BBC news article about the dangers of Bute entering the human food chain

[Goldenstar]

My mare was prescribed bute 3 years ago. I was never asked for my passport by my vet. I hadn't signed the 'not for human consumption' bit so to me the whole passport system is a bit of a joke.

Because your vet was not following the rules , our vets system shows them that a cilents horse is "signed out" therefore there is no need to record the drugs used on the passport , every time I have taken one to the uni at Edinburgh for something they check the passport.
However unless the slaughterhouses are checking and being really carefull that only the horses that are not and never been signed out end up going for human use this remains a risk.
We don't how the horse meat got in the burgers and if the source of the meat was British that sort of thing is made with c**p and it could be sourced anywhere so much for meat traceability .
There is a real risk that this debacle will cost us not only bute but a whole raft of horse drugs as there are to few horses to make testing for withdrawal times cost effective for the drug companies .
This could be a disaster brewing.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Be careful what you wish for. The cattle passport system is very complicated. If this sort of thing was implemented it would be a real pain in the neck.

I find it interesting that horses who have had pen and strep can never been slaughtered for human consumption, does anyone know WHY, when you can use these drugs in farm animals which will be slaughtered for HC once the withdrawal is up.

 

[martlin]

Be careful what you wish for. The cattle passport system is very complicated. If this sort of thing was implemented it would be a real pain in the neck.

Really? I find the BCMS actually very logical and efficient. Maybe the last idea of cattle passport being a single sheet of paper is a tad misguided for practical/weather/dirt related reasons , but over all, I wish they also were in charge of sheep movements and horse passports - at least you can always get to talk somebody remotely competent there.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

Passports mean nothing, they are still easy to get and prove little. Most people have boxes of bute and will administer as and when required. Vets aren't bothered about passports unless you go to somewhere like Rossdales. I don't see what all the fuss is about tbh.

 

[Maesfen]

This is exactly what we do as a PIO. Any horse issued with a passport after the 31st December of the year of its birth automatically has its passport marked as not to enter the human food chain. Also horses imported from America for breeding/racing have passports issued and these are treated the same, as are duplicate passports.

That's interesting to know, thanks Sarah.

Really? I find the BCMS actually very logical and efficient. Maybe the last idea of cattle passport being a single sheet of paper is a tad misguided for practical/weather/dirt related reasons , but over all, I wish they also were in charge of sheep movements and horse passports - at least you can always get to talk somebody remotely competent there.

Me too, I find them very simple and very effective plus the majority do treat them (BCMS and rules) with respect because the consequences of not obeying the rules can be pretty dire; exactly what's needed for horses which isn't helped by having so many PIOs; there should be just a central body.

 

[Goldenstar]

Be careful what you wish for. The cattle passport system is very complicated. If this sort of thing was implemented it would be a real pain in the neck.

I find it interesting that horses who have had pen and strep can never been slaughtered for human consumption, does anyone know WHY, when you can use these drugs in farm animals which will be slaughtered for HC once the withdrawal is up.

Because no research has been done on what the withdrawal times are for drugs given to horses and it would not be cost effective for companies to do them , the potential disaster this could potentially turn into is hard to overstate.