Meetings have been held this week with MAPA, to clarify a series of important aspects that were still pending confirmation:

1. TQB: until now there have been no Tribunals for Qualified Breeding Stock, because, months ago, ANCCE requested more control and strictness in the radiology examinations designed to eradicate OCD.

A meeting of veterinary radiologists was held on the 11th of May, at the University of Cordoba School of Veterinary Science.  Their conclusions on this matter were sent on to the Directorate General of Livestock, who failed to respond until last Monday, therefore, the TQBs for 2007 will be as follows.

a) Number of TQBs and their geographical location: In 2007, there will be five (5) TQBs in Spain, plus those requested and approved abroad. TQBs will start at the beginning of September, so that breeders have the opportunity to adapt to the new X-ray norms and do not have problems with time.

The locations of the TQBs in 2007 are listed below; final dates to be confirmed:
- Dos Hermanas (Sevilla).
- Oviedo.
- Talavera de la Reina (Toledo).
- Malaga.
- Barcelona

b) X-Rays required of those horses presented at a TQB: The same as previous editions, for which the already published and updated veterinary protocol has been sent.  However, the main novelties are:

- Verification of reproductive organs. Certificates may be granted by the stud farm veterinarian, but always on official, stamped certificate paper from the College of Veterinarians.

- Radiological study: The procedure to be followed is as follows:

• The X-rays must be digital; CONVENTIONAL X-RAYS ARE NOT ALLOWED.
   
• There is freedom of choice when selecting a veterinarian, but the study must be performed using the aforementioned technology. To facilitate things for the breeder, a listing of veterinarians with the corresponding technology will be supplied. 

• The study must include the 10 x-rays requested to date. All breeders in Spain will pay a standard price of €330, plus €0.50 per kilometer, when the veterinary has to travel to the location where the horse is at the time. If the horse travels to the veterinarian, mileage will not be charged.

• Veterinarians will digitize the x-rays on a CD, including the veterinarian’s exclusive identification and the horse’s microchip number.  This CD will be sent to the University of Cordoba Veterinary Hospital that will provide the osteochondrosis report, and return the written report to the veterinarian who took the X-rays.

• Included herein is an appendix with the contact details of the radiologists that have digital equipment and who accept the prices and mileage as detailed above. This list is not exclusive; there could be more veterinarians with this equipment, who would be qualified to carry out the radiological study.    

• If the horse is free of OCD, he will then be able to register for the desired TQB.    

• Confidentiality is guaranteed, as the hospital veterinarian will work only with microchip numbers and not with the names of the horses or stud farms.    

• If the breeder disagrees with the verdict issued, he/she can appeal to a committee of experts

• The requirements with regards to OCD have changed so that only those horses with serious cases in specific locations—fetlock, hock and stifle—will be unable to participate in a TQB.

• Upon arrival at the TQB site, the certificate granted by the University of Cordoba Veterinary Hospital MUST be presented.

• It will be the LG PRE ANCCE Stud Book appointed veterinarians, from the area in which the TQB is held, who will be responsible for the identification and measuring the horses presented.   

c) Registrations and payments: Registration is through the Stud Book Application form, Request for Attention, marking the Service of TQB. This application must be sent to the ANCCE offices and will also specify the location of the TQB that is to be attended.

The rates for this year will be as follows:

- Registration fee to cover organizational expenses: €210 (VAT INCLUDED).

- Fee for the LG PRE ANCCE Stud Book: €25 (VAT INCLUDED).

The total of two hundred and thirty-five euros (€ 235) can be paid with a single transfer to the account: 2100-2320-55-0200168822.

d) Practical Aspects of the TQB:

 - A minimum of twenty-five (25) horses will be required to hold a TQB.

- The maximum number of horses evaluated in a single day shall not exceed thirty-five (35).

- The same record sheet from previous years will be used; a horse will be considered Apt or Not Apt based on the average of the final score given by two qualifiers.

- The individual scores of the horses will not be given out, simply the reference of whether it has been found APT or NOT APT. All breeders may personally ask to see the summary sheet that is handed in, including the averages for the body parts of the horse presented.

- A horse will be considered NOT APT if it has any score of less than 5, although this aspect will not be made public, it will simply be stated that it was not apt.

2-. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS: MAPA has approved the Registration Procedure to be followed abroad, including the standard agreement; therefore ANCCE can now recognize collaborating associations for the LG PRE ANCCE Stud Book in each specific country. Thus, all countries in the world can now begin registering their horses. Nevertheless, the first evaluation of breeding stock was held in the US in June.

Aside from these agreements with the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Directorate General of Livestock, the Stud Book Taskforce has decided to grant a moratorium for the obtaining of the ownership card at the price of €8. At first the period during which this could be applied for at this rate concluded on the 30th June, this term has now been extended to the 31st July 2007, the date at which the aforementioned ownership cards will cost, €30, for all those horses in possession of a passport.

It is necessary to clarify that horses being registered as of the 1st January 2007, will not pay anything for their ownership card, since this is a part of the (new) Passport that is emitted from the Registry offices, whose prices are already regulated.