What is NAERIC?
The North American Equine Ranching Information Council is a non-profit association of equine ranchers engaged in horse production and management of pregnant mares. Estrogens extracted from pregnant mares' urine (PMU are used in production of a hormone therapy for menopausal women. NAERIC serves its members, the horse industry and general public as an agribusiness resource by providing the latest information and research on ranch management, equine care, breeding practices and innovative marketing programs. The council is dedicated to ensuring the NAERIC brand represents overall quality. NAERIC supports and promotes the partnership between agriculture and women's health care.

Where is NAERIC located?
NAERIC's office is located in Louisville, Kentucky (USA). Their mailing address is P.O. Box 43968, Louisville, KY 40253-0968. Phone: 502-245-0425. Fax: 502-245-0438.

How is PMU used?
PMU contains the estrogens used in the production of Premarin®, (conjugated estrogen tablets, USP), the world's leading hormone therapy for post-menopausal women. Millions of women around the world use hormone therapy.

The production of Premarin® unites experienced horse breeders with the expertise of a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in a unique partnership between women's health care and agriculture. Premarin® was introduced in 1941 by the Canadian pharmaceutical company, Ayerst, McKenna and Harrison, Ltd. (now part of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth).

The family-owned ranches contracted by the company to collect PMU are all within reasonable proximity to Wyeth Organics, in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, where the initial processing occurs. The 125-step process to extract the estrogens from PMU to produce Premarin® is one of the most sophisticated in the pharmaceutical industry. No urine remains in the unique combination of natural hormones in the product.

Aren't there other synthetic generic forms of estrogen replacement therapies available to women?
The scientific evidence is clear; all estrogens are not the same. It is important to point out that Premarin® is the most widely studied estrogen therapy product in the world. More than 3,000 scientific studies of estrogen have used Premarin® —studies that have helped health care providers to better understand the benefits and risks of estrogen therapy.

On May 5, 1997, the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) announced "…it will not approve synthetic generic forms of the estrogen therapy drug Premarin®. This is because these generic products have not been shown to contain the same active ingredients and, therefore, to work the same, as the original drug in treating women with menopausal symptoms.”

How many broodmares are there in PMU ranching?
There are approximately 5,600 broodmares involved in the PMU ranching industry.

What kinds of horses are involved in equine ranching?
Quarter Horses are the most common registered breed found on equine ranches. They outnumber the next most common breeds, registered draft Percheron and Belgian horses, by a 2 to 1 margin. A variety of other less dominant breeds are also involved in the industry including Paints, Appaloosas, Standardbreds, and Thoroughbreds.

How long has PMU ranching been in existence?
PMU ranching has existed since 1942.

Who are the equine ranchers?
Most ranchers are second or third generation horse breeders who own their own horses. They are involved in the care and handling of horses for a variety of purposes other than PMU production.

A typical PMU rancher:

• has worked in the industry for more than 10 years
• works the ranch with his or her spouse, child and one hired hand
• cares for approximately 95 mares in production
• produces cereal grains and forages, in addition to raising other livestock

What is your response to animal activist allegations?
The industry has taken the allegations made against us very seriously. We have endeavored to identify the best veterinary minds and organizations available, in order to objectively and fairly review the industry and its management practices. We have invited the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), and the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) to access the industry, and provide input and guidance for the future health and welfare of the horses under our stewardship.

Equine ranchers are dedicated to utilizing the most advanced animal husbandry techniques, ensuring that their horses receive high-quality care and attention. The industry operates under a science-based management practice approach and is eager to identify management changes, which will further identify a "best practices" approach to caring for their horses. We have not adopted arbitrary, prescriptive standards. Practices not driven by sound science will cause disruption to the management of horses with little, if any, practical improvement for the industry.

Equine ranching has more checks and balances to ensure animal care and welfare than any other livestock industry, making it one of the most regulated and closely inspected equine-related activities in the world.

It is important to note that virtually every knowledgeable equine professional who has been involved with the industry has recognized the outstanding care given to these horses.

How is urine collected?
The mares' urine is collected using a loose-fitting, flexible, light-weight pouch that allows for a full range of movement, including lying down. It is held in place by a system of pulleys and is not directly attached to a mare.

Is water restricted for the mares?
No. The mares receive ample water according to the Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Horses in PMU Operations, which is based upon the guidelines published by the National Research Council (NRC) nutrient requirements of horses.

Why don't the horses have access to water all of the time?
Horses are watered utilizing automatic water systems. Ranchers provide all of the waters their horses will drink, at least five times per day. Most ranchers water more often. The automatic watering systems ensure horses receive fresh water multiple times each day. Ranchers' contracts are in grams of estrogen, not unit volume of urine. The pharmaceutical company pays for transportation of the PMU to the processing plant. This system provides no incentive to do anything other than manage the horses according to acceptable standards, not the least of which are the National Research Council's Nutrient Requirements of Horses.

Would the foals be more valuable if the mares received better treatment while they are pregnant?
Equine ranches have undergone many state and provincial reviews conducted by individuals representing animal welfare groups. They have found our horses to be healthy and well cared for.

• United States Department of Agriculture inspectors visited PMU ranches in March 1994 and reported that "…allegations of abuse and inhumane treatment were unfounded."
• "American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) supports pregnant mare urine management." JAVMA, Vol. 212, No. 11, June 1, 1998.

The value of the foals is extremely important to the ranchers because it is a primary source of their livelihoods. In addition, assisting the ranchers in improving the value of their horses is a primary focus of NAERIC. Today, many ranchers are breeding registered horses, from Thoroughbreds to Paints to Appaloosas to Belgians, Percherons and Clydesdales.

Why are the mares confined in such a small space?
The horses are able to move relatively freely in their stalls and are able to lie down comfortably while wearing their collection harnesses.

It is important to understand, too, that most adult horses spend the vast majority of their lives standing. Most even sleep standing.

In addition, a study published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR), Vol. 60, No. 11, November 1999, showed that the tie stall environment in which most PMU mares live during the collection season is actually superior to box stalls considering the social nature of these herd animals. The study also found that behavioral parameters of PMU mares in tie stalls are normal, if not better than, what is reported for the horse industry at large.

How are the mares impregnated?
Mares conceive naturally. When they are turned out to pasture in the spring, they live, just as they would in the wild, in bands that include 10 to 20 mares and one stallion. The breeding season lasts from June 1 to August 1; as close to mother nature as it gets. Breeding occurs as it would in the wild, and as a testament to the health and well-being of the horses, PMU mares have some of the highest conception rates within the horse industry.

Is it true that the mares are kept pregnant 11 months each year for up to 20 years in a row?
Eleven months is the normal gestation period for horses and it is simply instinct for them to reproduce annually. During the natural course of their lives, mares are capable of conceiving and giving birth many times. In fact, if a mare were to foal 20 times in her life, it would be a testament to her health and strength as well to the care she has received.

How much time do the mares spend confined in the barns?
Urine collection begins in October and runs through March, so the mares are stabled during the winter months when the temperature is routinely a negative 40 degrees outside the barns.

All ranches are required by the Code of Practice to maintain exercise programs tailored for the needs of each animal in the barn during the collection system.

Aren't PMU foals weaned when they are too young to be separated from their mothers?
Weaning is a normal part of the life cycle for all horses on farms and generally for all types of livestock as well. They are weaned at nearly 4 months of age, which according to many equine experts is the optimum weaning age.

What happens to the foals bred on equine ranches?
Foals bred on equine ranches are sold each year for a variety of purposes such as recreation, ranching, shows, and other competitions, and some remain on ranches as replacement broodmares.

What are some things NAERIC has done to promote PMU foals?
NAERIC's marketing objectives for its horses are to create "top of the mind awareness" and to be the "brand of choice" among horsemen of any discipline. To that end, NAERIC has implemented the following programs:

• NAERIC CanAm Sport Horse Program. The NAERIC CanAm Sport Horse Program exists to improve the pedigree and value of foals bred on equine ranches. Its purpose is to facilitate the acquisition of quality Thoroughbred stallions for lease or purchase by equine ranchers interested in breeding sport horses. Foals resulting from crossing Thoroughbred stallions with draft mare bloodlines are eligible for registration in the Performance Horse Registry as sport horses.
  
• NAERIC Police Horse Program. Foals produced on equine ranches resulting from the first generation cross of Thoroughbred stallions and draft-type mares are ideal for use as patrol horses in mounted police units. The resulting size, disposition and durability of these horses make them unique when put into law enforcement service.
  
• National Police Horse Academy. NAERIC is proud to be an official supplier of horses to the National Police Horse Academy (NPHA), located at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
  
• 4-H Young Horse Development Project. Participating equine ranchers offer 4-H members a selection of weanlings to inspect, judge, select, purchase, raise and train. Participating 4-H members obtain hands-on experience, assume the responsibilities associated with horse ownership and develop skills required for setting and achieving goals.
  
• NAERIC Draft Horse Classic Sale and Futurity. Breeders of quality draft horses are members of the NAERIC Draft Horse Classic committee and participate in this unique program. . This program entitles breeders to consign and sell two registered or non-registered weanlings at auction each fall. The horses sold through the sale return after training to compete for a significant purse at the futurity designed to demonstrate their quality, conformation and performance.
  
• NAERIC Barrel Extravaganza. This annual weekend event held in Estevan, Saskatchewan, is an open competition featuring the NAERIC-sponsored Futurity offering prize money of $5,000 for barrel racing horses aged five-years-old and under. The Derby event for six-year-old and under barrel racing horses offers prize money of $1,500 added. Each Futurity and Derby event consists of two go-rounds and finals. As added incentives, there are numerous other awards and bonus monies for Saskatchewan-bred horses.