According to the EU- standard, since the 1st of July 2009 horses are required to be microchipped. Due to this new rule, a debate has surfaced. The question is: Should there be no more “hot branding” ? The decision for this has been made with the following condition: A foal may be “hot-branded”, however according to animal rights the foal needs to be sedated for the procedure. However, currently, there is no suitable anaesthetic, thus for the meantime the “hot-brand” will have certain rules and regulations that need to be followed starting 2019, according to Dr. Klaus Miesner, managing director of the breeding department in the German FN.
This issue has brought up certain discussions: Animal-rights activists and politicians are rather against the “hot brand”. The “horse-world” however, would rather keep the tradition going. Other than that, a lot of horse enthusiasts are sceptical about the microchip.
There have been many cases reported, where the chips get lost in the horse’s body or they are simply no longer traceable. The “hot brand” is considered a safe method for identification that lasts a lifetime.
No Suitable Medication
In the last few years a special task force group has been intensively engaged with the clinical trial and approval of a suitable painkiller. Dr. Norman Camp, a member of the group, the breeding board of the FN, and also the director of the Trakhener association, states that they are reliable for their work of finding a solution. With the substance Lidocain, which has been successfully tested is heading towards the wanted solution. However, the federal office for Consumer Protection and food safety (BVL) did not approve this. Instead a costly and time-consuming version of the medication was required for approval.
In the meantime, the “hot brand’ will not be allowed starting from 2019. “We fought until the end,“ said Dr. Camp. Unfortunately, it did not suceed. The politicians in Berlin did not give in. Dr. Camp however says that it is worth it to keep fighting as the “hot brand” could also be an additional marking that is reliable and long lasting.
