The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced that Phase II of the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) Equine 2015-16 study will resume in May. This is NAHMS’ third national study of the U.S. equine industry.

A stakeholder announcement issued Feb. 23 explained that the second phase of the study was postponed because of last year’s highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak, which led to the largest response to an animal disease emergency in U.S. history. The response required the USDA to temporarily reassign personnel that had been tasked with collecting data for Phase 2 of the study. These personnel are now available to collect the data.

The Equine 2015-16 study is designed to provide participants, industry members, and animal health officials with information on the nation’s equine population that will serve as a basis for education, service, and research related to equine health and management. The survey is also designed to provide new and valuable information regarding industry trends. For more information on the study, see USDA to Begin Equine Study This Spring. 

To collect the data for the study, representatives from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will visit equine operations to conduct personal interviews at all participating operations