Information from the Horse Industry Council
We say on the AHIC website in regards to Equine Influenza (EI):
“We will do what we can to help all horse owners in Australia, irrespective of where you live, what type of horse you ride or what you do with your horses.
“This is a challenging assignment and getting harder as State argues against State, Minister against Minister and racing versus everyone else. We are trying to maintain unity as we face the biggest challenge that the horse industry has ever faced in Australia. Unless we have 100% support and compliance we are not going to control and eradicate EI. Despite the frequent comments to the contrary, the prospects of eradicating EI are still very good. South Africa and India have eradicated EI in recent years.
“Irrespective of where you live”
This is a national emergency and the overall strategy is to stop uninfected areas becoming infected prior to eventual eradication. If you live in NSW or Queensland you might be suffering movement restrictions, loss of income, sick horses and numerous other complications from our first big encounter with an exotic disease. You might want movement restrictions removed, events held again and vaccinations of all horses permitted.
If you live in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia you might want all movements in NSW and Qld restricted to ensure that the disease does not spread southwards.
The disease control effort is being overseen by the Consultative Committee on Exotic Animal Diseases (CCEAD) which has been meeting almost daily by teleconference. All states, the commonwealth and horse interests are represented. The overall strategy is outlined in the AUSVETPLAN manual on Equine Influenza. Proposals not conforming to the strategy are usually rejected. Some proposals put forward by NSW and Qld are rejected by CCEAD as being too risky or are deferred until further information is provided. The disease control efforts are therefore a compromise between getting things back to normal as soon as possible and removing all risk that the disease will spread further.
“what type of horse you ride or what you do with your horses”
We know that all horses are equally susceptible to EI and that the value that owners place on their horses does not equate to their purchase price. Therefore, we understand the extreme anger that has been generated among horse owners as vaccines are allocated by political decisions to protect racehorses before non racing horses.
We have conveyed this sense of frustration to NSW Minister Macdonald. He and his staff have received over 1,000 emails and many phone calls expressing opposition to what is seen as favouritism for the racing sector. Despite this the NSW Government still gives support in decision making and financial support to the racing sector. See the latest NSW press release (http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/content.asp?z=14&c=126&p=324&x=2&id=798) and an ABC piece from Media Watch (http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2048295.htm) as examples.
The reality is that racing has a much greater political and media pull than other horse interests. The average punter and voter have more interest in racing than in what the recreational horse riders do with their horses.
The AHIC has to be even handed about horse industry problems. Indeed we represent thoroughbred interests too. The disruption of the racing sector has a great economic impact. The vaccination of racehorses has little to do with the health of the horses. It is being done to protect racing. Yes, it is all about money. The horse industry is a very big employer and generates economic benefit. Therefore if we wish to limit the economic impact of EI, racing has to have a priority.
But if the thoroughbred industry is to be protected, the disease must be controlled in the general horse population. The ongoing containment and control of EI depends on disease control in non racing horses which represent at least 80% of the total population. We strongly support the NSW and Qld decisions to make vaccination of buffer zones the highest priority. The horses in the buffer zones are overwhelmingly non racing horses.
The thoroughbred racing and breeding interests have enjoyed advantages such as earlier release from movement restrictions, earlier vaccination and potentially earlier release from quarantine control. The AHIC continues to argue for these freedoms to be granted to the wider population.
Approval has been granted for the vaccination of valuable and vulnerable uninfected horses within the red zones. This is subject to CVO approval and conditions might vary between states because of differing disease situations.
We would like to see the extension of purple zones so that other breeds can move their mares to stallions as has been allowed for thoroughbreds. Many breeders will go broke if their breeding operations are halted. Luckily most breeds can start to serve in October with little economic loss – this is a more rational start to the breeding season as has been recognised by Standardbred breeders.
We do realise that creation of more purple zones or the widespread use of vaccine may delay an area being removed from quarantine because it may be harder to prove freedom from infection.
We do not see why racehorses are allowed to travel up to 5km daily in amber zones to a racetrack when other horses are not allowed to move 500 metres to a different paddock. We also hear of discrepancies between controls being implemented differently in different states. Since early in the outbreak NSW horses have been allowed to move to a veterinary hospital for welfare reasons. In Queensland these movements have been restricted.
Movements and horse events are now allowed in green zones subject to conditions imposed by the DPI. These areas will be extended as red and amber zones shrink with successful containment.
The AHIC continues to press for control and eradication of equine influenza but has consideration of the costs of these restrictions and will press for these to be eased as soon as possible.
We thank you for your words of encouragement and support. Our office is dealing with many requests for assistance and has been trying to find answers where we can. We have been passing on questions to the State Industry Liaison Officers based with the DPI to make them aware of the issues that you face.
If you have not done so already, please join the AHIC and the Victorian, Queensland, South Australian or West Australian State Horse Councils.
“We will do what we can to help all horse owners in Australia, irrespective of where you live, what type of horse you ride or what you do with your horses.
“This is a challenging assignment and getting harder as State argues against State, Minister against Minister and racing versus everyone else. We are trying to maintain unity as we face the biggest challenge that the horse industry has ever faced in Australia. Unless we have 100% support and compliance we are not going to control and eradicate EI. Despite the frequent comments to the contrary, the prospects of eradicating EI are still very good. South Africa and India have eradicated EI in recent years.
“Irrespective of where you live”
This is a national emergency and the overall strategy is to stop uninfected areas becoming infected prior to eventual eradication. If you live in NSW or Queensland you might be suffering movement restrictions, loss of income, sick horses and numerous other complications from our first big encounter with an exotic disease. You might want movement restrictions removed, events held again and vaccinations of all horses permitted.
If you live in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia you might want all movements in NSW and Qld restricted to ensure that the disease does not spread southwards.
The disease control effort is being overseen by the Consultative Committee on Exotic Animal Diseases (CCEAD) which has been meeting almost daily by teleconference. All states, the commonwealth and horse interests are represented. The overall strategy is outlined in the AUSVETPLAN manual on Equine Influenza. Proposals not conforming to the strategy are usually rejected. Some proposals put forward by NSW and Qld are rejected by CCEAD as being too risky or are deferred until further information is provided. The disease control efforts are therefore a compromise between getting things back to normal as soon as possible and removing all risk that the disease will spread further.
“what type of horse you ride or what you do with your horses”
We know that all horses are equally susceptible to EI and that the value that owners place on their horses does not equate to their purchase price. Therefore, we understand the extreme anger that has been generated among horse owners as vaccines are allocated by political decisions to protect racehorses before non racing horses.
We have conveyed this sense of frustration to NSW Minister Macdonald. He and his staff have received over 1,000 emails and many phone calls expressing opposition to what is seen as favouritism for the racing sector. Despite this the NSW Government still gives support in decision making and financial support to the racing sector. See the latest NSW press release (http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/content.asp?z=14&c=126&p=324&x=2&id=798) and an ABC piece from Media Watch (http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2048295.htm) as examples.
The reality is that racing has a much greater political and media pull than other horse interests. The average punter and voter have more interest in racing than in what the recreational horse riders do with their horses.
The AHIC has to be even handed about horse industry problems. Indeed we represent thoroughbred interests too. The disruption of the racing sector has a great economic impact. The vaccination of racehorses has little to do with the health of the horses. It is being done to protect racing. Yes, it is all about money. The horse industry is a very big employer and generates economic benefit. Therefore if we wish to limit the economic impact of EI, racing has to have a priority.
But if the thoroughbred industry is to be protected, the disease must be controlled in the general horse population. The ongoing containment and control of EI depends on disease control in non racing horses which represent at least 80% of the total population. We strongly support the NSW and Qld decisions to make vaccination of buffer zones the highest priority. The horses in the buffer zones are overwhelmingly non racing horses.
The thoroughbred racing and breeding interests have enjoyed advantages such as earlier release from movement restrictions, earlier vaccination and potentially earlier release from quarantine control. The AHIC continues to argue for these freedoms to be granted to the wider population.
Approval has been granted for the vaccination of valuable and vulnerable uninfected horses within the red zones. This is subject to CVO approval and conditions might vary between states because of differing disease situations.
We would like to see the extension of purple zones so that other breeds can move their mares to stallions as has been allowed for thoroughbreds. Many breeders will go broke if their breeding operations are halted. Luckily most breeds can start to serve in October with little economic loss – this is a more rational start to the breeding season as has been recognised by Standardbred breeders.
We do realise that creation of more purple zones or the widespread use of vaccine may delay an area being removed from quarantine because it may be harder to prove freedom from infection.
We do not see why racehorses are allowed to travel up to 5km daily in amber zones to a racetrack when other horses are not allowed to move 500 metres to a different paddock. We also hear of discrepancies between controls being implemented differently in different states. Since early in the outbreak NSW horses have been allowed to move to a veterinary hospital for welfare reasons. In Queensland these movements have been restricted.
Movements and horse events are now allowed in green zones subject to conditions imposed by the DPI. These areas will be extended as red and amber zones shrink with successful containment.
The AHIC continues to press for control and eradication of equine influenza but has consideration of the costs of these restrictions and will press for these to be eased as soon as possible.
We thank you for your words of encouragement and support. Our office is dealing with many requests for assistance and has been trying to find answers where we can. We have been passing on questions to the State Industry Liaison Officers based with the DPI to make them aware of the issues that you face.
If you have not done so already, please join the AHIC and the Victorian, Queensland, South Australian or West Australian State Horse Councils.
posted by Horse Deals at
2:45 pm
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