National Equine Database to close next month

The National Equine Database (NED) is to close in September after the government announced it will no longer fund it.

NED was launched in 2008 to centralise horse data in the UK, but Defra has confirmed that it will not be renewing the contract.

This means all NED services including horse search, lost and stolen register, horse associations, pedigree, progeny and performance reports, passport check, NEDLinks and equine reminders will no longer be available.

Andrew Finding, BEF’s chief executive, said: “Given the challenges of public expenditure we understand Defra’s decision, but it is sad that they have decided not to continue to fund NED Ltd.

“For our part we are concerned about the need for robust disease surveillance to be underpinned by an effective database.

“We are also keen to retain a database for the British Equestrian Federation where we seek to support the effective breeding of British sport and recreational horses and ponies.

“The BEF believes we need an effective equine database. We must not lose the benefits we have built in NED; we must ensure we have an enduring product to meet our range of differing but important needs.

“We will set about this work with urgency and seek to keep our community informed of progress.”

Read full story, including industry reaction to the news, in next week’s Horse & Hound magazine, on sale 23 August, 2012

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