The Jockey Club recommends that breeders and owners contact their veterinarian for more information on micro-chipping their Thoroughbreds.
Edited press releaseThe Jockey Club announced March 3, as a free service to the Thoroughbred industry, owners and breeders can now report and look up microchip numbers through Interactive Registration (IR) accounts. Microchip reporting and lookup are the culmination of an initiative announced at The Jockey Club's Round Table Conference last August. In response to plans by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish a National Animal Identification System (NAIS), The Jockey Club will maintain a central database of microchip numbers for Thoroughbreds. "Micro-chipping will not be a requirement of registration," Matt Iuliano, vice president of registration services for The Jockey Club said. "But when used in conjunction with current means of identification, such as markings, DNA parentage verification, color photos and lip tattoos, micro-chipping can provide additional confidence when identifying a Thoroughbred."Microchip reporting and lookup are available only to individuals with an active IR account. To report a microchip implanted into a Thoroughbred, the horse must have a live foal report on file with the registry. In addition, personnel of racetracks that are InCompass customers can access the registry microchip database for horse lookup through their race track operations accounts. This summer, the Jockey Club Information Systems will enable clients to record microchip numbers in its new horse farm management system. The USDA Equine Species Working Group, which represents the horse industry on the NAIS, recommends that owners and breeders use 15-character RFID microchips that comply with ISO 11784, the international standard.
