The number of properties infected with equine influenza continues to drop. There are presently (Wednesday 9 January 2008) 330 infected properties in Queensland. View the breakdown by shire
If your horse shows symptoms of equine influenza, please continue to report it to your local vet or to the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) by calling 13 25 23. There have been no new infections in Queensland reported to DPI&F since 22 December 2007.
Free blood tests and microchips
The Queensland Government is offering free blood testing and microchipping for eligible horses in the Equine Influenza Red Zone.
To be eligible, horses must be from the performance and pleasure horse industry, and meet specific criteria outlined on the DPI&F website.
The $600,000 scheme is part of the Queensland Government's $20 million commitment to assist the horse industry recover from the Equine Influenza outbreak.
For those eligible business operators or competition horse owners in the Red Zone who require proof of their horses' immunity status, the Government will supply microchips and blood testing free-of-charge.
When the lab results are available, the vet will issue the owner with an Equine Influenza Serology and Microchip Certificate for each horse sampled.
This certificate can then be provided to event organisers so they can be confident of the immune status of a horse.
Queensland's Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Ron Glanville said the same arrangement has been extended to commercial horses in the Red Zone, where proof of immune status was required.
Owners with up to five eligible horses can complete the necessary forms on the DPI&F website and apply directly to a veterinarian.
Dr Glanville said brood mares, pets or other non-competition horses were not required to undertake the tests being paid for by the Queensland Government.
DPI&F requires the horse owner to complete a Declaration confirming that their horses are eligible prior to contacting their local vet to arrange an appointment for blood testing and microchipping.
Competitors should contact their event organizer for advice on specific requirements for proof of immunity status for each event.
The protocols for holding an event in the Red, Green and Amber Zones, as well as the Application Form for events in the performance and pleasure horse sectors, are available from the DPI&F equine influenza Events webpage.
Any event organiser planning to hold an event in January or Feburary 2008, should read the Events Protocol and Biosecurity Plan and contact Simon Goddard
for more information if required.
While every care has been taken in preparing this eNewsletter, the State of Queensland accepts no responsibility for decisions or actions taken as a result of any data, information, statement or advice, expressed or implied, contained in this eNewsletter.
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