Freedman wants Victorian horses inoculated first.

Champion trainer Lee Freedman this morning called for Victorian horses to be the first horses vaccinated against Equine Influenza to ensure the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival is not lost.

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Vaccination? Whats happening?

I've just read information (on www.aapracing.com.au) stating that all horses are going to receive the vaccine, however I can't seem to find any infromation about this on the sites I've been relying on for my information i.e DPI and EFA sites. Is this correct? Will all NSW or all Australian horses receive the vaccine and what does this mean for trying to erradicate the virus from Australia? How are NSW horse owners going to be affected and what does this mean for the management of our horses long term? Without successful erradication are we always going to be fighting this virus as it mutates. It's hard to get any information as a recreational horse owner??

Danielle, Canberra

NSW, Qld to receive EI vaccine next week.

Racehorses and Olympic equestrian contenders in NSW and Queensland will be the priority when a vaccine against equine influenza (EI) arrives in Australia next week.

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NSW EI crisis worsens.

The 2008 Sydney autumn carnival is now in serious danger following confirmation equine influenza (EI) has spread to the Warwick Farm training centre.

Rosehill, which is home to around 300 horses, is now the only EI-free precinct in the metropolitan area after Randwick was shut down last month.

Almost 700 horses are trained at Randwick and about 500 at Warwick Farm where two horses are confirmed with the highly-contagious virus.

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McGauran defends horse flu vaccine delay.
Federal Agriculture minister Peter McGauran has defended the delay in getting a vaccine to combat equine influenza (EI) into Australia.

The highly contagious virus was confirmed at Sydney's Warwick Farm training centre, a month after it hit Centennial Park before infiltrating nearby Randwick Racecourse.

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What about the rest of us?

I have just read that mares from infected areas such as Randwick Racecourse will be allowed to enter the purple zone for breeding purposes.I live in a green zone in Qld which is hundreds of km from the EI areas. I need to transport a broodmare (QH) to Brisbane area. This is a red zone. I am not allowed to move her there even though we are in a green zone!Yet mares within the racing industry can move through the infected areas! Stallions from Coolmore can be returned to America!

All I can say is MONEY TALKS.

Reply to Pat, Queensland.

What about Coominya? Jimboomba? These all have comfirmed outbreaks? Still not listed on the web site. Where else is infected that isn't on the DPI site? I have spoken to these two properties and they are comfirmed by vets.

Govt, Racing NSW clash over horse flu vaccination

The Federal Government wants thoroughbred horses at Melbourne's Flemington racetrack to be the first to vaccinated against horse flu, but it is facing opposition from New South Wales authorities.

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NSW Govt may compensate racing industry.

The New South Wales Government is considering a package to compensate the state's racing industry, after new cases of the horse flu virus forced the cancellation of a race meeting at Sydney's Rose Hill today.


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Vic tightens EI border regulations

Horses moved to NSW from Victoria will not be able to re-enter Victoria and permits will be needed to bring equipment and vehicles back into the state, Victoria's chief veterinary officer says.

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NSW, Qld to receive EI vaccine next week.
Racehorses and Olympic equestrian contenders in NSW and Queensland will be the priority when a vaccine against equine influenza (EI) arrives in Australia next week.


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Another Area with EI

I heard this morning that it is in the Park Ridge area, southside Brisbane. Still knocking head against brick wall to get permit to move horse for mustering out where we live (far north of uninfected shire with no known cases). Produce stores are refusing to deliver feed to properties around Brisbane. I believe it would be safer if they did it and followed correct bio security procedures than having everyones vehicles driving all over. The government should be assisting with doing this... cost and labour.

I agree bring in the Army Reserve and SES. It would be good training for when, not if, a situation like this arises involving a virus which can affect humans ie Bird Flu. Because unless someone sorts it out now we will be in serious trouble if they don't get there act together.

Christine

The Qld situation – an accurate assessment.

The lack of information from Dpi QLD can appear that things are out of control.

Below are real facts about Qld.

- There are 227 Properties infected (less than 1/10th of those in NSW and in a much tighter cluster)
- Warwick(52) (new cases declining)
- Millmerran (1)
- Brisbane Western Suburbs (36) (new cases declining)
- Minden Rosewood (72)
- Goondiwindi (6) (0 new cases)
- Tamborine (59)

All new cases are close to existing properties, in existing districts. No infections have been found or reported outside these areas. These areas have a very high horse density.

Expect to see vaccinating of horses from Sep 29th in a buffer zone around these areas. People in effected buffer zones will receive notification this week and there will be a wider campaign to inform the public.

Unfortunately QLD DPI’s shortfall in keeping the public informed is its own worst enemy. Qld is in a far better situation than NSW and infections aren’t spreading like wildfire contrary to some scaremongering .

Pat

The McNamaras, Holed Up And Holding Out.

Felicia and Greg McNamara have been successful Western breeders and trainers for many years. Although Equine Influenza is all around them, their Cobbitty property, Lord Ben Farm, as of the 21st remains free of EI. Felicia explains the situation.

“At this stage we are EI free, but it is all around us. However, we are protected by some natural buffers. One boundary is five kilometers of State Forest, another a two kilometer recreation reserve, another a 95 acre vacant property and another a cattle property. We do have an adjoining boundary with a big Thoroughbred Stud, but we both just graze cattle in the adjoining paddocks. The Thoroughbred Stud, which runs several hundred horses is as yet not affected by EI either.

“If we do get infected it will more than likely be from human contamination. I know it is airborne, but we are reasonably well protected. As soon as we heard of the outbreak, we locked ourselves down. We stopped anyone entering the property except those who live and work here and we even restricted the vets. The vet I allow on the property is absolutely fastidious about his bio-security. We are better off than a lot of people as we have six imported stallions here and all the breeding is AI and I do all of that, and also we are able to do a lot of the medical procedures ourselves too, which reduces the use of the vets.

“Of course the outbreak has greatly affected us like many others. We have 70 horses for sale and have not sold anything for a month, as no one wants to buy a horse if it cannot be delivered. We are offering free agistment to anyone who purchases a horse in the hope of getting that moving. But like others we are finding it tough as we have 180 horses on the property and 140 are on hard feed, and the price of feed due to the drought has been biting for some time. We also do a lot of breaking and training for the Thoroughbred industry and those horses are all turned out now and there is not a lot of money to be made on that. We have a permit and can still ship semen and can breed here on the farm, so we are doing what we can, but we have had to put off 50% of our staff.

“We have been labouring under a downturn in the market, a drought and now this. There is only so much you can carry. I think the reality is, EI is here to stay and it is just going to be a management issue”.

Another hiccup in EI.

Today I have been told of another interesting and I would imagine totally stressful inconvenience of the stock standstill. My neighbours have sold their horse property to move further out into the larger cattle country.What is the problem you ask? Well, they can't pack up and leave, the people who have purchased their place can't move and the people who have purchasedthe purchasers place can't move either!!! And I would imagine it goes down the line for each person wanting to move onto the new property.

This does not affect me but I thought it interesting as another problem we have not had brought up yet (to my knowledge). We are in Woodford, Qld. and here rumours every day that it is in our district but so far, as far as we know, it is not here.! Gosh I hope it doesn't get here as my show horse is high risk due to getting Pneumonia years ago and having scar tissue from that, what chance has he got if he gets it? I wish you all well out there, be you race horse people or show/pleasure etc.. people. take care

Enough is Enough! BRING IN THE ARMY / SES

When are the DPI going to ask for help!??? If they can't cope, ask for help.!You have the ARMY, SES and many other emergency groups that could come onboard. DPI, PLEASE ASK FOR HELP.

The DPI web site is NOT up to date, I know of properties in Coominya,Jimboomba and many others that are not on any maps of infected areas. WHY NOT? Don't we need to know? The people at Coominya that I know of have been told by the DPI to put up their own sign saying they are infected! They were also told to put some electric tape across the driveway to stop anyone?! HUH yep, that'll stop'em. When are the DPI going to let us know these properties are infected? Tomorrow, day after? NEVER! There are many, many stories / rumours circulating about it being in ourarea ( woodford/ peachester/ caboolture). IS IT?

There is also stories of the DPI doing vaccinations to ALL horses in the red zone in QLD and we will be paying for the vacine AND the microchipping! I personally don't have the money to pay out and I am not yet infected/affected. How will these people who are already struggling cope with these costs? I know of one horse related family business that has earnt $250 in the last month! They went to centrelink this week to be interrogated just to get some help for their family. The people down our road have sold their horse property to another horse person and neither can move in/out as they are in red zone. They understand but I imagine the costs are rising for all involved. These are just another example of the effects.

DPI PLEASE BRING IN THE ARMY/SES TO HELP IF YOU ARE UNDERSTAFFED, THIS IS ANATIONAL EMERGENCY AND THAT IS WHAT THE ARMY ARE FOR.!!

Rosehill meet called off at last minute

The first public race meeting to be held in Sydney since the outbreak of equine influenza has been cancelled at the 11th hour, after more horses tested positive to the virus.

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