US horses to slaughter reach 20-year high

The slaughter of U.S. horses soared yesteryear 32 per cent inwards 2012 to to a greater extent than than 176,000 – a 20-year high.

The horses were exported largely to slaughterhouses inwards United Mexican States too Canada, which too then shipped the meat to the European Union (EU), where to a greater extent than than a dozen fellow member states are embroiled inwards an investigation into the contamination of beef products amongst Equus caballus meat.

The discover of horses exported to United Mexican States increased from 68,429 inwards 2011 to 110,202 inwards 2012, a 61 per cent increase, patch exports to Canada descreased yesteryear 7.5 per cent to 59,812, U.S. of A. Department of Agriculture figures show.

The Equine Welfare Alliance, an umbrella scheme for Equus caballus advocacy groups, condemned the trade.

It said government had allowed the merchandise to function yesteryear away on despite the European Union repeatedly finding the prohibited carcinogen phenylbutazone too other banned substances inwards the meat of U.S. of A. horses, too despite its ain audit reports stating that they however accept no effective manner of preventing contaminated Equus caballus meat from entering their nutrient chain.

Both Canada too United Mexican States postulate slaughter-horse sellers to render Equine Information Documents (EIDs) stating whatever drugs the horses accept been given. But, inexplicably, United Mexican States does non exam for phenylbutazone or fifty-fifty include it on seller affidavits despite the fact that the drug is at the top of the EU’s banned essence list, the alliance says.

The grouping said the uncovering of Equus caballus meat inwards meals supplied to schools too hospitals was of item line of piece of job organization since children were extremely vulnerable to fifty-fifty draw amounts of phenylbutazone, which tin post away travail potentially lethal aplastic anemia.

“The argue for both the scandal too the contamination lies inwards the nature of the horses,” explains alliance president John Holland.

“US horses existence sent to slaughter are overwhelmingly immature sport horses, iv to 8 years old, too at the cease of real curt careers. The horses are comprised largely of quarter horses – almost lxx per cent – followed yesteryear thoroughbreds too standardbreds. Most were used inwards rodeo too racing earlier existence dumped to slaughter.

“Since the horses are a byproduct of these sports, they were non raised for slaughter too were almost universally given drugs prohibited inwards nutrient animals.

“The depression terms of these horses – $US100 to $US500 – makes them far cheaper than beef, thence providing a huge incentive for the fraudulent substitution.”

Increases inwards the terms of keeping horses inwards recent years accept suppressed the domestic marketplace position for recreational horses, leaving the kill buyers amongst bargains galore, Kingdom of the Netherlands says.

A ban on funding for U.S. of A. Equus caballus meat inspections, which was passed yesteryear Congress inwards 2006, was rescinded inwards 2011, simply to appointment no Equus caballus slaughter plants accept opened inwards the US, he added.

“Despite the devastating consequence of the scandal on beef sales inwards the EU, too endless revelations almost contaminated Equus caballus meat, Oklahoma is considering repealing its ain ban on Equus caballus slaughter inwards hopes of enticing a constitute to that state.”

Mexico exports nearly 70,000 tonnes of Equus caballus meat annually. However, the biggest producer inwards the basis is China, which exports to a greater extent than than 170,000 tonnes annually. The second-biggest producer is Kazakhstan, which produces almost 73,000 tonnes annually.

 

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