Equitrans recently oversaw the first official import shipment of frozen Red Deer semen from New Zealand to the UAE.
The movement was on behalf of a VIP customer and using semen from donor stags- Cayenne, Kodiak and Louie all standing at stud at the prestigious Peel Forest Estate in New Zealand.
Set in over 7,000 acres, Peel Forest is a global leader in Red Deer genetics, thanks to the farm’s three-decade long drive to create the finest breed-lines and its modern collection and harvesting facilities for embryos and semen.
However, planning and coordinating the first shipment of frozen Red Deer semen into the UAE was never going to be straightforward.
For this reason, the client chose Equitrans Logistics, as the company has over 20 years of experience in creating successful pioneering protocols around the globe for both live animals and animal fluids such as semen and embryos.
Head of Pet relocation at Equitrans Pets, Mary Abanes said, “as this was the first ever import of Red Deer semen to the UAE, we really had to do our research to establish the correct protocol to ensure a smooth export and import of the shipment.”
“We coordinated with different departments in both New Zealand and the UAE, namely the Ministry for Primary Industries in New Zealand and the Animal Health & the UAE’s Development Department and Ministry of Climate Change & Environment.”
“Everything went well; however we did encounter some delays in getting the approvals of the export and import health requirements, this was primarily due to a conflict between the time sensitivity of the shipment and the nine-hour time difference between the two countries.”
“In New Zealand the donor stag needed to be prepared for isolation and testing, then once the results were approved, the race was really on to apply for the import permit, organise the flight and arrange the numerous export health certificates and travel documents,” says Mary.
“But overall, it went really smoothly, and the shipment arrived in the optimum timeframe,” she says.
Equitrans Co-Founder and Managing Director, David Robson said of the movement, “ we’re really proud to add another pioneering first to our already impressive list. Given the time difference, the high-profile status of the client and the fact the shipment was the first of its kind, Mary’s accomplished coordination of the shipment is really commendable.”
If you would like more information about the transport of animal and equine fluids or any other Equitrans service please visit our website at: www.equitranslogistics.com.