USDA releases first report from its Equine 2015 study
FORT COLLINS, Colo.—The USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) released the first report from its Equine 2015 study, Baseline Reference of Equine Health and Management in the United States, 2015. The Equine 2015 study is NAHMS’ third national study of the U.S. equine industry. As with NAHMS’ 1998 and 2005 equine studies, Equine 2015 was designed to provide participants, industry, and animal-health officials with information on the nation’s equine population. This information will serve as a basis for education, service, and research, while providing the industry with new and valuable information regarding trends in the industry for 1998, 2005, and 2015.
Equine 2015 was conducted in 28 states, chosen for study participation based, in part, on the size or density of the states’ equine population. Data collected for the study represented 71.6 percent of equids and 70.9 percent of U.S. operations with five or more equids.
Here are a few highlights of Baseline Reference of Equine Health and Management in the United States, 2015:
• Approximately 9 of 10 operations (88.9 percent) had 19 or fewer resident equids on May 1, 2015. These operations accounted for 58.1 percent of resident equids in the United States. Resident equids were defined as equids that spent more time at one operation than at any other operation.
• The majority of operations (70.7 percent) used a private veterinarian as their primary information source regarding equine health care.
• Operators on 38.8 percent of operations were knowledgeable about equine infectious anemia (EIA), while 18.2 percent recognized the name, not much else, and 7.7 percent said they had not heard of it before.
• Overall, 47.1 percent of operations performed at least one EIA test on resident equids in the previous 12 months, and 36.8 percent of resident equids had at least one EIA test in the previous 12 months.
• For all operations, the average cost of an EIA test (including call fee or cost of transportation) was $40.77 and ranged from $39.34 in the South Central region to $46.39 in the West region.
Note to Stakeholders:
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About the American Horse Council
As the national association representing all segments of the horse industry in Washington, D.C., the American Horse Council works daily to represent equine interests and opportunities. Organized in 1969, the AHC promotes and protects the industry by communicating with Congress, federal agencies, the media and the industry on behalf of all horse related interests each and every day.
The AHC is member supported by individuals and organizations representing virtually every facet of the horse world from owners, breeders, veterinarians, farriers, breed registries and horsemen’s associations to horse shows, race tracks, rodeos, commercial suppliers and state horse councils.
