THE FUTURE OF HORSE RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIA

 

As you may be aware, The Australian Horse Industry Council is leading a project to discuss the future of horse related research in Australia.

“The Future of Horse Related Research in Australia” workshop was held in Sydney during November, 2011. The workshop outcome determined that horse research does have a future in Australia. Importantly, the participants were open to supporting national coordination of horse research and investigation of permanent funding options to ensure long-term viability.

With further work undertaken since that date, the phase to complete this project will consist of a facilitated workshop with horse industry leaders, a pre- workshop survey and analysis of the national online survey conducted during December/January. On completion of the project the summary will be posted on www.futureofhorseresearch.net.au

Your horse organisation is invited to complete the attached survey, to be returned by 10 June 2012

? All horse organisations are invited to complete the survey, regardless or not of if they are current AHIC members

? Local, national or state level organisations are invited to complete the survey

? All organisations intending to attend the next workshop will need to complete the survey

The information and the survey is available on the following link :

http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/_Upload/Files/Future%20of%20Horse%20Research%20in%20Australia%20Survey%2016052012.doc

 

Workshop Invitation

• The Future of Horse Research in Australia

• Workshop 2

• Open to state & national level horse organisation representatives

• (AHIC non-members welcome)

• Guest speaker on research- survey results presentation- facilitated session based on organisational input in relation to options for funding research

• 10.30 am - 12.30pm   Friday 15 June

• Cilom's Airport Lodge, Tullamarine Airport, Victoria

• No cost. Limited number of positions available.

• RSPV  secretary@horsecouncil.org.au by 12 June

It would be appreciated if the survey and workshop can be promoted to your networks.

 

 

TECHNICAL LARGE ANIMLA EMERGENCY RESCUE COURSE COMING UP IN CAIRNS IN EARLY JUNE!    See information under "News"

 

HORSE FLU & BIOSECURITY

THE EVIDENCE IS IN

May 1, 2012

 

Research into Australia's first horse flu (equine influenza) epidemic in 2007 has shown that on-farm biosecurity measures are effective in preventing the spread of disease even when a major outbreak is already well underway.

Horse flu crippled the Australian horse industry in late 2007, affecting more than 70,000 horses on around 9000 properties. It brought horse racing and other activities in NSW and Queensland to a standstill and cost government and industry over $350 million to eradicate and recover from the outbreak.

Sydney University's Kathrin Schemann says the research team has conducted a series of studies to better understand the spread of horse flu under Australia's unique environmental condions.*

“In one study we investigated the factors facilitating and preventing the spread of horse flu onto horse properties,” says Kathrin. “We collected data from 100 properties that contracted horse flu and 100 properties that didn't, then compared biosecurity practices used at infected and uninfected properties, among other factors.”

The researchers found that, at a basic level, keeping horses away from fences and using a footbath to disinfect shoes and boots upon arrival on the property helped prevent the spread of infection onto horse properties. Similarly, other hygiene measures adopted on the properties, such as hand washing and changing of clothes and shoes, were generally protective against the spread of horse flu.

“We also checked the effect of these practices after controlling for the proximity of a property to the nearest infected property, and whether or not the horses attended an event, because these factors were also a significant determinant of whether or not a property contracted horse flu,” Kathrin says. “Even after accounting for these and some other factors, using a footbath to disinfect shoes and boots upon arrival on the property was still protective against the spread of horse flu - in fact it meant an almost four-fold reduction in the likelihood of getting infected.”   

The research team is still sifting through all the data to untangle the exact effect of other biosecurity practices during the epidemic. But until then Kathrin believes that having a footbath can be assumed to be generally representative of sound biosecurity practices.

“Our study strongly suggests that complying with certain on-farm biosecurity measures prevented horses on premises in high risk areas from being infected with horse flu during the disastrous 2007 outbreak,” she adds. “On that basis I can definitely recommend that horse owners and property managers adopt on-farm biosecurity practices, as well as all necessary disease control measures, should another infectious disease break out in Australia.”

 

* Firestone S.M., Schemann K., Toribio J.-A.L.M.L., Ward M.P., Dhand N.K. (2011) A case-control study of risk factors for equine influenza spread onto horse premises during the 2007 epidemic in Australia. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 100, 53-63.

(The research was conducted by Dr Simon Firestone and Kathrin Schemann under the supervision of Dr Navneet Dhand, Professor Michael Ward and Associate Professor Jenny-Ann Toribio from the University of Sydney, in collaboration with NSW DPI. It was part of a jointly funded project supported by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation's Horse Research Program and the Animal Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases.)

 

 

 

 

INDUSTRY LIAISON OFFICERS FOR THE AUSTRALIAN HORSE INDUSTRY    -    YOUR INDUSTRY NEEDS YOU!!!!

The Australian Horse industry Council is seeking a number of enthusiastic, committed people who are prepared to take on the challenge of training to be an accredited industry liaison officer for the horse industries.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE ON THE 27TH APRIL.     See attached document for more information

Industry Liaison Officers.pdf

 

Don't forget to get your Organisation to sign up to the Australian Horse Welfare Protocol

This Protocol sets out how Australian horse organisations, collectively and individually, will voluntarily act to promote horse welfare and well being.

www.australiananimalwelfare.com.au/content/horse-welfare-protocol

 

 

WHAT ELSE IS COMING UP AT AHIC?

Thurs June 14th   Horses & Climate Impact Workshop (Adelaide) (Hosted by HorseSA)

Thurs June 14th Board meeting (tbc)

Fri June 15th  IAC Meeting   (venue to be confirmed)

Wed/Thurs 20th & 21st June   ILO Training

Thurs 20th September Board Meeting  tbc

Fri 21st September (tentative) IAC Meeting (Melb or Sydney) tbc 

Mon/Tue 12/13 November - Melbourne National Horse Keeping Workshop (hosted by HorseSA)

Thurs 15th = Sun 18th November  Equitana

Fri 16th November (Tentative) AHIC AGM/Board/IAC meetings (during Equitana) tbc

 

 

 

 

AHIC is, once again, grateful for its major sponsors:  

 

Equine Veterinarians Australia

 

  Affinity Insurance Brokers  

 

   Keyi Welsh Pony Stud   http://keyiwelshponies.com

 

whose commitment and support of the Horse Industry is much appreciated.

 

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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