Stud pushes for private quarantine

A major New South Wales horse breeding stud has told the independent inquiry into horse flu it wants to build its own quarantine facility for its multi-million-dollar shuttle stallions.

Australia confirmed its first case of horse flu in a stallion at the Eastern Creek station in August.

The Hunter Valley's Darley Stud suffered a major hit, with 17 stallions quarantined at the station for six weeks after the virus took hold.

In giving evidence to the inquiry, the stud's operations manager, John Sunderland, said Darley had held discussions with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service about building a private quarantine station that the service would supervise.

Mr Sunderland said Darley had several pre-export quarantine facilities around the world and it wanted input into the design and safety aspects of a similar facility for horses coming into Australia.

He said Darley has already used its own money to build eight new yards at Eastern Creek.

The inquiry continues.

Posted Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:43pm AEDT