Pregnant mare ban lifted

Press, 6 April 1989, Page 34

Pregnant mare ban lifted

PA Wellington Pregnant mares from New Zealand are to be allowed into Australia again, according to a New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association representative. The ban on pregnant mares from New Zealand was imposed last year after an outbreak of equine herpes virus abortion (EVH-1) on several New Zealand properties. The ban had a dampening affect on the recent broodmare sale at Karaka and-resulted in a number of Australian-owned mares being stranded in New Zealand.

The protocol which will enable the ban to be lifted is expected to be completed by the end of this month, allowing mares to be sent to Australia before the start of the 1989 stud season.

Pregnant mares will also be allowed into Australia from England, Ireland and France. The bans were lifted after a meeting in Australia at which the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association was represented by Nigel Coddington, who is also the chairman of the equine branch of the New

Zealand Veterinary Association. “It was a case of logic prevailing,” Mr Coddington said.

There has been only one other known outbreak of EHV-1 in New Zealand and last year’s outbreak was not widespread, involving nine properties and 26 mares. The disease is endemic throughout the world, but it still not fully understood. Horses are suspected to be latent carriers and the virus is spread by the respiratory route.

Any future outbreaks of the virus in New Zealand

will not result in the affected studs being closed down but the T.B.A. stresses that any outbreaks must be reported.

“For the sake of the industry, people need to know where these horses are,” Mr Coddington said. “It will not be necessary to close studs down and steps can be taken to quickly control the disease on any stud.

“But it is potentially a very dangerous disease and anyone who does not disclose the virus is putting the rest of the industry at risk.”