Descriptive analysis of horses and ponies attending horse auctions in Victoria from July 2019 to March 2020

Abstract

Introduction: In recent years there has been public speculation about the breed, destination and number of horses being sold by public auction at livestock saleyards in Australia. Currently, there is little objective information available about the breed and condition of horses sold through this medium. With little publicly available objective data on these horses, the horse industry has been left vulnerable to misinformation. Accurate information regarding the composition and condition of horses attending saleyards is important to identify and address any welfare issues and to inform public debate. Method: Data were collected on 312 horses and ponies presented for sale through the Pakenham ..