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PloS one2023; 18(10); e0292969; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292969

Verification of documentation plausibility in equine passports-drug documentation for geldings in comparison to self-reported veterinarian drug usage for equine castrations in Germany.

Abstract: The 'positive list for equines' (Regulation (EC) No 1950/2006) was implemented in the European Union in 2006. The drugs listed are approved for use in slaughter equines under certain conditions, although those drugs are not approved for use in livestock and are not listed in Table 1 of the annex to Regulation (EU) No 37/2010. The usage of such drugs has to be documented in the equine passport and a withdrawal period of six months must be adhered to before the equine can be slaughtered for human consumption. Since the withdrawal period is long, correct documentation is particularly important. This study compared the results of two sub-studies. In sub-study 1, 116 veterinarians and nine equine clinics in Germany were surveyed about the methods and drugs used for castration of equine stallions. In sub-study 2, the documentational findings of 195 equine passports, belonging to 194 horses and one donkey, were analyzed. Regarding sub-study 1, the most commonly used method for castration was reported as 'laid down'. Drug combinations entailing at least one drug from the 'positive list' were used by 86.7% (91/105) of veterinarians castrating horse stallions 'laid down' and by 64.3% (36/56) of veterinarians utilizing this method on donkey stallions. Regarding sub-study 2, drug documentation was verified in the passports of 4.6% (9/195) of all equines and in just 12.0% (3/25) of those belonging to slaughter equine geldings. Anesthetics from the 'positive list' were documented in 4.0% (1/25) of equine passports belonging to slaughter geldings. Because of the high discrepancy of the drug combinations used by veterinarians and the documentation actually found in equine passports, we conclude that drug administration is very seldom documented in equine passports in Germany. This could result in drug residues in equine meat and poses a potential risk for consumers.
Copyright: © 2023 Schneider et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Publication Date: 2023-10-18 PubMed ID: 37851658PubMed Central: PMC10584153DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292969Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article examines whether the drugs administered to horses in Germany, specifically geldings, are accurately documented in their equine passports as required by law, for the safety of consumers who may eat horse meat. The study found a significant discrepancy between self-reported veterinarian drug usage for horse castrations and the actual documentation found in equine passports, suggesting lax adherence to regulatory guidelines.

Objective of the Study

  • The main objective was to determine whether drugs administered to geldings, stallions, and donkeys are accurately recorded in their equine passports. According to EU regulations, drug usage must be logged in these passports, and animals subjected to certain drug treatments must go through a withdrawal period of six months before they can be slaughtered for human consumption.
  • The researchers aimed to verify if there was compliance with these regulations by comparing self-reported data from veterinarians and actual passport documentation.

Methodology

  • Two sub-studies were conducted. The first sub-study surveyed 116 veterinarians and nine equine clinics in Germany about the methods and drugs they used for castrating male equines.
  • The second sub-study analysed the documentation of 195 equine passports, which belonged to 194 horses and one donkey.

Results

  • The first sub-study found that the majority of veterinarians used drug combinations containing at least one drug from the ‘positive list’ for castration procedures. The positive list includes drugs that are allowed for use in equines slated for slaughter under specific conditions.
  • The second sub-study revealed that drug documentation was present in only a small percentage of passports. Only 4.6% of all equine passports and 12% of those belonging to geldings designated for slaughter had proper drug documentation. Additionally, anesthetics from the ‘positive list’ were recorded in only 4% of the passports of geldings set for slaughter.

Conclusion

  • Given the noticeable gap between the drug combinations used by veterinarians and the actual documentation in equine passports, the study concludes that drug administration is rarely documented accurately in equine passports in Germany. This could potentially lead to drug residues in horse meat, posing a risk to consumers.

Cite This Article

APA
Schneider ST, Isbrandt R, Gehlen H, Langkabel N, Meemken D. (2023). Verification of documentation plausibility in equine passports-drug documentation for geldings in comparison to self-reported veterinarian drug usage for equine castrations in Germany. PLoS One, 18(10), e0292969. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292969

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 18
Issue: 10
Pages: e0292969
PII: e0292969

Researcher Affiliations

Schneider, Shary Tamara
  • Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Working Group Meat Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Isbrandt, Rudi
  • Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Working Group Meat Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Gehlen, Heidrun
  • Clinic for Horses, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Langkabel, Nina
  • Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Working Group Meat Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Meemken, Diana
  • Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Working Group Meat Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Horses
  • Animals
  • Male
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Self Report
  • Veterinarians
  • Equidae
  • Orchiectomy
  • Germany
  • Drug Combinations
  • Horse Diseases

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interest exist.

References

This article includes 19 references
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