FORMS for Ireland’s third annual equine census were circulated this week for completion by some 29,000 registered premises across the country on Thursday night, November 30th.

Any person keeping any equines (including horses, ponies, donkeys, mules and zebras) overnight on November 30th is required to submit a completed census return to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine by Friday, December 15th.

Submission of a 2023 equine census forms part of the eligibility criteria for TAMS III, where a minimum of three equines must be declared on the equine census on the year preceding application.

In response to questions from The Irish Field, a DAFM spokesperson confirmed the department was “aware that equine keepers are currently experiencing delays receiving passports for new foals from Horse Sport Ireland (HSI)”.

“The Equine Census is always carried out in recognition that foals present on the holding on census night might not yet be in receipt of a passport,” the spokesperson said.

“Therefore, current delays will not negatively affect equine keepers’ compliance with the census. The EU Animal Health Law provides that all equines must be identified with a passport no later than 12 months from the date of the animal’s birth. Accordingly, in designing the equine census form to deliver the greatest level of accuracy, the Department anticipated that there would be a cohort of equines resident in the country, for which passports are yet to issue.”

Valuable information

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Charlie McConalogue spoke of the importance of the census process, stating that “the census will provide valuable information to the Department, particularly in the area of disease prevention, but also in addressing public health concerns and in dealing with lost, straying or stolen horses. Accurate information on the equine population will further facilitate more informed decision-making processes across the wider equine industry.”

While paper census returns will be accepted by his Department, Minister McConalogue strongly encouraged horse keepers to submit their 2023 census information online through the Equine Census portal located on the at www.agfood.ie. The portal was open to accept 2023 equine census data from yesterday, Friday, December 1st.

“My Department has taken on board feedback received from keepers using the online system over the last two years and we have enhanced the system again in 2023 to further improve this year’s online experience,” he said, adding that where 2022 data is recorded on his Department’s system, this will be available to keepers to use as a base for their 2023 return.

Keepers will be required to record the total number of equines present on their holding on census night. For those equines that ordinarily reside on the premises, the Unique Equine Life Number (UELN), also known as the passport number, of each equine that has been identified with an identification document (passport) will also be required, as will the approximate date on which each animal moved to the premises.

Legal requirement

Where equines are present on a temporary basis such as training, competition or breeding purposes, the UELNs will not be required and only the total number of such animals present on the night is to be provided.

Minister McConalogue said the census was required by the EU Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) 2016/429), which requires that the Department records the details of the premises where all equines resident in the State are habitually kept.

Keepers are therefore legally required to make a census return and those who do not commit an offence. In addition, they may not be eligible for TAMS III and other DAFM Schemes where equines are included in the livestock units kept on a holding.

Anyone seeking assistance with submitting census data, either on paper or online, should contact the Department’s AIM Division by email to equinecensus2023@agriculture.gov.ie or by phone at 01 5058881.