Assessment of fallen equine data in France and their usefulness for epidemiological investigations.

The research article investigates the value of the Fallen Stock Data Interchange (FSDI) database in France for understanding equine mortality and its potential use in epidemiological studies.

Objective of the Research

• The primary aim of the study was to assess the usability of the French Ministry of Agriculture’s Fallen Stock Data Interchange (FSDI) database for gathering information on mortality rates among the French equine population.

Background

• The article notes that while information on livestock mortality is captured and analysed in several European projects, similar comprehensive analysis is lacking for the equine population in France.
• The authors identify the FSDI as a potential source of this information but note that its suitability for epidemiological investigations had not previously been studied.

Methodology

• The researchers compared data from the FSDI with data from the French equine census database, known as SIRE, over the period 2011 to 2014.
• This comparative study aimed to assess the overall quality of the data provided by the FSDI, particularly in regards to the accuracy of mortality rates and identification registration.

Findings

• Despite some quality issues, the researchers found that the FSDI database provides a valuable source of information for studying trends in equine mortality rates in France.
• The spatial representation of the number of deaths demonstrated the usefulness of this tool in understanding basal mortality patterns over time.

Conclusion and Recommendations

• While the FSDI can provide valuable insights into equine mortality trends, the researchers note that improvements need to be made to the database to increase its efficacy for epidemiology purposes.
• Specifically, they recommend enhancing the registration process in relation to animal identification numbers to provide more detailed information on equine mortality.