Even "Horse Manure" Is Valuable... Retired Racehorses Feed the "Sodongguri" Beetles

KRA Busan Gyeongnam Racing Park Supports National Institute of Ecology Endangered Species Restoration Project

The feces of retired racehorses are used in the dung beetle restoration project. Ponines, donated to the National Institute of Ecology's Endangered Species Restoration Center.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] “Do you need my manure? Feel free to take and use it.”

‘Horse manure’ is also used valuably. A retired racehorse is being deployed in the restoration project of the endangered wild species ‘So-ddong-guri’ (dung beetle).

The Korea Racing Authority Busan-Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters announced on the 25th that it donated a retired racehorse to assist the ‘So-ddong-guri’ restoration project being researched at the National Institute of Ecology.

The So-ddong-guri is a Class II endangered wild species, and for breeding, it requires manure from horses or cattle that have been grazed in environments free of chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Until now, the National Institute of Ecology has struggled to procure horse manure from Jeju Island for use. Now, through the donation of racehorses from Busan-Gyeongnam Race Park, a stable supply of food for the So-ddong-guri will be secured.

Busan-Gyeongnam Race Park signed a business agreement with the National Institute of Ecology’s Endangered Species Restoration Center in December last year and has been advising on the installation of stable facilities at the Endangered Species Restoration Center in Yeongyang, Gyeongbuk.

They have provided various support for racehorse breeding, including conducting health management education for horses.

About 20 officials, including Kang Hyun-soo, Head of Customer Support at Korea Racing Authority Busan, Shin Won-cheol, Director of the National Institute of Ecology’s Endangered Species Restoration Center, and Choi Tae-young, Head of the Restoration Research Office, attended the retired racehorse donation ceremony held on the 19th.

The retired racehorse donated this time is ‘Ponainejeu’ (domestic, 5 years old), owned by owner Choi Byung-bu. This racehorse suffered a severe fracture in its front leg in April last year, but thanks to surgery and rehabilitation treatment by a veterinary hospital veterinarian, it has recovered enough to walk normally and became the first subject of this donation.

The National Institute of Ecology plans to graze ‘Ponainejeu’ on pastures free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to supply food for So-ddong-guri research.

Kang Hyun-soo, Head of Customer Support at Korea Racing Authority Busan, said, “As the dedicated institution for horse industry development, the Korea Racing Authority has paid great attention and effort to improving racehorse welfare,” adding, “This donation presents a new solution for utilizing retired racehorses.”

Park Yong-mok, Director of the National Institute of Ecology, said, “Through cooperation between the two institutions, we have achieved two outcomes simultaneously: promoting biodiversity in Korea and enhancing animal welfare for retired racehorses,” and added, “Through close cooperation, we will not only advance the So-ddong-guri restoration project but also establish natural environment conservation policies using the So-ddong-guri.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.