Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has announced that €500,000 has been allocated to the new Equine Traceability Improvement Scheme 2025 for investing in IT solutions aimed at more effectively tracking the movement of horses.
Seven equine passport-issuing organisations and the five main horse sales houses are eligible to draw down funds to update IT systems, as equine traceability has come under increased attention.
The scheme is open to applications and those eligible have until 30 September to apply.
The focus came after the 'Wall report', authored by Professor Paddy Wall, called for strengthened controls around equine identification, traceability and welfare.
IT systems have proved themselves “transformational” to ensuring animal traceability, while reducing the burden of paperwork associated with reporting movements, Minister Heydon said.
“I want the beneficiaries of this scheme to use this aid to explore the innovative options available to improve how we capture equine life events and the movement of our equine population,” the Minister stated.
“Robust traceability is fundamental to ensuring horse owners and keepers are accountable for the welfare of their horses.
“Without accountability, horses are vulnerable to neglect and mistreatment. Investing in better traceability is an investment in better equine welfare.”
Key report
March’s publication of the Wall report provided recommendations to the Department of Agriculture that IT could be key to solving gaps in existing equine traceability controls.
An action plan subsequently published by Minister Heydon sought to deliver on these recommendations, with some of these commitments to introduce IT-centred measures including:
The automated transfer of information between organisations that issue equine passports to vets and horse owners.The online reporting of horse ownership changes to replace the current paper-based reporting systems.Automated transfer of ownership data from sales and auction houses.A digital solution for providing real-time updates equine life events, such as foal chipping and marking. QR codes on passports. Read more
Horse traceability failures threaten Irish meat industry - Prof Wall
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has announced that €500,000 has been allocated to the new Equine Traceability Improvement Scheme 2025 for investing in IT solutions aimed at more effectively tracking the movement of horses.
Seven equine passport-issuing organisations and the five main horse sales houses are eligible to draw down funds to update IT systems, as equine traceability has come under increased attention.
The scheme is open to applications and those eligible have until 30 September to apply.
The focus came after the 'Wall report', authored by Professor Paddy Wall, called for strengthened controls around equine identification, traceability and welfare.
IT systems have proved themselves “transformational” to ensuring animal traceability, while reducing the burden of paperwork associated with reporting movements, Minister Heydon said.
“I want the beneficiaries of this scheme to use this aid to explore the innovative options available to improve how we capture equine life events and the movement of our equine population,” the Minister stated.
“Robust traceability is fundamental to ensuring horse owners and keepers are accountable for the welfare of their horses.
“Without accountability, horses are vulnerable to neglect and mistreatment. Investing in better traceability is an investment in better equine welfare.”
Key report
March’s publication of the Wall report provided recommendations to the Department of Agriculture that IT could be key to solving gaps in existing equine traceability controls.
An action plan subsequently published by Minister Heydon sought to deliver on these recommendations, with some of these commitments to introduce IT-centred measures including:
The automated transfer of information between organisations that issue equine passports to vets and horse owners.The online reporting of horse ownership changes to replace the current paper-based reporting systems.Automated transfer of ownership data from sales and auction houses.A digital solution for providing real-time updates equine life events, such as foal chipping and marking. QR codes on passports. Read more
Horse traceability failures threaten Irish meat industry - Prof Wall
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