contact at Southram?
My
Reply:
Guğmundur
Jóhannesson - e-mail: mundi@bssl.is
Dairy
Breeding and Management Advisor
SOUTHAGRI-Agricultural
Associaton of South Iceland
Austurvegur 1 - 800 SELFOSS
ICELAND
Tel. +354 482 1611 Fax +354 482
2995
Question
Asked:
Did
you use their website?
My
Reply:
Yes, I reviewed each ram from Southrams website at:
http://www.bssl.is/english/
and then used e-mail to
talk to
Guğmundur Jóhannesson for availability of the rams and details for
ordering and making payment.
Question
Asked:
Are
there other Ram Stations in Iceland selling semen?
My
Reply:
Yes, there are 2 other stations but they are only set up to
sell fresh semen. Southram
is the only one sells frozen semen for exportation at this time.
Question
Asked:
What
is the correct dept. at the USDA to get an import application from?
My
Reply:
I contacted the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
Roger Perkins at: Phone:
301-734-8419 E-mail:
Roger.W.Perkins@usda.gov
Question
Asked:
Can
you give me the USDA address or website address?
My
Reply:
The USDA address that I got my import permit from is Veterinary
services national center for Import/Export products at: 4700 River
Road, Unit 40 Riverdale, MD 20737
I
got the import permit application form by calling their automated system
at: 301-734-4952 and had it
faxed to me. You can also find the forms online at USDA website
at: www.aphis.usda.gov/forms/
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