Should Lusitanos Imported from Portugal be subjected to CEM Quarantine?
Published: October 26th 2021
Have you ever imported a Lusitano stallion or mare from Portugal?
The Lusitano is a very old breed of horse that originated in Portugal; however, Lusitanos are found all over the world at this time. Still, key bloodlines are available only in Portugal.
Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) is an STD found throughout much of Europe, however it is absent in Spain and Portugal.
When importing horses from Europe to the US, mares must go through a 2 week quarantine period, and stallions must be quarantined for one month. The protocol is not only expensive, but dangerous for the horses as the stallions are subjected to breeding to two live mares.
Spain is the exception to the requirement; Since 2000, horses from Spain do not have to go through the CEM quarantine. The reason is that CEM does not exist there.
Like Spain, Portugal has no CEM. But the current regulations do not offer the exemption to horses from Portugal. Our parent organization in Portugal, APSL (Associação Portuguesa de Criadores do Cavalo Puro Sangue Lusitano), has collected the necessary data to demonstrate that CEM does not exist in Portugal.
USLA is working to get this regulation changed, so that Lusitano stallions and mares imported from Portugal will no longer be subject to the unnecessary requirement of CEM Quarantine. This regulatory change will save US buyers thousands of dollars per horse. On avaerage, CEM Quarantine costs Lusitano buyers over $9000 per stallion, and over $5000 per mare imported to the US from Portugal.
We need your help to cut to address this issue and help US Lusitano enthusiasts reduce the cost of importing high-quality Lusitanos from Portugal.
Please donate HERE to the USLA Fund to Repeal the CEM Quarantine on Lusitano Horses from Portugal. We need your support NOW to fight this unfair and dangerous regulation.
