The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a warning late Friday, Dec. 26, that semen from one of the four Quarter Horses confirmed positive for contagious equine metritis (CEM) had been shipped to farms in Ontario and Alberta. It had begun an investigation on Dec. 24.

Frozen semen from the stallion was sent to Ontario and Alberta in the spring of 2008. CFIA and provincial animal health officials are currently tracing the shipments to identify potentially exposed animals. As a precaution, the CFIA will place these animals under quarantine until they have tested negative for CEM.

CEM is a reportable disease in Canada. This means that all suspected cases must be reported to the CFIA for immediate investigation by inspectors. There are international trade implications if a country loses its CEM-free status.

“Until more information is available from the U.S., the CFIA is recommending that the equine industry and importers in Canada exercise caution and refrain from importing breeding horses, embryos, and semen from the U.S.” noted an article on the CFIA Web site