Microchipping as a method of identifying horses Microchipping Is it the future? State Controlling Bodies, in consultation with Harness Racing Australia, are considering introducing microchipping as the primary method of identifying Standardbred horses, potentially commencing with this season s foal crop. Harness Breeders (Vic) has concerns about this development because of the potential for microchipping to add considerably to industry costs, and because of the limited benefits of microchipping compared to alpha-angle freeze branding. The following information may assist breeders who have questions about the use of microchips for the identification of their horses. Microchip technology The microchips used for animal identification are passive in that they have no battery and are activated by the radio-wave energy received from a reader. The return signal from an activated microchip is converted by the reader into the microchip s number. In the early 1990s, the International Standards Organisation (ISO) began a standards development process culminating in the development in 1996 of two standards that address microchip use in all animal species. These international standards are known as ISO 11784 (focusing on microchip numbering) and ISO 11785 (focusing on the interaction between readers and microchips). Standards Australia adopted these standards with minor modification in 2001. The Australian standards are named AS 5018-2001 and AS 5019-2001. The two technologies covered by AS 5018-2001 and AS 5019-2001 are known has Full Duplex B (FDX-B) and Half Duplex (HDX). Both microchip types are activated by readers generating a signal at 134.2 khz. At this relatively low frequency, the signal travelling between a reader and a microchip can pass without impediment through plastic, liquid and animal tissue such as skin and muscle. HDX microchips are used in Australia for cattle and sheep identification purposes. In these species, microchips are typically either encased in a plastic ear tag or embedded in a ceramic bolus. Boluses, because of their specific gravity and size, lodge permanently in an animal s rumen or reticulum (its stomach) after being administered orally. FDX-B microchips are used to identify dogs, cats and horses. Microchips suitable for implantation are slightly shorter than the width of a five cent coin (typically 11-13mm in length) and are enclosed in an inert glass capsule. A short 12-gauge needle is typically used to implant the microchip.
The microchip number Using simple tools, manufactured microchips can be permanently encoded with any number. This occurs either at the time of manufacturer, or by the distributor at the time they are inserted into an ear tag or packaged in a needle ready for implantation. In Australia and New Zealand, the leading three to six digits of the microchip number identify the company that has encoded the microchip. It is the responsibility of the party encoding a microchip to ensure that the number is unique. A microchip number does not necessarily identify the species or breed of animal that has been identified. The following is an example of a microchip number that a reader might display after scanning a dog, cat, horse, or potentially an electronic ear tag attached to a cow, sheep or goats; 985 100 010 980 670 ISO compliant readers can read FDX-B and HDX microchips. An ISO reader is therefore capable of reading electronic ear tags in cattle and small ruminants, and implanted microchips in dogs, cats and horses. Readers suitable for use in horses cost between $300 and $800. Once an animal has been microchipped, to be of value the microchip s number must be recorded on a register or accessible database, along with useful information. In all species, maintaining up-to-date and accurate data about microchipped animals on an accessible database is a challenge. Horses Alpha-angle freeze branding used since the 1980s in Australia s Standardbred industry is a method of permanently and uniquely identifying horses. Microchipping is one of a number of other methods that can be used to permanently identify horses. Microchips can be implanted into horses quickly and easily, although some veterinary surgeons may choose to sedate fractious horses for their own protection and for the safety of those involved in the procedure. Once implanted, the animal s cells proliferate around the microchip, helping to stop it from moving or migrating from the location where it was implanted. The failure rate of microchips following implantation is typically less than 1%. Mistakes, including the implantation of a microchip in an animal that has previously been microchipped, do occur from time to time. A more common problem is the failure of the person responsible for implanting a horse to register the animal on an accessible database. The microchipping fees charged by veterinary surgeons vary, however a fee in the order of $125 to $140 per horse plus travelling is common. There may be an additional fee if a horse needs to be sedated, and for registering the microchip on a licensed animal registry service.
Implantation site Nuchal ligament The standard implantation site for horses in Australia is in the nuchal ligament on the left side of the neck, midway between the poll and the withers. The disadvantage with this site is that a microchip can be difficult to locate with a reader, in part because of actual location of implantation can vary from horse to horse and because some horses become fractious when approached with a reader. For this reason, horses typically need to be held by an attendant when scanning occurs. Upper lip Supported by the Alberta Department of Agriculture and Forestry, a research project is Canada has demonstrated the benefits of using the cavity inside the mouth immediately below a horse s upper lip (known as the rostral inter-incisive canal) as the site for implanting microchips. The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society is now promoting the implantation of microchips in this cavity. Over 2,000 horses in Canada have been microchipped in this location, including 90% of thoroughbred foals born this season in Alberta. The cavity below the upper lip offers a convenient and behaviourally appropriate location as horses often investigate and sniff objects placed in front of them including microchip readers. This allows the microchip, if present, to be read quickly and easily, often without the need to restrain the horse. There is no need for any preparation of the implantation area prior to injecting the microchip, reducing the likelihood of young horses in particular becoming agitated. Sedation is therefore rarely required. The site heals quickly and there has been no evidence to date of microchips moving after implantation or being difficult to scan. There is also negligible risk of the microchip contaminating meat when horses are processed in abattoirs and knackeries. The use of the rostral inter-incisive canal as a site for the microchipping of horses will be discussed at the World Trotting Conference to be held in Prince Edward Island, Canada, in August 2017.
Horse identification in Australia Microchipping of horses is not mandatory in any State or Territory, and is unlikely to become mandatory following a recent national review initiated by State/Territory Ministers for Agriculture/Primary Industries. This review concluded that the biosecurity benefits of mandatory microchipping of horses would be minimal and the difficulty of maintaining an up-to-date registry, considerable. The States and Territories have agreed to implement a national uniform approach to the voluntary microchipping of horses. Importantly, agreement has also been reached that horse owners should have a Property Identification Code (PIC) for any land on which one or more horses, donkeys or mules are kept. A similar obligation exists for owners of other livestock species such as cattle, sheep, goats, alpacas and pigs. Although there is no register linking individual horses to the property on which they reside, the PIC system is considered to be an adequate tool for addressing potential future disease emergencies. Horse owners in Victoria can obtain a PIC free-of-charge by calling Agriculture Victoria on 1800 678779 during office hours, or by logging onto www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/nlis Microchipping of horses is a requirement for horses that are to be vaccinated against the Hendra virus. It was also undertaken in some States in association with vaccination in response to the equine influenza (EI) outbreak in 2007. Microchipping is required for horses used in some equestrian activities, and notably by the Australian Studbook for thoroughbred horses. The approach taken by the thoroughbred industry may be the model that Australia s harness racing Controlling Bodies ultimately adopt if/when the current alpha-angle freeze branding is abandoned. Australian Studbook The Australian Studbook (ASB) introduced microchipping in 2003 because of the limitations of the thoroughbred industry s traditional shoulder branding system. All thoroughbred foals born in Australia must now be microchipped as a condition of ASB registration. The approach taken by the ASB is complex and is summarised below; All foals and weanlings must be freeze-branded typically on the shoulder in sufficient time for their brands to be discernible by the 31st March of their first year of life; ABS registers shoulder brands. Some studs use their own brand plus a drop number. Small breeders often engage a freeze brander who applies the breeder s registered brand, or the freeze brander s brand, plus a drop number to foals on a fee-for-service basis; Brands used by the thoroughbred industry cannot be converted by sight into a unique number; Page 4 of 7
Brands must be clearly visible as permanent white hair markings before thoroughbred foals are microchipped and hair sampled for DNA parentage verification; ASB requirements include the use of ASB issued microchips and the use of ASB-approved veterinarians; ASB issued microchips for thoroughbred foals born since 2012 will typically be in the format 985,100,012,---,---; The encoded number incorporates an additional security code not displayed by standard readers to reduce the risk of fraudulent number duplication; ASB also specifies the site of implantation (the nuchal ligament on the left side of the neck), and the information that must be recorded at the time of implantation; ASB issues breeders with a Foal Identification Card once the parentage of a microchipped foal has been verified; ASB provides a look up function on its website that allows a person who has scanned a thoroughbred horse and located a microchip to establish the name and breeding of the horse. When a horse is microchipped in Victoria, under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 details of the owner and microchip number must also be recorded on a licensed animal registry service. This is the responsibility of the implanting veterinary surgeon. The ASB s register is not an animal registry service, or a source of information on the current ownership of a horse. Racing Australia also provides a horse identification service for people who have acquired a horse that they believe may be a thoroughbred, for a fee of $75 per search. Registries Once a horse has been microchipped, its unique microchip number can be linked to a range of information through the use of registries or databases. There are currently five registry services licensed in Victoria for companion animals and horses, namely; Petsafe Australasian Animal Register Central Animal Records Homesafe ID National Pet Register Together, they sponsor the Pet Address website (at www.petaddress.com.au) which facilitates searching against the microchip number for an animal in all participating databases. If the number is found in one of the participating databases, users are then directed to the specific database for further details. Registries also play an important role in monitoring for duplicate microchip numbers. Whilst duplicate numbers are uncommon, transcription errors in the visual reading and recording of numbers displayed on microchip readers occur frequently. Page 5 of 7
Licensed animal registry services may charge a fee to register a microchipped animal or change of ownership details of a horse, dog or cat. There is no scanning of horses for microchips at general horse sales, or at abattoirs or knackeries in Australia. The likelihood of scanning becoming a legal requirement at such locations is remote. Maintaining up-to-date information on microchipped horses in Australia is a major challenge. A survey of horses at equestrian events in Victoria in 2013 found that whilst 77% were microchipped, only 54% were listed on a registry service. For retired thoroughbred horses, if they are listed on a licensed animal register, it will typically be against their breeder, not their current owner. The usefulness of licensed registers in establishing the current owner and/or property of residence of horses is therefore limited. This situation contracts with Australia s National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) system where a database, managed on behalf of stakeholders by Integrity Systems Company Limited, a subsidiary of Meat and Livestock Australia, registers electronic NLIS ear tags and boluses used for the identification of cattle, sheep and goats. The NLIS database also registers the movement of these species from property to property until they are slaughtered. At the time of slaughter, electronic NLIS tags are read by meat processors and registered as deceased on the NLIS database. Authority to microchip In Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, the implantation of a microchip into a horse in normal circumstances must be performed by a veterinary surgeon. Under Victoria s Domestic Animals Act 1994, only certain trained and approved veterinarians may implant microchips into horses. In Tasmania, NSW and Queensland, and in Canada, the United States and under European Commission rules, there is no requirement for the microchip implanter to be a veterinary surgeon, reducing considerable the costs associated with microchipping a horse in these jurisdictions. Microchipping of Standardbreds Harness Breeders (Vic) has on a number of occasions discussed the merits of introducing microchips in place of alpha-angle freeze branding as the primary method of identifying Standardbreds. Alpha-angle freeze branding, in the view of the committee, is still the most costeffective and reliable method available for identifying horses when complemented by DNA parentage verification, and the recording of colour, sex and markings. Freeze brands are cheap to apply from day of birth onwards, and last for the life of a horse. Importantly, unlike the situation with microchips, industry participants do not Page 6 of 7
need a reader to read a freeze brand, and can quickly recognise visually that a horse is a Standardbred. The freeze brand number also contains useful information such as the State in which the horse was branded, and year of birth. Mandatory microchipping of foals by accredited veterinary surgeons will impose a financial burden on Victorian breeders, or on the industry generally if veterinary costs are subsidised by Harness Racing Victoria. There would appear to be no biosecurity imperatives driving the introduction of microchipping in horses, and the value of microchipping in the context of horses leaving the racing population is questionable given that registries for microchipped horses are frequently out-of-date and inaccurate, if such horses are recorded on an accessible register at all. DNA analysis of hair follicle samples, and the recording of colour, sex and markings have been used successfully by Australia s harness racing industry to complement freeze branding. Harness Breeders (Vic) believes that this package continues to provide an affordable, robust and reliable approach to the identification of Standardbreds. Harness Breeders (Vic) will continue to engage constructively with Harness Racing Victoria on this issue, and if a decision is made to introduce microchipping on a mandatory basis, will work to maximise the benefits and minimise industry costs. Footnote HBV committee member, Tony Britt, chaired the Standards Australia committee that established Australia s animal microchipping standards known as AS 5018-2001 and AS 5019-2001. He led the development in the early 2000s of Australia s NLIS system for tracking cattle using electronic ear tags, and has frequently represented Australia on international committees and conferences convened to address issues relating to animal identification and traceability. Page 7 of 7