Commercial

Transportation of

Equines to Slaughter

Over 42,000 equines, mostly horses unfit or 

unsuitable for riding, are slaughtered humanely each

year in the United States. For some time, people

have expressed concern about the way in which

these animals are handled when transported from the

auction terminal to the slaughtering facility.

Recognizing these concerns, Congress has

charged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

with developing an oversight program for the 

transport of equines to slaughter. In response, USDA

has prepared the regulatory framework that 

addresses both the needs of equines and those of

the transportation industry.

Congressional Charge 

The Federal Agriculture Improvement and

Reform Act of 1996, commonly known as the 1996

Farm Bill, authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to

issue guidelines to regulate the commercial 

transportation of equines to slaughter by persons

regularly engaged in that activity within the United

States. The Secretary is authorized to regulate the

food, water, and rest provided to such equines in

transit; to require the segregation of stallions from

other equines during transit; and to review other 

related issues the Secretary considers appropriate.

The Secretary is authorized to require any 

person to maintain such records and reports as are

deemed necessary. The Secretary also is authorized

to conduct investigations and inspections and to

establish and strictly enforce civil penalties.

In a final rule published on December 31, 1996,

the Secretary delegated the authority for 

administering these requirements to USDA’s Animal

and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

USDA’s Initiatives

To meet the Congressional charge to improve the

care of equines while they are being transported to

slaughter, APHIS has undertaken the following 

initiatives:

1. Convened a committee composed of its own

internal experts plus representatives from USDA’s

Agriculture Marketing Service and Food Safety and

Inspection Service to develop a meaningful, yet 

workable, set of guidelines.

2. Participated in two meetings called by the

American Horse Council and the Animal Horse

Protection Association. From these meetings, USDA

was able to develop a strategy for implementing a

proactive program to address all provisions contained

in the Congressional charge.

3. Commissioned three research projects to study

requirements for food and water, position of various

types of equines within a conveyance, and behavior

of stallions and aggressive mares in confinement.

Researchers also examined the importance of 

segregating various breeds and the need for rest

after more than 28 hours of confinement.

4. Identified the need for an educational program

and gained consensus regarding the program from

the participants involved in developing and/or 

contributing to the proposed rule. The new program

includes production of a training video, publication of

a guidebook, creation and distribution of leaflets for

truck drivers, creation and distribution of posters at

auction markets, and presentation of a series of 

educational workshops around the United States.

Overview of the Final Rule

The final initiative that APHIS undertook was the

development of a rule for the transport of equines to

slaughter. Published in the Federal Register, dated

December 7, 2001, the final rule calls for:

• Adherence to a feed and water schedule prior to

shipping the equines;

• Issuance of USDA “backtags” to each equine in 

the shipment. Backtags are affixed to an animal 

as identification so that the animal can be traced

back to its original owner;

• Completion of an owner/shipper certificate, 

including an authorized signature for each 

equine;

• Compliance with specific loading guidelines, 

which include allocating floor space and 

segregation of aggressive equines, such as 

stallions, from the rest of the animals;

• Education of personnel responsible for ensuring 

the care, safety, and welfare of each animal while

in transit to the slaughtering facility;

• Inspection of animals and the transport trucks 

by qualified USDA authorities;

Factsheet

Veterinary Services April 2003

APHIS
• Enforcement of specific requirements at the 

slaughtering facility by USDA officials, including 

inspection of the animals and the owner/shipper 

certificate;

• Prohibition of the transport of horses unfit for 

travel, the use of electric prods, and, after 5 years,

the use of double–deck trailers for commercial 

transportation.

How to Get a Copy of the Final Rule

The final rule was published in the Federal

Register on December 7, 2001. It is in the Code of

Federal Regulations: 9CFR Parts 70 and 88 as well.

For additional information, you may also visit APHIS’

Web site at 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html or

write or call the APHIS contacts listed below.

Additional Information 

For additional information on this issue, contact

the government/industry coordinators of the

Commercial Transportation of Equines to Slaughter

program:

Timothy Cordes

National Center for Animal Health Programs,

Certification and Control Team,

Veterinary Services, APHIS

4700 River Road, Unit 46

Riverdale, MD 20737–1231 

Phone: (301) 734–4363

or

Betsy Sillers

National Center for Animal Health Programs,

Certification and Control Team,

Veterinary Services, APHIS

4700 River Road, Unit 46 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1231

Phone: 301) 734–8711 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to

all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative

means for communication of program information (Braille, large

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

(202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of

Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964

(voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and

employer.

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture