15/11/2024
Dear Sir/Madam, 15/11/2024
To improve equine traceability, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is introducing a new equine traceability system.
The new system will be based on equine census returns; it is therefore critically important that all people keeping equines complete a census.
Failure to return a census or, submission of a nil return, will result in an equine premises registration number (EPRN) being made inactive on the Departments systems which may in future prevent keepers of equines from being able to
- Register foals
- Export horses
- Sell horses.
Where EPRNs are deactivated, those keepers, who intend to keep horses in the future, will have to reapply to their Regional Veterinary Office to reactivate their EPRN.
The 2024 census will be held on the night of Saturday 30th of November 2024.
We will be writing to all registered equine keepers to request the completion of a census return.
For assistance we will list all the equines most recently returned by each keeper, where applicable.
Returns can be submitted by post or online through the Agfood.ie portal and the census letter contains more details.
Further details can be found at gov.ie/equinecensus2024
A media campaign is being launched to highlight the Census and the importance of completing a return.
As members of the Equine Liaison Group, we trust you share our objective to protect equine welfare through enhanced traceability. In your role as industry leaders, we ask that you raise awareness and encourage your members and associates to complete a census return.
We will notify you as further developments in the new equine traceability system evolve and we are happy to receive your views on how we might promote this initiative or indeed raise compliance with traceability rules in general through the contact details below.
Yours faithfully,
Authorised Officer
Animal Identification and Movement Division
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