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Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Make Moves To Address Slaughter Pipeline Issues

Continuing to demonstrate its commitment to the health and welfare of thoroughbreds, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) today announced its endorsement of the John Stringer Rainey Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act.

The SAFE Act, named for the late South Carolina philanthropist and former director of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, is legislation that would permanently end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption in the United States and abroad.

It also amends Title 18 of the U. S. Code by making it illegal to “possess, ship, transport, purchase, sell, deliver, or receive … any horse with the intent that it is to be slaughtered for human consumption,” with penalties that include fines and imprisonment.

Introduced in 2019 by Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, the SAFE Act has also garnered the endorsement of several prominent animal welfare groups. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Humane Society of the United States are among those supporting its passage.

Other prominent groups that have endorsed the SAFE Act include the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the United States Trotting Association, and the Maryland Horse Council.

“Our bipartisan legislation will help put an end to the cruel and inhumane slaughter of horses while protecting families from toxic horse meat and safeguarding the reputation of the U.S. food industry worldwide,” said Sen. Menendez when the bill was introduced.

In addition to its commitment to the health and safety of Thoroughbreds, aftercare is also a top priority of the PHBA, according to president Greg Newell.

“We are doing everything we can to help place horses who reach the end of their first or second career, whether they have finished racing or breeding,” said Newell. “Our Anti-Slaughter Committee, chaired by Kate Goldenberg, has done a wonderful job addressing what can be done to help our equine athletes.”

PHBA Board member Hank Nothhaft, also a member of the Anti-Slaughter Committee, said that endorsement of the SAFE Act was something the organization wanted to do to be a positive force towards improving the industry. The fact that many unwanted thoroughbred broodmares are found in slaughter pens proved to be a call to action.

“There was unanimous support from the PHBA Board to mitigate the slaughter of broodmares,” said Nothhaft. “Older broodmares, especially, are not attractive candidates for equestrian activities, and thus they are not as easy to rehome as younger horses. This has really pushed us from sitting on the bench towards getting into the fray.”

“The Anti-Slaughter Committee was formed in order to protect our broodmares, stallions, and Pennsylvania-bred racehorses that end up in the slaughter pipeline, or in bad situations,” explained Jennifer Poorman of the PHBA. “What is coming from it is so much more.”

Poorman said that the Committee has a goal to create a broodmare retirement program to address the need of unwanted mares.

“Our hope is to form a non-profit within our organization, to assist our breeders when the time comes when their broodmare can no longer breed,” said Poorman. “We'll be looking to build a network of partner farms willing to assist with retirement from breeding, whether it's a second career or permanent retirement due to physical limitations.

“We're also creating a campaign to educate our breeders about responsible aftercare, along with providing a network of resources for our breeders to turn to at any point they find themselves in need of assistance,” she said.

“No one has been looking out for the broodmares,” said Nothhaft. “There's lots of enthusiasm for this project moving forward.”

Nothhaft said one reason why the SAFE Act hasn't gained traction towards passage since 2019 in Congress is because large agricultural interests fear that anti-slaughter legislation would bring undue attention to their industries, which involve large-scale slaughter of animals for food.

“The SAFE Act is one of three items we are working on,” said Brian Sanfratello, executive secretary of the PHBA. “The others are Pennsylvania-specific anti-slaughter legislation, similar to the SAFE Act, that would make it a misdemeanor for anyone who causes or transports a horse into the slaughter pipeline, as well as a PHBA code of ethics, with sanctions for anyone who is a member or registers horses with our organization and is found to be in violation of the Pennsylvania anti-slaughter measures.”

The PHBA's relationship with legislators in Harrisburg could have a positive impact towards the introduction and passage of a Pennsylvania anti-slaughter bill, said Nothhaft.

The post Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Make Moves To Address Slaughter Pipeline Issues appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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FDA Approves First Generic Ketoprofen For Use In Horses

The FDA has approved KetoMed, the first generic ketoprofen for the alleviation of inflammation and pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders in horses.

Musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent in aging horses and can cause pain, weakness, stiffness and decreased range of motion in the animals' joints. Osteoarthritis and chronic laminitis are among the most common musculoskeletal disorders in horses and can greatly impact a horse's performance and quality of life.

KetoMed contains the same active ingredient (ketoprofen) in the same concentration and dosage form as the approved brand name drug product, Ketofen, which was first approved on September 26, 1990. In addition, the FDA determined that KetoMed contains no inactive ingredients that may significantly affect the bioavailability of the active ingredient.

The data submitted in support of the Abbreviated New Animal Drug Application demonstrate that KetoMed, when used according to its label, is safe and effective.

KetoMed is a prescription product because a veterinarian's expertise is required to diagnose musculoskeletal disorders and to determine whether ketoprofen is an appropriate treatment.

KetoMed is supplied in 50 mL and 100 mL multidose bottles. The recommended dosage is 1 mg/lb (1 mL/100 lbs) of body weight once daily. Treatment is administered by intravenous injection and may be repeated for up to five days.

KetoMed is sponsored by Bimeda Animal Health Ltd. based in Dublin, Ireland.

Sound Check: Learn To Listen To Your Horse’s Lungs, And Know When To Call The Vet

The noises that can be heard when listening to a horse's lungs can offer a lot of insight into his health. Purchasing an inexpensive stethoscope and learning how to use it proficiently can help a horse owner or caretaker know when something may be amiss with his respiratory health.

Practicing stethoscope use on a horse that is healthy can help horse owners know what is “normal.” To learn proper use, the horse should be placed in a quiet area away from excess noise. Place the stethoscope five inches behind and seven inches above the horse's elbow. Ask a helper to restrict the horse's nose so you can hear changes in lung sounds as the horse takes deeper and more shallow breaths.

Healthy lung sounds like gentle blowing, but this can be hard to hear between the horse's gut noises and heartbeat.

If you hear squeaking, loud noises over a large area or bubbly noises, call your veterinarian.

Dispelling Myths About Strangles

One of the more common equine respiratory diseases is strangles, a contagious bacterial infection caused by Streptococcus equi. Most horses recover from strangles with no complications, though the disease can make some horses very sick.

Affected horses may have a fever, get a snotty nose and feel poorly. Horses with strangles develop swollen, sore lymph nodes, particularly under their jaw. These abscesses eventually open and drain pus, Antibiotics are not necessary in most cases.

Horse Illustrated reports that there is a lot of misinformation surrounding the common and highly transmissible illness.

Some of the most common misconceptions about strangles include misunderstandings about how the disease spreads and how protect against it. Strangles is not spread through respiratory droplets in the air, but rather contact between horses or fomites — contaminated objects like buckets or halters. It also doesn't survive well in an outdoor environment or in soil. While there are vaccinations available for strangles, they may not be effective. Owners should consult a veterinarian for vaccine guidance.