Between 1 January and 31 December 2001 approximately 85,000 tests for EIA were conducted by Michigan laboratories* for EIA.  Between 1 January and 30 April 2002 approximately 45,000 additional tests were run.  Thus, for the time period between the initial requirement for EIA testing of Michigan horses and the 30 April 2002 deadline for all Michigan Equidae to be tested, Michigan labs conducted approximately 130,000 tests.  This compares to approximately 17,000 tests conducted during the fiscal year prior to the testing requirement.  The Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service in 1996 estimated the total Michigan equine herd to be 130,000.

While these test numbers appear to suggest that the goal of testing all equidae in Michigan by the 30 April 2002 deadline was met, the actual number of individual animals tested probably fell short of the 130,000 estimate for the total Michigan herd.  This shortfall can be estimated as approximately equal to the number of tests conducted in years prior to the introduction of mandatory testing.  This is based on the assumption that this number represents the equidae active in events requiring a test, and reflects the animals that would be tested early each year to qualify for their respective activity.  Thus, these animals would likely have been tested twice (i.e. each spring) during this 16-month period.  This number is unlikely to have changed substantially between these two time periods.

Tests conducted during calendar year 2001 revealed 16 positive equine animals.  Tests conducted through 30 April 2002 revealed 4 additional equidae, for a total of 20 positive equidae disclosed from the beginning of mandatory testing of Michigan equidae through the 30 April 2002 deadline.

Total EIA positive Michigan equine for 2002 numbered 8 animals from 7 premises.  These case investigations resulted in testing of approximately 150 equine animals and by MDA veterinarians and almost 300 tests conducted by staff veterinarians and laboratory technicians.

EIA tests conducted by Michigan laboratories* between 1 January and 31 December 2001: 85,000 (approx.)

EIA tests conducted by Michigan laboratories* between 1 January and 30 April 2002: 45,000 (approx.)

Total EIA tests by Michigan laboratories* between 1 January 2001 and 30 April 2002: 130,000 (approx.)

Tests conducted in the fiscal year prior to 2001: 17,000 (approx.)

1996 Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service estimate of the total Michigan equine herd: 130,000

Estimated shortfall of testing the total Michigan herd based on the assumption that prior testing levels represent equidae tested each year; thus tested twice during this time period: 17,000.

2001 calendar year positive tests: 16

Positive tests 1 January through 30 April 2002: 4

Total positive EIA tests between the initiation of testing of Michigan equidae and the test deadline: 20

Positive tests Calendar year 2002: 8

*The Michigan laboratories are the MDA Geagley Laboratory in East Lansing and the MSU Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health (formerly the MSU Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory).  While these labs are free to run EIA tests on specimens to labs outside of Michigan as non-Michigan veterinarians send samples to Michigan labs, thus negating the impact of non-Michigan labs testing Michigan resident horses and vice-versa on the total number of specimens tested.