From Horsetalk.com (dated 18 September 2010)

A total of 709 horses were used in New Zealand for research in 2009, latest figures reveal.

 
This is an increase of 184 on the 525 used in research during 2008.

However, the number of horses used represent only a tiny fraction of the total number of 297,111 animals used, 70.9 per cent of which were either mice, birds, sheep and cattle.

Birds displaced fish last year to become the second most used species in 2009.

The latest annual report by the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee noted that horses were used by a total of 13 organisations, with most of the horses supplied from farms and public sources.

Of the 709 horses used, 28 were listed as having a diseased status and 22 were used for "animal husbandry manipulations".

Nearly half the horses - 325 - were used in the production of biological agents.

The committee ranks the impact of the research on animals, ranging from "no impact" to "very high impact".

Among horses, 322 of the horses used in 2009 experienced no impact and 381 experienced little impact. Six were reported to have experienced high impact as a result of the research. One horse died or was euthanized.

Among the 525 horses used in research in 2008, one also died. In 2007, 540 were used (with one death), while in 2006 390 were used (again, with one death). In 2005, 609 horses were used, with two deaths.

It is the 10th annual report from the commitee since the 1999 Animal Welfare Act came into force.

The principal functions of the committee are to advise the minister on ethical issues arising from the use of animals in research, testing and teaching, and to provide information and advice to animal ethics committees, the front line of the regulatory system.

Chairwoman Virginia Williams said while this year the total number of animals used dropped by 44,409 to just under 300,000 (13 per cent down on the previous year), the rolling three-year average - a truer reflection of animal use - remains steady.

This variation resulted from the three-yearly reporting system for longer-term studies.

"We never like to see a rise in the proportion of animals experiencing 'high' or 'very high' impact manipulations," she said.

"However, once again this can be dependent on the three-year reporting system. The fact remains that most of these animals are used in areas where such tests are required by law to ensure public health (for example, testing for marine biotoxins) or animal health (safety and efficacy of animal health products such as vaccines and drenches)."