A LEADING Irish equine vet has highlighted the threat posed to the Irish stallion and broodmare herd by non-compliance in the sport horse sector to international codes of practice around Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA).

EVA is a venereal and respiratory-spread disease, which can result in pregnancy loss and affect stallion fertility. Ongoing surveillance reports from the Irish Equine Centre have consistently shown that Ireland is free of EVA. This surveillance is essential for the maintaining our industry’s freedom of horse movements.

EVA is a notifiable disease and any incursion would have international trade consequences. so any suspicion of incursion and all positive tests must be reported to the Department of Agriculture, who will then initiate control measures on affected premises.

The approved EVA vaccine, Artervac, is not available this year and attempts to have a substitute vaccine imported are ongoing.

In the meantime, individual stallion farms have taken different views on the degree of protection from EVA that they require in relation to the timing of EVA samples, prior to mating.

“All breeders must therefore make certain that they understand the individual requirements of each of the stallion farms to which they intend to send their mares,” said Dr Des Leadon, Veterinary Advisor to the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association [ITBA] and the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Associations [EFTBA]

“Ireland has always protected itself from disease by two measures – complying with the code of practice and vaccination,” Leadon said.

“Unfortunately, there was a failure of production of the vaccine by the international pharma company Zoetis. The ITBA first became aware of this possible failure in October 2023 and asked the Department of Agriculture if they would consider the importation of alternative vaccines.”

The Department explored the possibility of importing a comparable vaccine from Japan but, for many reasons, this proved to be impractical.

Leadon said: “We were of the view that the absence of a vaccine significantly increased the risks of EVA incursion into Ireland, and therefore every effort should be made to allow for Arvac (a US vaccine)importation.”

A decision on possible emergency licence facilitation by the Department of Agriculture here is currently awaited.

Compliance issues

Leadon also stressed the threat posed by non-compliance outside of the thoroughbred sphere: “We also feel, and have advised the Department, that the absence of any compliance with the International Codes of Practice in the non-thoroughbred sector represents a potential Achilles heel in the present context,” he said.

Elsewhere, compliance with the Codes of Practice is mandatory and a legal requirement, but not in Ireland.

Leadon said it was essential that everybody involved accepts they have a personal responsibility to protect our ongoing freedom from EVA.

“It is therefore very important that all breeders comply with the Codes of Practice by carrying out EVA testing of their mares prior to breeding,” he said.

For more information visit ITBA.ie