A SUMMARY
Background
Certified Semen Services,
Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Association of Animal
Breeders (NAAB). It was formed following a decision made by NAAB delegates in
1975 (29th Annual Meeting,
The organizational meeting
of CSS was held in 1976 followed by the hiring of the first Service Director.
The CSS audit or inspection program for semen identification was initiated in
January 1977. Two years later this program was expanded to include the area of
sire health. During the past several years health requirements and procedural
standards for health and identification have been modified as conditions in the
AI industry and emerging technologies have warranted. However, any changes made
in the program are implemented only after thorough review and evaluation.
The CSS structure allows for
additional services to be added to meet the needs of
the AI industry. In 1992 a new program to evaluate AI center management
practices was implemented. Also in 1995 participation in the CSS program was
extended to AI businesses located outside of the
The success of the CSS
program has enabled the national animal breeding industry to regulate itself
without direct government involvement. Underlying this success is an active
effort by each participating organization to operate under principles of
integrity and professional competence.
CSS Structure
CSS is registered in
To provide an inspection
service to inspect businesses engaged in the processing of livestock semen; to
establish standards and rules to assure the authenticity of semen products; to
disseminate information concerning the handling and processing of semen; to
establish standard procedures for the protection of the user; to establish
uniform labeling of semen containers; to facilitate the identification of semen
products; and to engage in any other activity for improvement of animal
agriculture.
To
establish rules and procedures for certification of businesses processing
livestock semen.
CSS is managed by a six
member Board of Directors that are elected to one year terms by the NAAB shareholders.
The chief administrative officer is the President of CSS and the Service
Director conducts the audit program. The NAAB Committees, particularly Sire
Health and Management have served as important resources and are a sounding
board for CSS issues.
CSS is organized so that any
AI business engaged in the collection and processing of livestock semen is
eligible to participate in and benefit from its services program upon entering
an agreement for services. All regular NAAB members though are required to
enter into an agreement with CSS as a provision of NAAB membership (successful
completion of a CSS audit for semen identification and sire health testing is
required before regular member approval by the NAAB Board of Directors). NAAB
membership is not required for CSS participation.
Currently there are 33 AI
businesses participating in CSS. This represents 33 principal locations and 17
secondary locations or 50 total audit locations. Audit locations are found in
22 states across the
Distributors
who purchase semen for resale directly from CSS approved processing
organizations (i.e., that are allowed by agreement with CSS to display the CSS
logo in advertising) and only sell CSS processed semen are eligible to
participate as a "CSS Exclusive Distributor".
The CSS Service Director
annually makes at least one unannounced audit visit to the offices and semen
production facilities of each participating AI business. During the audit
visit, procedures and records related to semen identification and sire health
are objectively reviewed to determine compliance.
A complete report of this
review or audit is provided to the president and manager of the AI business
audited. The report outlines the identification and sire health procedures
followed, and as needed recommends pertinent changes to correct any area not in
compliance with the agreement provisions. The audit report is confidential between
CSS and the participating organization.
CSS Audit
The central documents that
guide the CSS audit are a) the "CSS Agreement for Semen Identification,
Semen Quality Control and Sire Health Auditing Service" and b) the
"CSS Minimum Requirements for Disease Control of Semen Produced for
AI". The "CSS Agreement" outlines the terms and conditions that
are agreed to between the participating organization and CSS and outlines
specific requirements to be complied with regarding identification and sire
health. The "CSS Agreement" runs on a calendar year basis and is
automatically renewed January 1 of each year if the provisions have been
complied with and a "Statement of Compliance" for the past year has
been filed with CSS. The "CSS Agreement" was revised for 2005 and
2011. The 2005 revision placed greater emphasis on certifying the AI business
or specific areas within an AI business as "CSS Certified" based on
specific Facility Requirements/Agreement Provisions. The CSS Semen Quality
Control audit program was added in 2011. Its purpose is to help insure that
each breeding unit of semen contains sperm of adequate quality and quantity to
achieve normal fertility in producer’s herds and to provide more consistency
among member AI businesses in their semen quality control procedures.
Identification-
Identification from point of
purchase or custom collection of the sire, throughout processing, distribution
to the original point of sale of the processed semen is reviewed during the
audit. This involves the Service Director checking on records in several places
at the AI business, observing identification procedures and asking employees
pertinent questions. Normally the sequence of this evaluation follows the work
flow of the production department, beginning in the collection area, then
proceeding to the processing laboratory, followed by distribution area. This is
followed by the bull housing and isolation facilities and then other
departmental offices where pertinent records are evaluated (such as genetics,
field services and/or accounting).
Semen Quality Control-
Each organization’s semen
quality control program documents and procedures are reviewed and observed
during the CSS audit and by ad hoc communications. This includes: sperm enumeration procedures
and equipment calibration; semen extension rate information and parameters used
to determine maximum/minimum sperm per breeding unit; pre-freeze and post-thaw
evaluation information; semen discard
data; visual post-thaw microscopic evaluation information; written procedures
and internal standards; policy for semen quality exceptions ; physical
identifier used for below minimum quality.
Sire Health-
The "CSS Minimum
Requirements for Disease Control of Semen Produced for AI" outline
specific testing procedures for bulls and mount animals before entering
isolation, during isolation and for bulls housed in a central location after
completing isolation (resident herd). General sanitary conditions and
requirements for the addition of appropriate antibiotics to semen and extender
to control specific microorganisms are included. The CSS Minimum Requirements
represent a comprehensive standard for those diseases proven to be a
significant threat to be seminally transmitted by AI. The goal of the CSS
Minimum Requirements is to protect the health of the herd in which semen is
used.
CSS requirements are minimums
that should be followed for domestic use. These requirements have actually
become a de-facto national program in the view of regulators. Several
participants typically exceed these requirements in their sire health programs.
During the audit, various records pertaining to sire health and procedures are
checked to determine compliance with the CSS Minimum Requirements. Procedures
are observed and checked in animal housing areas, collection area and
laboratory. Health test records are checked for completion of the appropriate
CSS tests in the veterinary department.
CSS Logo Usage
The CSS sire health program
is designed to make a distinction between semen from bulls meeting the CSS
Minimum Requirements from those that do not. Consequently, semen from bulls which are
maintained under conditions complying with or exceeding the CSS Minimum
Requirements may be designated as CSS "Health Certified Semen".
The registered CSS logo may
be imprinted only on semen packages containing "Health Certified
Semen". The logo may also be displayed in advertising according to
provisions in the CSS Agreement.
AI Center Management Practices Evaluation Program
This voluntary program was
implemented in January 1992 and is offered to any CSS participating
organization wanting to have AI center management practices evaluated. It
involves checking compliance with the "CSS Guidelines For
AI Center Management Practices" and covers areas of General Welfare,
Transportation, Disease Surveillance, Hygiene and Handling, Environment and
Facilities, Feeding and Watering, Veterinary and Professional Care and Seminal
Collection. It provides a uniform framework for monitoring AI industry
management practices and provides documentary evidence that the participating
organization and industry is concerned with animal welfare.
This program stems from
action taken by the NAAB Board in 1988 to develop industry guidelines for
humane husbandry and housing practices for bulls in an AI center environment
and to consider their incorporation into the CSS audit. These guidelines were
developed by an ad hoc committee.
International Participation
In 1995 the CSS Board of
Directors approved an international CSS participation category to provide a CSS
Semen Identification and Sire Health Auditing Service to AI businesses that are
located outside of the
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with USDA
In 2009 the MOU with
USDA-APHIS/Veterinary Services was renewed for another 5-year period. The MOU
outlines procedures that will provide a credible means of evaluating the
supervision provided to CSS participating semen collection centers by USDA
accredited veterinarians and the management of the centers. The MOU is
necessary to achieve compliance with importing countries' requirements that
USDA approve semen collection centers and that health certified semen be used
to produce embryos for export. Under the MOU, NAAB through its subsidiary CSS,
agrees to: 1) manage the CSS program as stated in its Bylaws and Agreement; 2)
provide USDA an updated list of compliant members on a routine basis; 3)
conduct audits with a designated USDA-APHIS veterinarian for at least one of
those audits annually; and 4) provide access to audit records of CSS compliant
centers maintained at Columbia, Missouri.
Based on CSS audits and USDA
inspections, a listing of bovine AI centers approved for export is maintained.
Revised January 2011