A comparative survey of veterinarians, equine owners, and equine keepers regarding the knowledge and implementation of legal requirements in Germany for the use and documentation of veterinary medicines in equines intended for slaughter.
Authors: Schneider Shary Tamara, Meemken Diana, Gehlen Heidrun, Merle Roswitha, Langkabel Nina
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Germany's regulations governing veterinary drug use in horses destined for human consumption are notoriously complex, requiring compliance with the EU's 'positive list' and multiple regulatory frameworks—yet a 2023 survey of 153 veterinarians, 170 horse owners, and 70 keepers revealed alarming gaps in understanding across all professional groups. Nearly 69% of veterinarians found the regulations 'rather complicated' to 'complicated', and shockingly 38% could not correctly explain what to do if a slaughter horse required phenylbutazone (a universally prohibited NSAID), despite 56% naming it as their most frequently used pain relief drug. Among owners and keepers, the situation proved equally problematic: 41% of owners and 43% of keepers lacked knowledge of the basic legal criteria for slaughter eligibility, whilst over one-third of keepers rated their understanding of drug documentation requirements as 'poor' or non-existent. This widespread knowledge deficit across the veterinary, ownership, and management sectors creates a substantial food safety and regulatory compliance risk, as inadequate understanding directly translates to improper documentation, inadvertent administration of banned substances, and potential drug residues in meat destined for human consumption. For farriers, vets, and yard managers involved with horses entering the food chain, this research underscores the critical need for structured continuing education on applicable regulations and the implementation of robust documentation protocols.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •All three stakeholder groups (vets, owners, keepers) show significant knowledge gaps about slaughter equine regulations—comprehensive training is urgently needed to prevent prohibited drug use and false documentation
- •Phenylbutazone presents a particular compliance risk: veterinarians commonly use it but lack clarity on protocols when slaughter status is involved; clear decision-making tools at point of prescription are needed
- •Equine keepers and owners often do not understand the legal threshold for slaughter eligibility; simplified communication materials should be distributed to farms and facilities handling slaughter-destined animals
Key Findings
- •68.4% of veterinarians found EU drug regulations for slaughter equines 'rather complicated' to 'complicated'
- •38.4% of veterinarians could not correctly answer how to proceed if a slaughter equine requires phenylbutazone, despite 56.2% naming it as commonly used
- •41.2% of equine owners and 42.9% of keepers did not know the legal circumstances under which equines can be slaughtered for human consumption
- •34.3% of equine keepers rated their knowledge of drug documentation regulations as 'poor' to 'nonexistent', creating risk for drug residues in meat