Horse Racing

New Zealand Horse Exports to Australia To Resume


Horse exports from New Zealand to Australia have resumed despite the positive case of equine piroplasmosis found in one mare based on the North Island. Additional interim testing is now in place, which has brought about an additional fee to offset the expertise required to run the tests. Agricultural officials from both countries feel strongly that the positive test will be an isolated case.

Piroplasmosis is primarily spread by ticks and is not able to be spread between horses. The ticks that can carry piroplasmosis are not present in New Zealand.

The mare that tested positive was imported by Cambridge Stud from Britain last February for breeding. When the mare arrived in New Zealand, she had met all the testing requirements, and had undergone a quarantine in Britain and New Zealand. The mare tested positive for the disease before being shipped to Australia, though she showed no signs of disease.

Other horses at Cambridge Stud are being tested to prove that the farm is free from piroplasmosis and that there has been no transmission of the disease on the farm. Thus far, all horses that were turned out with the mare or that grazed the same fields she did have been tested and are negative for piroplasmosis.

Other importing countries are in talks with New Zealand officials on how to move forward with recommencing import of New Zealand horses.

Read more at HorseTalk.





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