Possibility of Feed Contamination
Trainers should be aware of the possibility of contamination of stables and feed by certain drugs and drug treatment regimes.
Contamination of the stable area is most likely to occur with the administration of granules or powders mixed into feed. Oral treatments:
- Are often long-term;
- Involve the use of larger amounts of drugs than with injectable treatments;
- Subject to spillage when they are added and mixed with feed;
- Likely to contaminate other feeds if appropriate precautions are not taken during preparation.
In addition environmental contamination can also result from:
- 'Messy' eaters; and
- The urine and manure from horses under treatment by any route of administration can contain low levels of a drug.
Trainers are advised that:
- Where possible a separate stable (preferably a dedicated medication stall) should be used for all treatments. Treated horses should be removed after the completion of treatment.
- All medications, particularly oral and topical, should be administered by a responsible person and then stored securely.
- Medicated feeds should be prepared separately to avoid the possibility of cross contamination or feed mix-ups.
- Disposable gloves should be worn when adding/mixing drugs into feed; and if the person mixing the feeds is using any personal topical medications.
- Topical medications such as gels, pastes or creams may have the potential to accumulate in the hair or on the skin and act as a reservoir of the substance. Horses may also lick the treated area and ingest the substance.
If a Prohibited Substance is detected in a sample, the possibility of ‘recycling’ or environmental contamination does not absolve the trainer from their responsibilities under the Rules of Racing.
