Identification of New Zealand’s horse populations is a fundamental element of New Zealand’s equine biosecurity success.
The New Zealand Equine Health Association’s mission is to protect the health and welfare of New Zealand horses. Disease incursion is recognised as one of the key concerns for the health of the New Zealand equine population, and hence, any opportunities to identify the population will be crucial in isolating and managing the spread of disease and potential outbreaks.
The National Equine Identification & Traceability (NEIT) system is a project that the NZEHA and its equine industry partners have recognised as being critical to efficiently responding to an equine disease outbreak and has been in discussions for the past decade. Since 2020, the focus of this project has become a key priority for the organisation, with a working group being formed and more active measures being taken to deliver an identification and traceability solution for the New Zealand horse herd.
The goal of NEIT is to protect the health of all New Zealand horses by providing a single national register for equine identification and traceability. Horses are added through microchipping and registration, giving us a central, up-to-date picture of where horses are and who cares for them. Where other equine organisations already hold identification data, that information can support a response — for example, by being shared with NEIT in the event of a disease incursion. In doing so, we maximise our post-border biosecurity readiness to respond quickly and efficiently to an equine disease outbreak, which directly affects the success and cost of that response.
NEIT uses microchipping, a globally recognised and safe means of uniquely identifying horses. Microchipping also supports proof of ownership, quick identification during a natural disaster, the ability to record baseline temperature readings with Bio-Thermo microchips, and improved welfare outcomes for all New Zealand horses.
We will continue to provide updates on the NEIT system as it is developed, but if you have any further questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page or contact us. Alternatively, you can also head over to the dedicated NEIT website - www.neit.org.nz
Equine Vaccination Guidelines
Vaccination is a vital component of equine health management and assists in protecting horses against a raft of infectious diseases, such as tetanus, strangles, equine herpes virus, salmonella, rotavirus and others.
Equine Surveillance
Understanding the importance of equine surveillance is fundamental to successful disease surveillance within the New Zealand equine industry. Below the Equine Veterinary Surveillance Network explains the approach to equine surveillance in the UK horse population.
If you want more information about the Natinal Equine Identification and Traceability (NEIT) system that isn’t mention here please contact us.
