September 17, 2007
Yarraman Park regret to advise that as of last Friday several mares started showing clinical symptoms of equine influenza and as a result the DPI have declared the farm positive to EI.
Several farms nearby had also reported cases in recent days so the spread of EI to Yarraman Park was inevitable given the highly contagious nature of the disease.
This equine influenza strain is relatively mild with mares and foals at other farms all recovering well from the infection within a few days.
“We hope that the virus runs its course quickly over the next ten days or so and we can get back to business,” said Arthur Mitchell.
“It’s spreading rapidly through the horses including the stallions Foreplay and Magic Albert, who have both had it, but displayed light symptoms that have interfered very little with their covering of mares.
If you’re going to have sick horses, this is the best time of year for it to happen while the weather is still cool and there is plenty of grass, so we are optimistic that if the travel ban is lifted this week then the breeding season will be able to go ahead.”
For more information contact Yarraman Park on 02 6545 1961.
