State Regulatory Perspective on Equine ID

Diane Stacy, DVMAssistant State Veterinarian

Louisiana’s Equine Infectious Anemia ProgramEIA program established in early 1970’s with

advent of AGID testHighlights

Negative test within 12 months on entryNegative test within 12 months at equine eventsNegative test within 6 months on change of

ownershipAnnual negative test for all equine in statePositives are consigned to euthanasiaAll equine within 200 yards of positive are testedMajor changes in ID requirement in 1994

§913. Equine Infectious Anemia(Formerly §507)A. Identification. Beginning February 1, 1994, all equine prior to an official test for equine infectious anemia (EIA) shall be individually and permanently identified by one of the following means:1. implanted electronic identification transponder with individual number;2. individual lip tattoo;3. individual hot brand or freeze brand.

YEAR Total Number Tested Positives1995 42,576 3731996 45,523 1561997 47,501 1271998 49,593 1121999 54,246 922000 58,500 912001 69,843 532002 (Through June) 13

PROGRAM ACTIVITY

• Other livestock disease programs require ID• Written identification and descriptions often insufficient and

inconsistent, i.e. “Bay horse”• Poor descriptions without identified markings caused

abuses of the program and legal problems• Better traceability in disease cases• Theft deterrent and identification of stolen horses• Natural disasters-reunification of lost, rescued horses

Permanent ID Methods• Brands

• Painful• Often not individual

• Lip Tattoos• Jockey Club & QH Association

have good tattoo systems• Can fade, can be altered

• Microchips• Embraced by horse owners and

private vets for permanent individual ID

• Easily placed with few problems• Technological advantages

• LDAF dispensed microchips to private accredited veterinarians

• LDAF sold readers to vets at reduced cost• LDAF personnel applied microchips to horses at

congregation points at reduced cost ($10)• LDAF established electronic database to record and

search for microchips

• Negative tests are scanned into an in-house Document Imaging System

• Database is traditional Sequential on the backend, ASP front end (active server pages)

Tests are then cataloged by the following searchable fields: owner’s name, zip code, permanent ID

Our database allows us to search the EIA history of any horse tested in the state of Louisiana.

All horses tested by that owner are shown but there’s no date given; last one scanned is on top. Technol0gy is dated but still effective search program.

Physical description still must be included on test chart.

But not all vets include the description and problems occurred when no chip reader available at venue.

• LDAF used Destron reader that would only read 9 digit chip• AVID readers available that would read 15-digit chip• Readers not universal to read both chips• All states did not accept microchips and often refused entry

of LA test if description not complete, even if microchip present on test chart

• Racing industry objected to use of microchips-exemption granted

• Labor intensive to scan charts and enter data into searchable fields

• No in-house IT support available as creator of our system has retired

• Keeping up with technology with ISO chips and readers• Concerns over mandatory 840 chips• Racing exemption discontinued in 2017

Contact Info

Diane Stacy, DVMAssistant State Veterinarian

Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry225-925-3980 Office225-935-2173 Direct

225-237-5555 Faxdstacy@ldaf.la.gov