THE Department of Agriculture have extended the timeframe for Knowledge Transfer Equine (KT Equine) participants to have their mares inspected. Initially, participants were required to have their two nominated mares inspected in year one of the three-year programme. However, due to the delay in the scheme getting off the ground, and the suspension of the HSI mare inspections last autumn, the requirement was forcing participants to consider leaving the programme.

Growing concerns over tight timeframes and bringing mares that were heavily in foal out to inspections were putting the KT participants under increased pressure. Following a meeting with Horse Sport Ireland, the Department have extended that timeframe to within the first two years of the programme.

Speaking to The Irish Field this week, Horse Sport Ireland facilitator Michael Doherty, who is responsible for five groups, described the department’s decision to extend the deadline as “a lifeline for the programme”.

“We met with the Department and expressed the concerns surrounding heavily pregnant mares and the inspections, and the risk of losing a large number of participants from the programme. The extension has given people a lot more freedom – they can bring out their mares this spring, next autumn or next spring,” Doherty said.

As part of the farm improvement plan requirements, participants must have an approved Knowledge Transfer Private Veterinary Practitioner (PVP) sign off on their animal health measure and this has been sighted as another concern within the programme, with unknown costs and people keen to stick to their own vets.

Despite calls for an extension in the deadline for the completion of meetings and paperwork for year one, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, said he has no plans to extend the date.

“Year one of the scheme runs from June 1st 2016 to May 31st 2017, and groups and national events are under way across all sectors, and at present there are no plans to extend the May 31st deadline,” he told Deputy Charlie McConalogue last week.

While the KT facilitators are steaming along with meetings, Doherty said participants will be put under increased pressure coming into foaling season if the deadline is not extended.

“We are coming into the busiest time of year for breeders and farmers and unfortunately we just have to keep going. Because we are trying to do so many meetings in such a short time, it is hard to give people any more than a week or two’s notice. Next year, we will have the opportunity to plan further ahead,” he added.