NSW Situation 23rd January 2008

It is now 49 days since the estimated last date of EI infection of a property in NSW and 31 days since the last positive laboratory test (PCR test). We are aiming for NSW freedom from EI by mid-March 2008.
NSW DPI laboratories processed 2570 EI samples yesterday, including 1180 PCR tests. All the PCR tests were negative!
Testing for EI status
Laboratory testing of samples taken from hundreds of horses each day is central to the continued success of the EI response. Results from the testing provide indications of EI infection, immunity and vaccination status. The testing helps to progress zone changes through surveillance and validation and facilitates horse movements within and between zones.
Taking the Purple Zone to green will eventually involve testing of horses on 3,000 properties and collection and processing of more than 25,000 samples.
The most common tests are the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and the ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay).
The PCR test involves samples taken as a nasal swab. The test detects the EI virus (or its remnants). A positive result indicates that a horse is infected, or has been infected, with EI in the past 30 days.
The ELISA test is carried out on blood samples and detects antibodies to the virus. Antibodies form about seven days after EI infection. A positive ELISA test is necessary to show that a horse is immune by recovery.
A combination of PCR and ELISA results can reveal additional information:

• A positive PCR and a negative ELISA indicates that the horse became infected within the previous seven days. These horses are a high risk for spreading EI to other horses.
• Where both PCR and ELISA are positive, the horse is infected with EI and has been so for more than a week. Such horses remain a high risk for spreading infection to other horses.
• A negative PCR and a positive ELISA indicates that the horse is recovered and immune to EI. A horse with these results is no longer a source of infection to other horses.

You need to allow five days from the time the samples are taken and sent before results will be available. Remember the laboratories are handling thousands of samples each day.

A third and less common test is available to show if a horse has been vaccinated. The HI (Haemagglutination Inhibition) test also involves blood sampling. It detects the antigen developed by the ProteqFlu vaccine. A positive result indicates an animal has been vaccinated. Allow 6 days turnaround for this test.

When will the Purple Zone improve?

The current proposal is for the Purple Zone to be changed to Green by mid-March. For this to happen, the following conditions will have to be satisfied:

• All infected properties, suspect properties and dangerous contact properties 'resolved' by testing, vaccination, or the expiry of set times from the date of infection or contact.
• No infections within the re-zoned area within the previous 60 days.
• A random surveillance program involving 15,000 tests across 2000 properties.
• A targeted surveillance program with a further 12,000 tests across 1000 properties.
  
• The rezoning proposal approved at a national level.

Zones

There were substantial improvements in zoning yesterday. Red Zones were progressed to Amber around Dubbo, Wellington, Narrabri, Gunnedah, Parkes, Forbes and Walcha. A part of the Red Zone around Grenfell was also progressed to Amber, while the rest remains red. Amber Zones were progressed to Green in the Queensland border area and also around Dubbo - Wellington, Young, Moss Vale, and the Illawarra region.

Statistics today

18 infected properties; 13 suspect properties; 6661 resolved cases.

Today's reminders

• There is no need to vaccinate horses that have recovered from EI or are from previously infected properties.
• From 14 January, a Travelling Horse Statement is required in the purple zone.
• From 14 January, in the Purple Zone events must be registered.
• From 4 February, you need proof of immunity to EI when moving horses in the Purple Zone.
• Proof of immunity may be a certificate of immunity, horse health certificate or certificate of vaccination showing at least two doses of ProteqFlu vaccine.
  
• The Royal Easter Show horse events are going ahead. Contact the RAS horse section on 9704 1220 for requirements.

Racing NSW hardships grants close

The Equine Influenza Hardship grants package administered by Racing NSW, which provided emergency grants of up to $1500 to horse industry employees such as strappers, stablehands and racecourse staff, is to be wound up. Final applications must be lodged by Thursday 24 January 2008. No applications will be accepted after this date.

After 24 January 2008, enquiries may only be taken on applications lodged on or before that date; for information, contact Racing NSW, during business hours, on 1800 670 051. All transactions and correspondence relating to the fund will be finalised on Thursday 31 January 2008, after which date the administration of the fund will be disbanded.

Other assistance

Note that the Australian Government assistance packages administered by Centrelink continue, with the cut-off date for applications being 8 February 2008. These packages are the Equine Workers Hardship Wage Supplement Payment and the Equine Influenza Business Assistance Grant.

Contact the National Equine Influenza Hotline on 1800 234 002 for more details, and see http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/emergency/equine_influenza.htm

Further information on the Commercial Horse Assistance Payment, administered by the state Equestrian Federation, can be found at http://www.efansw.com.au/ or by calling 1800 859 611 during business hours.

NSW Map as of 22nd january 2008.

Horse flu puts Wagga festival in doubt

Equine influenza has thrown the National Horse Festival in Wagga Wagga, in southern New South Wales, into doubt, with events unlikely to go ahead in March unless restrictions are completely lifted.
Vice-president Bob Drummond says the virus had meant the paperwork involved in staging a horse event would be too expensive and onerous for the small organisations involved.

Participants from the purple zone equine influenza zone in the north of the state would be unable to attend, while border restrictions would prevent those from Victoria from returning home.
Mr Drummond says while no definite decision had been taken, most of the events were likely to be put off until next year.
"We're waiting for the custard to set as they say, but then a lot of people have also taken it in mind that it's no good training ... the horses and everything," he said.
"They may as well just turn them out for a season, which a lot have done, so they won't be holding events in their sports."

Horse flu inquiry resumes

An inquiry into the horse flu outbreak has been told vets working for the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service spent just 60 seconds examining horses at Sydney Airport when they arrived from overseas.
The inquiry has resumed in Sydney before Commissioner Ian Callinan.
Nicholas Eastlake, operations manager for the Livestock Transport Group, has told the inquiry he believed the AQIS inspection was "quick, about 60 seconds".
In response to questioning, he also said there was no physical examination of either the nostrils or the eyes of horses coming into the country.
Earlier Mr Eastlake had admitted that one of his trucks, carrying horses to the Federal Government's Eastern Creek quarantine centre on August 8 last year, had not been disinfected.
He also said there'd been a sudden, unexpected driver change at the last minute.
The hearing continues.

NSW Mares Served Down 13% & Qld Down 17%

Keeper Of The Australian Stud Book Michael Ford also announced that "as expected, Queensland & NSW, where EI invaded, were the worst affected states". Ford believes NSW "would probably end up 13% behind last yea but Queensland was staring at a 17% decrease compared with the estimated 10% national downturn".

Aust Mares Served Down 10% After EI Crisis

Keeper Of The Australian Stud Book Michael Ford released figures showing that, following the equine influenza crisis, 679 stallions have covered 23,305 mares: down 13% on last year's 26,800 coverings. However Ford said he "expected the gap to be narrowed to 10% after late lodgements & paddock services were received later in the season". Ford added: "This is a remarkable response to the EI disaster, which the industry expected would wipe 15% off last year's coverings. He noted the better-than-expected figures are "due largely to the efforts of the Primary Industries Departments of NSW & Queensland & Thoroughbred Breeders Australia in controlling the containment of EI, plus Racing NSW & Queensland Racing in managing the vaccination program against it." Ford said the 5% improvement on estimates "could mean an additional 1,000 foals" above the 15,500 he & other industry spokespeople thought might result (compared to 18,000 usually born in a season). Ford explained: "A depleted foal crop will have an effect on racing in 2 years, lasting for several years. It also impacts on future foal crops in 6 years' time, when horses from that crop go to stud." However Ford warned foaling estimates "needed to be treated cautiously at this stage, in case more mares than usual did not carry their foal". (Jan 24)

Industry getting back on its feet: 212 horses cross border

SYDNEY – The best evidence that the Australian thoroughbred industry is back on its feet in the wake of the Equine Influenza outbreak is increasing movement of horses interstate.

On Tuesday the NSW DPI announced changes in zones, increasing confidence among broodmare owners that restrictions will soon be further eased. Eight regions were scaled back from red to amber and there are solid plans to have the purple zone turn green in mid-March.

In the meantime, William Inglis and Son managing director Mark Webster today reported that 212 horses including 90 foals would cross the NSW-Victoria border bound for their Victorian base.

The majority are broodmares which would normally have returned to Victoria after a 45 day positive scan, but which were stranded when the EI crisis erupted in early spring.

“With the relaxation of procotols required for the movement of horses, these horses required a postive Elisa test and and PCR test showing a negative result within three days of travel across the border -- this is different from the previous requirement of three days quarantine in Sydney and a further three days at Oaklands in Melbourne,” Webster explained.

“Thus these 212 horses were stabled at our Newmarket complex of an overnight stay whilst PCR tests were taken and tested. Before travel horses and trucks were decontaminated. When they arrive in Melbourne they will be washed again and released,” he said.

“Given the overwhelming numbers we received on announcement of this exercise there will be another shipment of 100 horses travelling across the border on Friday.”

Horses in quarantine at the Inglis Newmarket complex have included racehorses destined for the stables of John Hawkes, John O'Shea, Lee Freedman and Gai Waterhouse.

Webster was among several thoroughbred industry representatives to attend a Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease (CCEAD) meeting in mid-January to review movement protocols.

The CCEAD approved changes to protocols those relating to the movement of Recovered horses from Purple, Red and Amber zones.

“Movement of yearlings post sale should now be very straight forward and the general view of the CCEAD is that the restricted zones in NSW and QLD will be removed by mid March, as the last new EI case was Dec 22,” Webster said.

For recovered horses, movement within Australia requires a health certificate, a positive Elisa test within past six months, unless otherwise required by the CVO in State of destination (Victoria require it within 60 days), a negative PCR within 72 hours of movement, and the horses must not be from an infected property.

There must be decontamination under supervision onto transport, travel, and decontamination upon arrival at the destination.

These conditions are not required for recovered horses from the Green Zone.

The protocol for horse sales from mid-March 2008 based on maintenance of favourable EI disease situation is:

• Only recovered or vaccinated horses accepted for the sale
• 14 day property quarantine for vendors, including 7 day on-property isolation of sale horses including bio-security measures
• Booster vaccination prior to entry to on-property isolation
• PCR testing of sale horses on entry into on-property isolation and again at day 4-5 of on-property isolation

The Post Sale protocol component involves:

• Recovered horses - Decontaminate onto transport, travel, decontaminate when unload at destination.
• Vaccinated horses - Decontaminate onto transport, travel, decontaminate when unload at approved property of destination; On-property isolation and observation for 7 days on approved destination property.

Victorian Mares Head Home

After more than 6 weeks of planning, William Inglis & Son is pleased to announce that the first draft of Victorian based broodmares and foals have arrived at the Inglis Oaklands sales complex in Victoria from NSW.

They are all equine influenza (EI) recovered horses and have passed blood and nasal swab tests to ensure they are EI free and no risk to other horses. In the next 24 hours they will be decontaminated under Victorian DPI supervision and released.

In total, 235 horses have been decontaminated and tested under DPI NSW supervision at the Inglis Newmarket sales facility in Sydney in the past week before heading to Victoria. Another 104 will leave Newmarket and arrive at Oaklands before the weekend. Most of the horses are broodmares and foals owned by Victorian breeders and until now have been stranded on farms in the Hunter Valley due to EI. There have also been a number of racehorses transported via Inglis facilities to stables in Victoria for leading NSW and Victorian trainers.

Managing Director of Inglis, Mark Webster commented, “It's been a great challenge to facilitate the movement of so many horses to Victoria, particularly noting the strict bio-security protocols and paperwork involved. We feel it's important to help the entire industry get back on track and moving horses is critical to gaining a sense of normality. By the end of this week, Inglis will have assisted with more than 400 thoroughbreds and pleasure horses to enter Victoria either via quarantine or decontamination. I'd like to thank the NSW and Victorian DPI officials for their assistance during this period.”

Due to sales commitments in Sydney and Melbourne and the unavailability of the facilities, the next major movement of horses from NSW into Victoria will not be until February 24 when more than 100 recovered yearlings from NSW and Queensland will arrive at Newmarket enroute to the Melbourne Premier sale commencing March 2.

“The great news is that recovered yearlings will only need to stay overnight at Newmarket for testing and decontamination before heading to Melbourne. They will arrive at the Oaklands facility one day prior to being joined by local yearlings for the Premier sale,” Webster added.

Another win in EI fight

EIGHT locations in country NSW have been downgraded from red to amber zones in what government officials are hailing as another step forward in the fight against equine influenza (EI). Five of the reclassified zones are in the central west towns of Dubbo, Wellington, Forbes, Parkes and parts of the Grenfell district, with the remaining three in the north-west areas of Gunnedah, Narrabri and Walcha.
“These areas are now part of the lower-risk amber zone where there is still a risk of infection, but no known infection,'' NSW Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said.
“The green zone has also been marginally increased by less than one per cent of NSW to free up movement restrictions for some horses previously in the amber zone.
“Extending the green zone has enabled movement restrictions to be eased in some areas near Dubbo, Wellington, Young, Southern Highlands, Illawarra and along the Queensland border.''
Mr MacDonald said the downgrading of the eight zones was an important milestone.
“This is another step towards having NSW horse flu free by the end of March,'' he said.
“`There are currently infected horses on less than 50 properties in NSW and no new EI infections have been detected since 21 December 2007. These are certainly hopeful signs.
“The cooperation and support of horse owners has been crucial in getting to this point.
They must remain vigilant and continue their efforts until we have finally won this battle.
“Only then can we reap the rewards for all the hardships endured over the last five months.
“It remains vital in the short term to report sick horses, enforce biosecurity and abide by movement restrictions.''
More than 85 per cent of NSW is now classified as a green zone, nine per cent an amber zone, two per cent as red and three per cent as purple, including Sydney.

AAP

Back in the saddle - soon

As things are getting progressively better (for most of the states now we believe) I would like to thank Horse Deals and the thousands of contributors to this site who have enabled an insight and information about EI during the last few months.

Whilst not wishing to denigrate DPI (in particular) I would have to say that for many of us during this time, this site has provided up to date information that has been easy to access and easy to read and understand. I would hasten to point out that apart from the South Australian PIRSA site, other official sites have been lacking real time information that is easily understood by the lay person. I am only talking about on line sites of course, and many people still do not have access to that source of information anyway. The DPI sites are notoriously difficult to get into and find what you want – everything should be only one or two mouse clicks away at most.

I noted that the Horse Council site has now opened up a section where people can advertise their upcoming horse event for free which is a good start in the right direction.

I also noted recent comments about breed societies being difficult about holding events under the cover of ‘insurance agreements’ and so on, and that many people who belong to these breed societies feel somewhat let down and unsupported during this time. I am referring of course, to the southern states where EI never reared its head at all and where all events of any type were cancelled. The few brave committees who forged ahead and held events anyway are to be congratulated for their common sense, their ability to make the best out of a difficult situation (given that I can imagine the sort of meetings that were held before the said event!) and their grim determination to carry on safely. It just goes to show that it can be done.

The good news for the southern parts of Victoria anyway is that events are finally getting up and going again. A few pony clubs around here are holding and have held, successful and uncomplicated mounted days during the last few weeks already. The QH Sprint Association has held several meetings without fuss or issue and have a full circuit planned right up until April. The SCA have managed to get entries in (no doubt in the hundreds) for the few campdrafts remaining at the end of the season. As a result, our calendar is suddenly full right into April! As my husband is Clerk of the Course for some of the sprint races, he is finding an outlet for his young horse’s energy at long last.

As for us, the Western Victoria Branch of the Australian Stock Horse Society, we have held on grimly determined to run our annual show. This has now finally been approved by the Society and will be held on March 8^th and 9^th 2008 at the Camperdown Lakes and Crater Equestrian Centre.

Contact information at this early stage will be with our branch secretary Karen Owen klowen21@hotmail.com

We are also planning to hold our annual Branch Stockman’s Challenge during April (finalising a date as we speak) here in Warrnambool but have yet to get approval from the Society to run this event.

We will publish both the events more fully and the entry forms will be uploaded to our website: www.westvic-stockhorse.com

Regards,

Karen Harrison