Breeding & Racing Magazine

Last NSW EI Restrictions End June 30

NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald confirmed precautionary measures "retained in NSW since the eradication of equine influenza" was announced in February will end at midnight on Monday (June 30). Macdonald noted: "From July 1 a Travelling Horse Statement will not be required before moving horses, the remaining Green Zone will revert to White in line with the rest of the state & all EI cross-border requirements will be removed. Horse owners will now be free to move their horses anywhere in NSW & across state borders without any EI restrictions or reporting requirements. This last step in the battle against EI finally brings Australia's largest ever exotic animal disease outbreak to a successful conclusion. No other country has successfully eradicated EI & kept it out. New Zealand & Iceland are now the only other EI-free countries. Many international experts believed we could not eradicate EI. We have again demonstrated our proud history of successfully eradicating animal diseases". NSW chief veterinary officer Bruce Christie added: "More than 47,000 horses on almost 6,000 properties have now recovered from EI infection & no longer carry the disease".