11/04/2026
🔷 TRACES Compliance
What You Need to Know Before Ordering Semen...
All equine semen shipments (chilled and feozen moving between countries) within the EU must be registered via TRACES.
This is a legal requirement under EU animal health regulations and it is not optional.
📌 What this means in practice
For a shipment to go ahead, the following must be correctly registered:
The sending centre (approved stud)
The receiving destination either:
A veterinary clinic/practice, or
A registered yard/stud/premises
👉 If semen is sent to a vet, the veterinary practice must be registered
👉 If semen is sent directly to a yard or stud, that premises must be registered
It does not require both but it does require the actual receiving point to be correctly registered and approved.
⚠️ Timing & Veterinary Control
TRACES certification is completed on the morning of shipment by an official veterinarian.
This is carried out under national authorities such as:
🇫🇷 Direction Départementale de la Protection des Populations (DDPP)
🇬🇧 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
🇩🇪 Veterinäramt (via the official veterinarian / Amtstierarzt)
⏱️ These processes operate under strict morning cut-off times.
⚠️ Why accuracy matters
Studs are working under significant time pressure on collection mornings.
If TRACES details are:
Incorrect
Incomplete
Or changed last-minute
There is only a limited window where S.E.H , as agents, can ask a stud to hold semen while corrections are made.
After that:
➡️ Shipments may be delayed
➡️ Shipments may be cancelled
🚫 Our Position
We cannot send semen unless:
The sending centre is compliant
The receiving destination (vet OR premises) is correctly registered on TRACES
No valid TRACES registration = no shipment.
⚠️ Responsibility
We will always guide and support you, however:
❗ We cannot be held responsible for:
Incorrect or incomplete information
Multiple or conflicting delivery details
Unregistered vets, yards, or premises
Last-minute changes once processing has begun
✅ Need help?
If you are unsure whether your:
Vet
Yard
Stud
Delivery address
is registered on TRACES, contact us in advance and we will check for you.
