Importing Live Cattle and Bison From Countries Other Than Canada and Mexico to the United States

Last Modified: June 30, 2025
Cows in a grassy field

USDA APHIS regulates the importation of all ruminants and their germplasm (embryos/oocytes, semen, cloning tissue) to prevent the spread of animal diseases. Ruminants include all animals that chew the cud, such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, deer, antelopes, camels, llamas, and giraffes.

View Guidelines for Importing Cattle/Ruminants (except from Canada and Mexico) into the United States

View Countries From Which Bovines and Their Germplasm May Be Imported

Requirements

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Australia 

  • Contact APHIS; live bovine and bovid imports are not possible at this time.

New Zealand 

  • A permit and export health certificate are required.
  • Protocol is being updated.

A permit and export health certificate are required to import bovine embryos from the countries listed below.

Australia

European Union

Due to the recent detections of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, import of bovine embryos from these countries is currently prohibited.

Because of ongoing lumpy skin disease outbreaks in Europe, bovine embryos from the following regions, collected on or after the specified dates, are not eligible for importation to the United States: 

  • Greece (August 4, 2015–present)
  • Bulgaria (March 29, 2016–present)
  • Croatia (August 8, 2016–present)
  • Italy (April 22, 2025–present)
  • France (April 30, 2025–present)

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Spain

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Bovine semen may only be imported from the countries listed on this page, with an import permit as designated.

Australia

European Union

Due to the recent detections of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, import of bovine semen from these countries is currently prohibited.

Because of ongoing lumpy skin disease outbreaks in Europe, bovine semen from the following regions, collected on or after the specified dates, are not eligible for importation to the United States: 

  • Greece (August 4, 2015–present)
  • Bulgaria (March 29, 2016 –present)
  • Croatia (August 8, 2016–present)
  • Italy (April 22, 2025–present)
  • France (April 30, 2025–present)

Czech Republic

Netherlands

New Zealand 

Norway

Spain

Switzerland

United Kingdom (Great Britain, Northern Ireland)

What You Need To Know

  • U.S. transits are classified as shipments presented to a U.S. port of entry for conveyance purposes to then be transported to a destination country shortly after.
  • Please note that any animals and their germplasm transiting the United States must not transit countries with questionable disease statuses prior to reaching a U.S. port of entry.
  • All transits require a contingency plan. Submit your contingency plan with your permit application (VS 17-129 (211.74 KB)) to laipermits@usda.gov. To submit an import permit electronically, visit APHIS eFile.
  • If you are applying to import live animals, semen, and embryos, you may submit applications by email to laipermits@usda.gov.

Contact Us

Download contacts

Live Animal Imports

For questions about import permits or permit applications:

Live Animal Import Permit Team

Email: laipermits@usda.gov

Phone: 301-851-3300

For general questions related to the import of a live animal:

Live Animal Import and Export

Email: laie@usda.gov

Phone: 301-851-3300

All Contacts
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