Riding Clubs-run flu vaccination conference
Riding Clubs-run flu vaccination conference recommends universal
adherence to Jockey Club rules in UK
A British Riding Clubs-organised conference has recommended
that the British Equestrian Federation should press all member
bodies to apply Jockey Club rules on equine influenza vaccination
to all horses and ponies in the UK.
The one-day Equine Influenza Conference, held at the BEF's
headquarters in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, on Thursday 2 February,
brought together delegates from all the major equestrian organisations,
the BEF, the Animal Health Trust, The British Horse Society,
Defra, vets and vaccine manufacturers.
The delegates discussed the current rules on flu vaccination
in the different equestrian organisations in the UK and internationally,
the different strains of equine flu, the percentage of horses
and ponies currently believed to be vaccinated, and enforcement
of the rules.
John McEwan, who is expected to become the next Chairman
of the FEI Veterinary Committee, explained the latest FEI
thinking and outlined several likely forthcoming developments.
Richard Newton, of the Animal Health Trust, said: "Vaccination
is a very useful prevention strategy. Some people are complacent
about the disease, but if you drop vaccination, you suffer
the consequences."
British Riding Clubs Chairman Laurie Punnett, who chaired
the conference,
said: "It is the first time such a meeting has been held
between scientists, vets and the equestrian organisations
and it was very successful. We agreed to recommend to the
BEF that Jockey Club rules on equine vaccination are applied
as widely as possible in a simple and unified manner. The
meeting did not recommend adoption of six-monthly booster
injections for domestic competition.
"We also discussed taking a 'zero tolerance' approach
to enforcement and the alternatives. It was agreed that British
Riding Clubs' firm policy on this is the fairest and I don't
expect it to change."
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