The USDA will begin a National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) study of the horse industry starting next month, the department has announced.

The study will examine health and management practices across the US equine sector, adding horses to the roster of species that NAHMS tracks through its periodic national assessments. NAHMS studies have previously covered cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, and goats, producing the baseline data that inform animal health policy, disease surveillance, and industry benchmarking.

For equine practitioners, the launch matters for a practical reason: NAHMS data have historically shaped how federal animal health programs are designed and funded, and the equine study will give the horse industry — long described as under-measured at the national level — a statistically grounded picture of its own health status, biosecurity practices, and disease exposure.

Producers and horse owners selected for the study can expect contact from USDA representatives or federal and state animal health officials as data collection gets underway. Participation details, study scope, and timelines will accompany the official rollout next month.

The department has not yet published the full study protocol, so the specific objectives — which disease agents, management categories, or operation types will be included — remain to be confirmed when the study formally begins.

Full findings from NAHMS studies typically take time to compile, but the resulting reports become reference points for veterinarians, researchers, and regulators. Practitioners who work with horse operations will want to watch how the study frames national equine health priorities once first results are released.