TRAINERS, sales consignors and transporters are coming to terms with new requirements set out this week by the Department of Agriculture with regard to the export of equines from Ireland.

The new rules aim to ensure that all equines being certified for export by the Department are subject to an identification check prior to application for a health certificate.

This forms part of a “new and improved” equine traceability system being introduced by the Department. It comes four months after flaws in the traceability system were exposed by an RTÉ Investigates report but one senior industry figure told The Irish Field he believes the new rules originate from the European Union rather than being a Department reaction to the RTÉ programme.

With immediate effect, all horses being exported from Ireland must be registered with the Department’s Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) database, and they must have their microchips verified with the Department’s online chip checker. A screenshot should be taken and included as part of the export application process.

If the horse is not identifiable via the equine chip checker the exporter must submit the passport to Weatherbys, along with a completed change of ownership application (online or paper), a valid equine premises number and keeper details, and a €22 fee.

If a horse has two microchips and one of them is not registered online then the horse will not be permitted for export.

The exporter must also ensure that the horse’s food chain status is reflected on the passport. If the horse has been marked ‘not fit for human consumption’ then this must be indicated on the paper passport

To update the food chain staus, the exporter must send send the passport to Weatherbys or email a copy of the passport with the relevant pages (the pedigree page, medicinal/administration of medical products page) to studbookireland@weatherbys.ie and the subject line should read “Urgent Update to Fit for Human Consumption Status”.

Weatherbys and the Department are highlighting the fact that horses foaled outside Ireland will not be on the AIM database until a change of ownership has been submitted and completed by Weatherbys Ireland.

Foreign-bred horses can be exported without being on the AIM system if the exporter can provide supporting documentation showing that the horse is only going abroad for a short period (eg: a specific race or competition, or to be covered).

Feidhlim Cunningham, chief executive of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association [IRTA], said: “This is an important notice and seems to have been introduced almost overnight. It appears to be more of an EU-led requirement rather than a reaction to the RTÉ programme.

“I am led to believe that the Department will be flexible in the early days but it is a mandatory requirement and it will need to be on everybody’s radar if they are travelling abroad - for temporary or permanent export.”

The IRTA office can supply more information on the new requirements on request.

The Department guidelines also remind veterinarians of their obligations to check the fitness to travel of horses who are bound for export.