LAST year’s $1 billion equine influenza outbreak may be over, but debate about ongoing immunisation against the disease has only just begun.
Immunisation is normally reserved for horses to be imported or exported from Australia.
However, fearful of another outbreak, horse industry representatives were using yesterday’s National Equine Influenza Summit to call for ongoing immunisation as a second line of defence.
Both Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Racing NSW are united in calling for widespread immunisation.
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) cautioned against this approach.
Equine Veterinarians Australia president Dr Jane Axon said, “There are vocal groups calling for continuing vaccination, but this is not the answer.”
“The AVA does not support ongoing vaccination as this will not stop another outbreak.”
“The problem is, because equine influenza has the capacity to mutate, even vaccinated horses can catch a new strain of the virus.”
She added, “The horses that brought the disease into Australia last year were all vaccinated.”
Berry racehorse trainer Robbie Price disagreed with the vets.
“I can’t see how [ongoing vaccinations] are not good,” he said.
“All our horses had three vaccinations after the EI outbreak. Vaccinate them each year.”
On the decision by the Department of Primary Industry to quarantine all horses during 2007, Mr Price added, “I thought they over-reacted to the disease. Let it run its course.”