NSW EFA

Tuesday 15th

Important message to members: The EFA NSW previously announced on this site that we were asking for members to register with us if they were in the purple/red zones and had EFA competition horses that could be vaccinated. We have now undertaken to contact personally over the next few days all members with horses with perfomance cards in the purple and red zones so that we can be sure we have included everyone.

DPI and EI – Where Now?

Thursday 11th October 2007

On the basis of meetings David Lawrence and Judy Fasher attended yesterday there are a few things we need to report to our members.

There is no doubt that DPI is committed to the aim of burning out EI in Australia by means of vaccinating in buffer zones to control the spread of the disease.

The difficulty is to balance this aim with all its undoubted benefits against the desire of our members to resume their normal activities, most importantly earning a living.

It is clear that the racing industry have embraced vaccination as the most effective way of getting their horses up and running. Our members rightly feel that we deserve the same consideration. This fact was strongly stated at the meeting yesterday. The response was that DPI would vaccinate horses in the Red and Purple area as well as those in the buffer zones at no costs to the owners.

DPI is of the view that our horses in the amber and green zone are comparatively safe from the disease. They hope the vaccination program envisaged in the identified buffer zones will give further protection. Despite this, they have allowed vaccination of a few horses who are listed on the National Squads and the NSWIS Squads. They do not advise vaccination of other horses in these zones at this stage.

DPI and the Minister have been made aware that many of our members in these zones want their horses to be vaccinated. The availability of sufficient vaccine is an immediate problem.

The killed vaccine is not subject to the rigorous protocols involved with the ‘live’ canary pox vaccine and could readily be available to private vets, but it is likely that the use of the killed vaccine would be at the owners cost.

In the interest of fairness and equity, Chairman David Lawrence has written to the Federal Minister, Hon. Peter McGauran, asking for financial assistance in this matter so that vaccination can be offered to all our members.

EI continues to spread

SYDNEY - Two horses at Gidginbung, near Temora have been confirmed to have Equine Influenza (EI) as the highly contagious virus continues its march across NSW despite containment efforts.

The results follow confirmation last week that EI had spread to Barmedman, around 20 kilometres from Gidginbung, in what was previously an EI free green zone.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) responded to the positive tests by changing the Cootamundra and Junee local government areas from green to amber zones.

Read more.

3,000 vaccines for EFA horses

SYDNEY - A total of 3,000 doses of vaccine will be made available to the Equestrian Federation of Australia (EFA) for the vaccination of EFA registered horses in the Purple and Red Zones, the NSW Department of Primary Industries has advised.

The National Management Group (NMG) overseeing the response to equine influenza has noted the focus of the response continues to be control of the disease with a view to eradication.

Read more.

EI public information meetings at Tamworth and Gunnedah

Community meetings to keep the public fully informed on progress being made to eradicate equine influenza (EI) has been scheduled to run at the Tamworth Community Centre on Thursday October 18 at 2.00pm and Gunnedah Town Hall on Friday October 19 at 9.30am.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has teamed up with local veterinarians, horse industry representatives and Rural Lands Protection Boards to deliver EI information relevant to the local area and answer questions from horse owners.

NSW deputy chief veterinary officer, Ian Roth, said topics to be discussed would include buffer zone vaccinations, location of infections, biosecurity and disinfection, testing procedures and details of how the outbreak is being managed.

“We understand EI is having a huge impact at the local level and we want to respond to community concerns,” Mr Roth said.

“About 80 per cent of all horses in NSW are used for purposes other than racing and restrictions on the movement of horses and horse products in the early days of the campaign have been tough on people who were unable to ride their horses or attend events.

“The meetings being run across NSW are designed to inform the local community and deliver the latest information in an open, friendly environment.”

According to Mr Roth the meetings will give people the facts and dispel some of the myths, as well as provide an opportunity to ask questions of the experts.

“Accurate information about the disease and how it is spread will empower horse owners, and allow us to work together to get on top of EI in NSW,” he said.

Details of meetings to be run throughout NSW are available at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza or by calling 1800 675 888.

Uninfected horse survey closes 7pm today

SITUATION UPDATEThere are currently 4602 Infected Properties (IPs), 450 Dangerous Contact Properties (DCPs) and 453 Suspect Properties (SPs).

Most new infections are occurring in the Purple Zone with some local spread occurring in the buffer zones at Wellington/Dubbo and Forbes.

Uninfected horse survey closes 7pm today

The Australian Horse Industry Council has developed a survey to identify uninfected horses located in the Red and Purple Zones. They are collecting data on all industry groups to establish the location of these horses. This information will be used to develop a future vaccination strategy. If you have uninfected horses in these zones please complete the survey by 7pm Tuesday 16 October 2007. This information will be used to identify uninfected pockets within the Red and Purple Zones. To complete the survey see: http://www.surveymaster.com/AHIC/Q1.asp

Community Meetings

New community meeting dates have been set for Tamworth, Gunnedah, Gulgong, Mudgee, Blayney, Bathurst, Oberon and Rylstone.
Please note the change of dates for Moree and Narrabri.

For information about community meetings and future meeting dates see:

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/horse/influenza/community-meetings

Vaccinations

The vaccination buffer framework is now almost complete. New vaccination centres will be established at Scone and Tenterfield.
3,000 doses of vaccine are being made available to the Equestrian Federation of Australia for the vaccination of EFA registered horses in the Purple and Red Zones.

NSW DPI has employed local, experienced horse handlers and administrative staff at local vaccination centres to provide local knowledge to ensure the effective operation of the vaccination program.
Thank you to the private veterinarians who have made themselves available to assist with the vaccination/eradication program currently under way around the state.

Australian National Field Days, Orange

An EI display will be at the Orange National Field Days this week as part of the NSW DPI exhibit. A range of current information will be available and NSW DPI staff will be on-site to answer any questions.

IN THE NEWS
Confirmation of equine influenza infection (EI) in horses at Gidginbung near Temora has resulted in Cootamundra and Junee local government areas being moved from the green zone into the amber zone.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/news/recent-news/agriculture-news-releases/cootamundra-and-junee-amber

A community meeting at Moree to keep the public fully informed on progress being made to eradicate equine influenza (EI) has been changed to Wednesday October 17 at the Moree RSL on Tuesday, starting at 7.00pm.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/news/recent-news/agriculture-news-releases/change-of-date-moree

A community meeting at Narrabri to keep the public fully informed on progress being made to eradicate equine influenza (EI) has been changed to Tuesday, October 16 the Narrabri Bowling Club, starting at 7.00 pm.http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/news/recent-news/agriculture-news-releases/change-of-date-narrabri

RESOURCES
The following resources are available on the NSW DPI website. Print out and distribute what you can.

The further the message spreads the better.• Vaccinationwww.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza/vaccination• Movementswww.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza/movements

NSW authorities want all racehorses vaccinated

Racing authorities in New South Wales want all thoroughbreds in Australia to be vaccinated against the horse flu to stop another outbreak.

The Racing New South Wales board met last night to discuss plans for the resumption of public race meetings with the first set down for Kembla Grange, south of Sydney later this month.

The board also decided that next year's Golden Slipper will be held a month later than usual.

Read more.

Congratulations Elizabeth Woolsey Herbert !!!

Wow, how REFRESHING to finally read something that makes 100% sense, something that is totally lacking here with the government departments handling this. I was at the Orange Field Days today and spoke to someone from the DPI who said, "They have no idea about what they're doing" - great confidence builder .... NOT.

Unfortunately, THEY KNOW BETTER, and hopefully one day, will be "legends in their own lunch boxes", but until such time they will procrastinate and blunder on at our animals and our expense.
So far all offers of knowledge & help from people such as yourself have fallen on the deaf. You are so right, they all have their own agenda's, so stuff what's really important here.

We can only hope and pray that its NOT TOO LATE for our horses and the industry which we support, when the powers that be, finally do heed your advice.

Sue R.
Amber zone detainee


Thanks for the info Re Orange National Field Days

As usual, the info we get from the DPI is a little too late. This afternoon I received my "daily update" from the Horse Council, saying that the Minister would be at the Orange National Field Day site today. This information along with times etc he would be available to speak to, would have made much more sense to have been better published either yesterday (at the latest) or last week, so that people could've taken the opportunity to get time off work etc to go to the Field Days to ask him all the questions they have. I was at the Field days and I heard no announcements re him being there and didn't see too much about EI on the outside area of your stand. I will be going back tomorrow, so hopefully there will be someone there who can answer all the questions I have and not someone who'll tell me to call my local RLPB, as they don't know anything about it. I'm guessing this will be as close as Orange gets to holding a EI meeting, so looks like I'll have to travel the 150 - 200kms round trip to Blayney or Bathurst next week.

Sue Roughley

I want answers!

Armidale is at wits end with equine influenza.
I am 15 and I live via Armidale NSW.EI is all around us and there is nothing we can do.
Properties under quarantine ( two of them just down the road from me ), unanswered questions confusion and anxiety.
My family have a mare which we purchased about 2 weeks before the confirmed outbreak of equine influenza........SHE IS STILL IN GLOUCESTER!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am in a buffer zone however she is not.
The racing industry can move in their purple zone yet those in the amber cannot!!!!!!
And the purple zone actually has the bloody flu.....!!!!!!!!!!!!
What the $#^* are they playing at???????................Armidale is at it's wits end!!!!!!!!!
No answers, No relief and No attempt to resolve the disaster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We deserve more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!............To many people have suffered because of equine influenza.
The racing industry brought EI into Australia and now everyday people like you and me are suffering as a result.
Something is wrong with that yet I don’t know what???..........oh wait ......yes I do .......it's................THEY'RE ALL IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
................ Henry.

Tasmania 5pm Tuesday

Still no new reports of sick horses.

* A few of you have phoned or emailed me about the ban on non-racing events, so there may be some confusion out there. The ban is still in place for all non-racing events involving 10 or more horses. No indication at this stage of when that might be reviewed. The Equine Federation of Tasmania is meeting the Minister - I understand that's on Thursday - and doubtless the issue will be "on the table" at that meeting.

If/when anything changes, I'll let you know by email straightaway.

* We have developed a set of biosecurity recommendations for horse events at school fairs and for riding schools/clinics - providing, of course, they are less than 10 horses! It'll also be useful for larger events if/when the ban on non-racing events with 10 or more horses is eased Essentially it's common sense stuff about cleaning the gear and keeping a record of all who attend. Of interest, pony rides (such as at a school fair) are a problem because of the obvious difficulty in doing up an accurate lists of names, addresses, etc of all who have contact with the pony. We will be posting them on our website in the next day or so. If you'd like a copy before then, please let me know and I'll send you the current draft.

Cheers
Barry Calderbank
Communications
Biosecurity and Product Integrity
DPIW New Town

Nicole Magoffin's speech at the Nambour Horse Industry meeting

Liz Buchanan, Monday, 15 October 2007

Olympic trials Dressage Grand Prix rider Nicole Magoffin went to Morgan Park at Warwick on the 25th August to give a 15 minute dressage demonstration and spent five weeks as an Morgan Park 'inmate' caring for horses.

Nicole gave a speech at the Nambour Horse Industry meeting on Saturday 13 October 2007. Listen to her message to all horse owners about equine influenza decontamination and eradication.

Download the video
Nicole Magoffin's message (WMV, 1.03 mB)

NZ 'should start vaccinating against EI'

Kiwi horses are allowed to travel to Melbourne for the spring carnival but New Zealand's administrators so far have not given trainers a time period in which they can return.

Tuttle also foreshadowed major protocol changes that would affect Australian racing forever.

"Racing as we once knew it won't be the same," he said.

"There will be a whole range of protocols that will be needed now to be put in place.

"In future, we'll need to be satisfied about the level of immunity and vaccination program for any horse prior to it being able to participate in Queensland and that will eventually extend nationally.

Read more.

Victorian DPI Update Monday 15 October 2007

Date: Monday 15 October 2007 – 1800 hrs
Issued by the Department of Primary Industries Victoria, as a service to interested parties in the equestrian and related industries.

http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/_upload/files/Vic%20Update%20Oct%2015.pdf

Tasmania 1.15pm Tuesday

Folks
We’ve had advice by phone that the test results from Geelong are negative. These were tests on samples from the horses of concern on the three NW properties.

We’ll get the formal test results later today and we’ll then be looking to lift the quarantine restrictions on those properties.

This means that the suspect cases are now all ruled out as being EI.

All the formerly suspect horses are now either improving or have recovered completely – further evidence that this was not EI.

For everyone’s information;

• The owners of the horses that were suspect have all been wonderful and, of course, each did exactly the right thing by reporting the sickness in their horses so quickly. A big "thanks" to them.
• The organisers of the horse events at the Burnie show had a good biosecurity program in place and it was their good record of entrants that enabled us to identify and contact the owners of all contact horses very quickly.

Obviously, while the "scare" of the last few days is now over, the alert is not. Now is not a good time for anybody to become complacent, so please keep hammering your friends (and others) with encouragement to keep practising good biosecurity !!

Cheers
Barry Calderbank
Communications

The wider ramifications of GMO vaccination

I am on the outside looking in, but this is what I see:

1 The bureaucracy have/had no idea about the size of the actual horse population and therefore no perception of the size of the problem.

2 The people working in the DPI (as a generalisation) are not stock people and are therefore not able to grasp the most basic precepts in fundamental animal husbandry. (ie necessity for quality food and water)

3 There is no consistent nor sensible interpretation of the regulation because of 2 above.

4 The realities of the vaccination issue (especially the GMO vaccine) are either being glossed over, the information not being fully disseminated OR that horse owners do not actually want to see the pit which is opening up in front of them. My personal jury is still out on this question.....

OK a realistic Case History coming up
Breeder (ponies) now in a buffer zone.
Immediately prior to the lock down had brought all the ponies (many grazed out on other properties) to the home farm prior to relocation to a new property.
New property also in same buffer zone
Now paying rent on one property and mortgage on the other
Cannot use the 'new' property therefore - not permitted to be moved
23 ponies on 42 acres at present.
Drought - no feed - presently hard feeding
They cannot be sent to the doggers to alleviate a potential welfare issue - not permitted to be moved
The person is not a business so gets no $ assistance
DPI want to GMO vaccinate all the ponies as per AUSVETPLAN as in buffer zone. No choice of vaccine given.
IF this vaccination programme goes ahead, in the likelihood that these ponies well end being killed because the owner can no longer afford to feed them, what happens?
$40,000 bill for disposal. Who is going to pay for that?

Whereas if they were allowed to go to the doggers at least it will not cost anything in $ terms.

OR maybe if the DPI GOT REAL and issued a permit to move to the ponies to the new property where there IS feed and water there would be no potential welfare issues arising. How many more of you 'out there' are facing the same issues? Are you getting any help or is your head getting mushed because of hitting the brick wall? Call in the SPCA? What is your solution?

The GMO issue - may not worry you because you 'keep your horses for life and you do not send anything to the doggers'. But you can be dammity sure that along the way some of these discards will end up in the food chain. Paper work gets lost. They may be getting micro chipped, but is any effort been put into thinking about a permanent indication being applied to the hide, to show that they are vaccinated micro chipped horses, as opposed to horses which are micro chipped for other purposes? Nope, seen no mention of that....

Most horse people have dogs - the two seem to go together. This research is to do with Avian influenza but contains the following statement - here is the reference link. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Avian+influenza+(H5N1)+susceptibility+and+receptors+in+dogs-a0167507684H3N8 is the strain presently rife in Oz"Influenza virus infection of dogs was first reported in 2004 (6). Influenza (H3N8) of equine origin caused outbreaks in greyhounds in Florida and has since been found in dogs in >20 US states (7). The course of experimental infection of SPF dogs with subtype H5N 1 resembles that of the experimental infection of dogs with the subtype H3N8 (6): all dogs seroconverted, and some excreted virus without obvious disease. In contrast to the experimental outcomes, natural infections with influenza (H3N8) resulted in serious illness, death, and widespread infection for dogs. This finding warrants special attention to the potential course of avian influenza (H5N 1) infection in dogs. Therefore, dogs' contact with birds and poultry should be avoided in areas with influenza (H5N 1) outbreaks to prevent possible spread of virus and human exposure to influenza (H5N 1) virus that might have been adapted to mammals. "

Transmission of equine influenza virus to dogs.
This site also has a lot more in depth information about equine flu around the world, check it out:http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=103753this website has already had information from it posted to horse deals. read it again :)Point to note - this H5N8 equine - canine transmission was first seen in greyhounds. What are greyhounds routinely fed as matter of choice? Raw Horse Meat. GMO vaccinated horses are not to be allowed to be used for meat - go figure.So what happens when one of the horses slips under the radar - is slaughtered as 'home kill' for an owner's dogs???

People, start asking the HARD questions - and keep asking until you get sensible, consistent, replicable answers.

Think about how you are going to cope when you and your horses are still in lock down 9 months from now and there is NO FEED.

IF you are going to vaccinate then PUSH for the killed VACCINE. If enough people start making enough noise 'something' might happen and common sense will prevail. Don't leave this to 'somebody else' to deal with; do it for yourself.

Celia

SIMPLE!

FOR GOD'S SAKE ALL WE NEED IS TO BE ABLE TO GET KILLED VACCINE FROM OUR VETS OR HAVE THE VET GIVE IT TO OUR HORSES. WE DON'T NEED MICROCHIPPING . THE HORSES THAT HAVE HAD THE FLU HAVE NOT BEEN CHIPPED! WE DON'T NEED SPACE MEN COMING AND SCARING OUR HORSES. NOT TO MENTION GM VACCINE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT ELIZABETH

Lorna

Living with EI

Many owners are saying "Why not live with EI?"

What would it be like to have EI declared endemic? There are plenty of examples from overseas. If we call EI endemic, horse ownership in Australia will change radically from what we have enjoyed. Horses that are moved will have to be permanently identified by microchip and carry a passport with veterinary certificate of vaccination or a positive serology test (proving immunity).

The EFA estimate of this process is $300 per year. This is about what we expect.

A quote from UK vet Dr Louise Jolliffe: Call out fee approx £30. Vaccination £40 each so altogether cost of 2 visits & 1st & 2nd vaccination would b £140 for an individual horse.

Cost of horse ownership will increase. It might not be a great burden on the owner of racehorses or elite performance horses but will affect the average battler or pony club member.

Everyone going to a show, event, campdraft or whatever would have to show the passport and have the identification confirmed like the procedures for FEI examination on arrival. This will add considerably to the hassle of running horse events. People will only be able to arrive when the passport checks are being conducted. The FEI rules state that the examination must be done prior to entering the grounds and I see this as an impossible problem with our current ground designs.

The major problem is that the vaccines are not 100% and vaccinated horses still get infected and show the disease. If vaccination was effective there would not have been the recent outbreaks in Ireland and Japan or in Eastern Creek in 100% vaccinated horses. To prevent outbreaks and epidemics of EI it is expected that over 70% of horses will have to be vaccinated. Even then, as the virus mutates, we can still expect cases to occur and race meetings and other events to be cancelled.

Eradication is the best option and is still a realistic goal.

Rod Hoare
Industry Liaison

Well Said Desarae

I am one of those "paddock bashers" who competes regularly in dressage. I have not seen my beloved mare for "6 weeks" As my agistment centre decided to lockdown a couple of days after Morgan Park did. We (the owners) agreed on this as we know it was (and still is) the best way to try and protect not only the agister's horse's (some highly competitive, some belonging to children for trial rides) but those of the Agistment centre's - which is a Stud. With mares starting to foal and others coming into season, we feel for the owner and the situation they are in.

I for one keep in contact with my farrier as he is worth his weight in GOLD!!!! Having a young family and his skills being the only income my heart goes out to him and his family.
I'm always dropping into the produce store I use to use, reminding them that they are not forgotten - (cos of the lockdown my mare is on full board with feed supplied by only one store)

The agistment centre has also had to lay off one of its staff - But NOT BEFORE finding them a Temp job so that when this is all over the staff member can come back to work with our horses (How many of those racing trainer's have done that for the stable hands they sacked?????????)

After reading your blogg Desarae I felt that I should write and let you know that I for one am deeply concerned for the farriers, chiro's, dentist's and the many other's that are facing a hell of a road to recovery - Like I said before, my farrier is worth his weight in GOLD and so is my mare's vet, dentist and riding instructor and of course her agistment home.

Without them I would have surely destroyed my mare's hooves, starved her, torn her mouth with sharp teeth, ridden her like a bull through a china shop, killed her with tetanus/strangles and left her tied up on the roadside.

Keep your chin up we are out there - and we do give a damn about you - ignore those that only give a damn about how much money they wont be getting because some gambler wont be able to place a bet.

Kel

Good old D.P.I.

D.dopes. P.pushing. I.idiots.........They are the dopes, we (not for profit Horse owners) are the idiots, as, we just keep accepting their B.S. and total incompetence.

Yesterday I phoned the d.p.i. for certain information I required re. E.I. The answer was I Have Not Heard Anything Around The Office. I was not inquiring about office gossip, but it seems that is how they are treating the E.I. information and passing it on.

Also, I reported the moving of many horses by the one person over the past 3 week-ends, they gave me a Camden phone number to ring, then they gave me crime stoppers, they took some details and nothing happened. Maybe, the person did have a permit , but, for 14 horses I don’t think so. So, he will continue to move more horses next Week-end.

Regards, Carol.

Deaths of foals

Like in a human flu outbreak, it is the very young and the old that are most susceptible and more likely to die. When we first identified that flu was in Australia, the best information was that up to 10% of foals might die. Abortions in mares were also predicted. We were worried that the foals and their mothers were naive and the foals would have no antibodies. Some foals have died which is very traumatic for people concerned.

Subsequently it appears that the mortality rate is less than 1% which is somewhat of a relief - it could have been a lot worse. Scone Veterinary Clinic has confirmed 4 deaths in foals due to EI in 1,000 foals born. On the database run by the DPI there is information on foal deaths. There are reports on this database of 44 foals and 68 horses dying. Many of these are clearly unrelated to EI and some might be late term abortions due to EI or other causes. There are over 5,000 reports on the database.

People have made accusations that the DPI have been concealing the number of foal deaths. The DPI has no reason to do this - they want to know what is going on.

Owners would like to protect foals with vaccination. Very young foals do not have a good immune system and vaccinating young foals is not effective. The way to protect foals is by vaccinating their mothers 6-8 weeks before parturition so that the foals get protected by their mother's colostrum. The vaccines have only been available for the past 2 weeks so this protection has not been an option. EI could not have come into the country at a worse times for our foals.

Rod Hoare

Industry Liaison

The Australian Horse Industry Council (AHIC)

The Australian Horse Industry Council (AHIC) is represented at the highest levels in discussions, at the Federal and Sate levels, during this current emergency. We will keep you advised through this site and by emails to registrants on the Horse Emergency Contact Database.





Contact Database


Summary: A method of conveying information to organisations or individuals in times of emergency using fax, email or SMS.


Problem: Emergency management organisations have difficulty coordinating services to horse people in times of emergency. This results in unnecessary risk to welfare of horses, inefficient use of emergency resources and potential risk to human life. The situation is caused by the fragmented nature of the horse industry with its multitude of organisations and interests. Compounding the problem, many horse people have no affiliations.


Solution: An internet based database containing the contact details of organisations or individuals. Organisations indicate the geographic area covered, the number of members and the number of horses affiliated. Individuals advise the number of horses and where they are located. A password system allows the data to be modified.


What types of emergencies are covered? Bushfires are the most common emergency where emergency authorities have trouble with horses. Recent fires in Canberra and around Sydney caused the death of many horses. Other threats are floods, disease outbreaks and seasonal problems such as plant or botulism poisoning.


Emergency information provided to horse organisations: Larger horse organisations, such as the EFA, Pony Clubs and the larger breed societies, will be important in the overall flow of information because many horse owners may not join HECD as individuals. The larger organisations have their own communication channels and will be able to spread the message further.


We anticipate that three levels of information will be provided.

• Firstly general awareness in the form of general advice on preparing for bushfire season. This might go in your regular newsletters.


• Secondly, specific alerts will be given as a threat is perceived. These might be a bushfire prediction, flood warning in a specific area and may suggest early evacuation or other action. The organisations would probably pass this information on by email distribution lists.


• Thirdly, there may be information conveyed during an emergency giving information as to where horses can be taken safely and cared for. This information would assist members who might phone the organisation seeking guidance.
  
  

Emergency information provided to horse owners: Individual horse owners that are registered with the HECD would receive the same type of information, except that it can be targeted and made more specific to a district or locality. The urgent information would be sent by SMS making it more useful and available in a dire emergency situation.

Information provided to Emergency authorities: The HECD will not give out personal details of individual horse owners to Councils or any commercial bodies. The HECD will assist emergency authorities in two ways.

• Firstly by detailing how many horses are in a particular area and where they are located. This is to assist emergency planning such as fire or flood evacuations or vaccination in the event of a disease outbreak. Using new technology it is possible to digitally map the locations of horses using street addresses. (Property Event Management System or PEMS).



• Secondly by passing on messages to horse people in emergencies and being able to document how many people have been contacted.
  
  

Action requested of horse organisations

• Registration of each organisation and all branches on the database.


• Information on the scheme in newsletters.


• Encouragement for individual members to join.

http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/content.asp?z=12&c=124&p=326

Tasmanian Report 9am Tuesday

No overnight reports of sick horses from horse owners or vets or, indeed, anyone else. Still awaiting the Geelong lab test results. If negative, we will be able to lift the quarantine on the 3 properties. More ongoing surveillance today.

Otherwise, I've nothing to say - so I won't!

Next update 5ish tonight, unless there's any significant news before then. Cheers Barry Calderbank
Communications

EI, what else ?

Hi All,
Just sending a big thank you for your Blog as it has been indispensible in consolidating all the news, info and rumours
Best wishes.

Claire Thorpe

No racing for stranded stars

THE final door has been closed on Melbourne Cup hopeful Leica Falcon and star NSW sprinters Takeover Target and Natural Destiny entering Victoria for the spring carnival.

Victoria's Department Of Primary Industries' chief veterinary officer, Hugh Millar said yesterday the ban on Queensland and NSW horses entering the state would not be relaxed.

The ban was imposed following the equine influenza crisis, which has wreaked havoc in Queensland and NSW since late August.

"The fact is there isn't an agreed protocol to allow these horses in and it's the same for any other horse," Millar said. "It's not just Victoria they can't enter but also South and Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. The reason is because the situation with EI is still fluid and things keep changing all the time."

Read more.

Autopsy reveals equine influenza didn't kill horse

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) says an autopsy has revealed the recent death of a horse at Wellington, in central western New South Wales, was from colic, not equine influenza.

The DPI has sought to correct media reports that the two-year-old horse died of horse flu.

Meanwhile, Blayney Shire Council says it has secured an equine influenza workshop at Blayney to be coordinated by the DPI.
It will be held next Tuesday afternoon at the Blayney Community Centre.
The state Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, will be at the Australian National Field Days today to discuss the regional impact of the horse flu crisis.

EI

Re: Equine Influenza Strategy 16/10/2007
To Whom It May Concern:

The outbreak of influenza has not only devastated the Thoroughbred industry in Australia, it has devastated the pleasure horse industry, the “service provider” industry (I am member of this industry) and it has decimated the primary industries in both a national and a state level. The credibility, on any level, of government to deal with this outbreak has been severely tarnished.

The “Austvetplan” is a poorly conceived and poorly implemented idea that was based on a viral outbreak that would be passed horse to horse. Its failings are blamed on the human bio-security breaches, and not on the failure of the plan to account for horse to human to horse.

The government agencies are run by people with agendas. Many want to keep the island influenza free and many want to fly the “Austvetplan” flag they conceived until the last horse in Australia gets influenza. The problem is that many, if not most, do not have a vested interest in the industry other than their areas of control. They are not really at the coal-face. They may even be veterinarians who don’t see horse owners and horses on a day to day basis. They have, and frankly, I have, misjudged the love and dedication that horse owners have toward their horses.

For most of the owners this is not at “arms length” relationship. This is not a Thoroughbred trainer who has forty horses under his charge, but lives away from the stable. This is a family that has four to ten horses that are right in the back yard. They look at the snotty noses, they record the temperatures, sometimes hourly, or they wait for the virus to hit. They see neighbours or friends get vaccine while they are excluded. These were people who would rather let their horses get the flu and suffer for the sake of keeping the country “influenza free” (much to my dismay) until the strategy from the various DPI’s was exposed as not a strategy to keep the flu from spreading, but a strategy to keep the racing industry going. This is a plan to protect one industry that was cloaked in the sheep’s wool of fighting the spread of the virus.

At that point even the slowest of the slow knew where the DPI’s interest and allegiance lay. At that point, and currently, few people have any respect for the state and even to some extent, the federal government authorities. Sadly that includes people from my profession as well.
So what do we do?

I feel that having governments deal with this catastrophe is like asking a tortoise to herd cats. The bureaucracy is just too slow and too entrenched in defending themselves and their plans to adequately deal with such a dynamic situation. We need people who are not married to a plan, but to the well being of all horses and all industries.

Might I suggest that we let economic forces have a go at solving this problem?

Influenza vaccine does not cause economic ruin in countries where it is endemic contrary to public opinion. In fact, the average horse owner would not even consider it to be anything more than just a normal and rather inexpensive cost of owning a horse. Compared to the cost of the dentist, farrier chiropractor, and dare I say, veterinarian, an influenza vaccine would not even register on the radar. Few horse owners in America even vaccinate more than once a year for influenza, and as a veterinarian, I did not recommend more than one influenza vaccination a year, unless the horse was competing and traveling to other horse venues. Some owners would vaccinate more than yearly, and some wouldn’t, but no one makes horse owners vaccinate. It is just smart preventive medicine.

So instead of forcing people to vaccinate, and instead of “not letting” people have access to vaccine, I suggest the government step out of the role of control and let market forces take over. Allow people to make their own choices and pay for their choices after an initial round of vaccines. Horse ownership is not a right and governments should not finance the protection of horses against such a virus.

There already is vaccine in Australia that is about as effective as influenza vaccine, and is and for a virus that has far more complications than equine influenza. Equine herpes virus causes flu like symptoms, occasional coital lesions on both stallions and mares, abortions and rarely paralysis and death. Only very few people vaccinate for herpes or “rhino” and there is no obligation to provide evidence of vaccination except when mares go to breeding studs. So, the government has no reason to say that letting the horse owning public decide to vaccinate (or not) has no precedence. You would be crazy not to vaccinate.

It is a myth to say that if influenza becomes endemic in Australia, it will lead to ruination of the industry.

It is a fact that the continuation of this plan and the preferential vaccination of valuable vs. the endangered horses will cause ruination of many industries.

I am currently visiting my father in California. Together we have over 75 years experience in endemic influenza country. Neither of us remembers when the flu stopped a single equine event yet we have both seen many cases of influenza.

I urge all of you to unite and demand that you be allowed to vaccinate your horses and be prepared to pay for it yourselves. The vaccine over in the States retails for about $15 dollars per dose. You might want to also demand that market forces get the cost down as well. A microchip will not offer any immunity. We do not need government or quasi government ( Horse Council) controls. We need money to be put into vaccine, not a team of people vaccinating one horse. Get real.

I have just attended a veterinary seminar about EI in the States last week. The consensus is that vaccine and acceptance is the way to go. They are shaking their heads at our eradication plan and the selective vaccinations.
Respectfully,
Elizabeth Woolsey Herbert DVM
Adelaide Plain Equine Clinic
Gawler SAwww.horsedoctor.org