Fears horse flu vaccination causing mares to miscarry

A Wide Bay horse stud owner in south-east Queensland has raised concerns that equine influenza vaccinations are causing pregnant mares to lose their foals.

Belinda Butterfield recently sent semen from her stallion to mares based on the Darling Downs.

She says the mares conceived, were vaccinated and then miscarried.
"The owner rang me to say the mares had lost their foals and they're putting it down to the vaccination because the fact is they also vaccinated another mare and they're having extreme trouble keeping her in foal as well, she's been talking around and they've found out other people are also experiencing the same thing," she said.

The Department of Primary Industries says it has not received any reports of inoculated horses miscarrying.