Equine Influenza Spreads to Yearlings at Darley

by merrie | September 11, 2007 at 09:36 pm

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Darley
has a large farm in the heart of the Hunter Valley. It is just down the
road from Segenhoe Stud, which had a teaser pony test positive over the
weekend. Surrounding Darley are major farms including Vinery,
Alanbridge, Brooklyn and Kia Ora, each of which house hundreds of
broodmares and foals.

Darley has been restricting the movement of people and horses on and
off the property since Aug. 26, in addition to strictly adhering to
bio-security protocols.

"We have continually been seeking advice from leading epidemiologists in the UK and USA since the outbreak of EI in Australia, and their advice to us is that vaccination is unequivocally the only way forward. Containment efforts have probably assisted in slowing the spread of the virus, but it is clear that they have not stopped it.

"Surely now we must focus on a vaccination strategy rather than a restriction of movement in order to stop the spread of EI into other parts of Australia. We have a stud in Victoria and I naturally have concerns it will, in time, also become a victim of EI.”

Tait isn't the only one concerned about the spread. Leading Randwick trainer John O'Shea said containment had failed and it is time to vaccinate. "This will spread out to Rosehill and Warwick Farm very soon and unless we vaccinate right now, racing will stop there and the foals in the Hunter will be wiped out."

The DPI is still resisting vaccination, which will cost approximately $200 per horse.