Animal breeding

We provide approval for operations for artificial breeding of animals, for example, stallion stations.

Information on approvals

You need to apply for approval, if you

  • collect or process animal sperm or embryos
  • produce embryos using in vitro fertilisation
  • store sperm or embryos, with consideration of exceptions.

You need to apply for approval, when the activities above apply to the following species of animals:

  • equine species
  • bovines
  • pigs
  • sheep
  • goats.

Examples of activities requiring our approval:

  • stallion station
  • boar station
  • bull stud
  • ram stud
  • storage and shipment of bovine sperm
  • embryo collection team
  • embryo production team.

You do not need to apply for approval for your activities when, for example,

  • you inseminate your own animals with sperm collected in the location where you are keeping animals
  • mares are inseminated with sperm transported to the stud farm.

You do not need to apply for a separate permit for sperm storage, if:

  • you are storing sperm in an approved sperm collection station, such as a stallion station
  • the stud farm stores ordered sperm which is used in the stud farm in question and not shipped onwards
  • you are storing and shipping sperm for artificial insemination of horses in Finland.

Domestic sales

If you are applying for approval of a stallion station collecting horse sperm in domestic sales:

  1. Read more on the legal requirements.
  2. Make sure that you have the required staff at your disposal:
    • the station’s veterinarian
    • other competent staff.
  3. Complete the application form and send it to our registry along with the required appendices. A link to the form and the contact information of our registries are provided at the bottom of this page.

Horse sperm to be delivered in the EU area

If you are applying for approval of a stallion station collecting horse sperm within the EU:

  1. Read more on the legal requirements.
  2. Make sure that you have the required staff at your disposal:
    • the station’s veterinarian
    • other competent staff.
  3. Write the application (a form is on its way) and send it to our registry. A link to the contact information of our registries is provided at the bottom of this page. The application must include at least the following:
    • contact information for the business operator and the stallion station
    • Business ID
    • a description of the activities to be undertaken at the collection station
    • a report on the implementation of the requirements for approval
    • a written consent from the station’s veterinarian
    • a description of the personnel’s competence and training
    • a floor plan of the stallion station including the location of essential activities.
  1. Read more on the legal requirements.
  2. Make sure that you have the required staff at your disposal:
    • the station’s veterinarian
    • other personnel.
  3. Write the application and send it to our registry. A link to the contact information of our registries is provided at the bottom of this page. The application must include at least the following:
    • contact information for the business operator and the collection station
    • Business ID
    • a description of the activities to be undertaken at the collection station
    • a report on the implementation of the requirements for approval
    • a written consent from the station’s veterinarian
    • a description of the personnel’s competence and training
    • a floor plan including the location of essential activities.
  1. Read more on the legal requirements
  2. Make sure that you have the required staff at your disposal:
    • a veterinarian in charge of the team’s activities
    • other competent staff.
  3. Write the application and send it to our registry. A link to the contact information of our registries is provided at the bottom of this page. The application must include at least the following:
    • contact information for the members of the team
    • contact information for the operating facilities (especially the production team)
    • a description of the activities
    • a report on the fulfilment of the approval requirements
    • a description of the personnel’s competence and training
    • information on whether you are applying for approval only for domestic sales
    • a floor plan of the facilities including the location of essential activities.

 

You can apply for approval for an embryo production team only, if you have an approved embryo collection team.

  1. Read more on the legal requirements.
  2. Make sure that you have the required staff at your disposal:
    • a designated veterinarian in charge of the prevention of the spreading of animal diseases
    • staff that has sufficient skills and expertise.
  3. Write the application and send it to our registry. A link to the contact information of our registries is provided at the bottom of this page. The application must include at least the following:
    • contact information for the business operator and the sperm storage
    • Business ID
    • description of the operation of the sperm storage
    • a written consent from the veterinarian in charge
    • a description of the personnel’s competence and training
    • a report on the implementation of the requirements for approval
    • a floor plan of the facilities.

The municipal veterinarian will inspect the application and ask you to complete the information, if needed.

Before granting approval, the Regional Veterinarian will inspect the stallion station, the sperm collection station, the sperm storage or the embryo collection or production facilities. 

We will make a decision on approval, if the legal requirements for approval are met. 

We will notify the Finnish Food Authority of the approval decision, and they will provide you with an approval number. A list of approved business operators is available on the website of the Finnish Food Authority.

The municipal veterinarian will supervise the activities of approved business operators and conduct regular inspections. We can revoke the approval, if your operations are no longer legal.

Frequently asked questions

You are allowed to store embryos:

  • in the facility of the embryo production team
  • in the facility of the embryo collection team
  • in an approved sperm collection station
  • in an approved sperm storage.

You are allowed to store sperm:

  • in an approved sperm collection station
  • in an approved sperm storage
  • in the facility of an approved embryo production team.

An exception to the above is that sperm and embryos can be stored in the location where animals are kept, where they are used for artificial propagation of animals owned by or in possession of the business operator.  If you store sperm or embryos in a location where animals are kept, be sure to register the storage activity in the register of animal husbandry businesses and locations where animals are kept.

You are also allowed to store sperm for the insemination of horses to be performed in Finland.

Contact information for registries

Links to legal texts