Canadian equine owners must start recording horse health data

Nepean, Ontario, Canada

-- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has advised that, as of Jan. 31, equine owners who plan to sell their horses either directly or indirectly to Canadian meat processors should record all vaccines and medications given to the horses as well as any illnesses. This includes medications given in feed.

These records will help prepare for the July 31, 2010, mandate that all federally inspected equine facilities have complete records dating back six months for all domestic and imported animals presented for slaughter.

Many medications and substances cannot be administered to animals that will be slaughtered for human consumption. A complete list can be found here.

To help collect this information, equine owners will find a new Equine Information Document (EID) as part of the Meat Hygiene Directive No. 2009-49. An EID may have to be provided by the owner when selling a horse.

For more information on this effort, visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.