The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) has released a report summarizing responses to its needs assessment survey for the upcoming Equine 2015 study.

Prior to each national study, NAHMS conducts a needs assessment to determine an industry’s critical information gaps and uses this information and information from other sources to set study objectives.

The needs assessment questionnaire for the Equine 2015 study sought opinions about top-priority information needs and participation incentives for the study. Survey respondents included 2,435 horse owners and other individuals associated with the equine industry and 89 leaders of several selected groups with an equine health role. The report separates and compares responses between the individuals and the group leaders; needs assessment priorities for the NAHMS Equine ‘98 and Equine 2015 studies are also compared.

The needs assessment questionnaire for Equine 2015 prompted both individuals and group leaders to list their top priorities for several topics related to the U.S. equine industry, including:

In addition to responses from the needs assessment questionnaire, NAHMS will establish study objectives by reviewing existing scientific literature, discussing priorities at industry and scientific meetings, and gathering input from within the USDA. Objectives for Equine 2015 will be available in summer 2014.

General, on-farm data collection will begin in summer 2015 and continue into fall, during which more detailed data collection and biologic sampling will be conducted.

The Equine 2015 needs assessment report can be accessed on the Equine section at: www.aphis.usda.gov/nahms