Ireland enhances horse traceability with new equine herd profiles and 2026 census

Ireland has introduced new equine herd profiles and a comprehensive 2026 census to strengthen traceability in the horse industry, responding to recent reforms and recommendations from the Wall Report.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has unveiled new equine herd profiles and the 2026 equine census, in a further step towards tighter traceability across Ireland’s horse sector.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the profiles link each equine to a physical location, a responsible person and movement records from birth to death or export. Operators can access their profile and submit the census return through MyAgfood.ie, while hard copies will also be issued as part of the census process.

The department said the profiles will be needed for sales and exports, grant and support applications, and completion of the census, which opens on 31 July and closes on 14 August. It said the system now includes nine traceability checkpoints, up from three before 2024, covering areas such as veterinary medicines, inspections, sales catalogues and death notifications.

Mr Heydon said the move showed the government’s commitment to welfare and traceability, adding: “We said we’d act on the Wall Report , and we have.”

The reform agenda follows Prof Paddy Wall’s review of equine traceability, commissioned after an RTÉ Investigates broadcast raised concerns about the sector. Agriland has also reported that 23 of 31 actions in the Wall Report plan due in 2025 have been delivered, with the rest scheduled for 2026, following the launch of the Central Equine Database in October 2025.