Effective July 31, 2010, it will be mandatory for all Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspected facilities in Canada engaged in the slaughter of equine for edible purposes to have complete records for all animals (domestic and imported) presented for slaughter.
These records will include unique identification for each animal, a record of illness and a record of medical treatments administered to the animal for the six-month period preceding slaughter. The template entitled Equine Information Document (EID) of this annex (see E.2) shall be used by equine owners for this purpose.
A completed EID contains a standardized description of the animal or unique lot identification, as well as a comprehensive record of the equine's medical treatment for at least the preceding six months. The various options for identification, including visual and written descriptions, are listed in the document. The document is intended to accompany the equine, at the time of ownership transfer, to the buyer of the animal. The EID requires a signed declaration by the owner of the equine as to the accuracy of the information recorded in the EID.
The EID is the first step in the development of a comprehensive food safety and traceability program for the Canadian equine industry. It is the product of CFIA and a selected National Equine Working Group.
For the latest on identifying and recording health information for your equine follow the links below or call CFIA at 1-800-442-2342.
- Blank Equine Information Document form
- CFIA Equine Information Document (EID) page
- Chapter 17 E.4 - list of veterinary drugs not permitted for use in equine that will be processed for food
- Chapter 17 E.5 - list of "essential" veterinary drugs permitted in equine with a six month withdrawal period
- Frequently Asked Questions & Answers