Stud boss fears other animals spread EI
A leading Queensland studmaster believes flies and wallabies as well as humans could be spreading the highly-contagious equine influenza (EI) virus.
Jeff Kruger, the principal of Queensland's best-known thoroughbred nursery, Lyndhurst Stud at Warwick, believes if humans can carry the horse flu virus on their clothing than it's feasible animals and insects could also be spreading it.
"If people can carry it you can't tell me wallabies and flies couldn't carry it," Kruger said.
Lyndhurst Stud, on Queensland's famous Darling Downs, has been ravaged by the disease with nearly all its thoroughbred horses currently affected by EI.
"We've got 410 horses affected including new-born foals overnight and 280 broodmares. The balance is made up of yearlings and a few spellers," Kruger said.
"All mares bar 17 in one paddock have it but we've now introduced a mare with it into there so they should all get it in the next day or so."
Kruger said he agreed with others who believe people from Morgan Park in Warwick, the initial source of the horse flu outbreak in Queensland, had helped transfer the disease.
Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland president Bob Frappell last week blasted the quarantine procedures at Morgan Park as farcical, claiming it was like a revolving door by allowing people to leave and visit the city centre.
Kruger said he had received "hate mail" from some people stranded by the equine flu lockdown at Morgan Park.
"We've been getting a bit of hate mail and phone calls from Morgan Park because of what's been put in the papers and the way things have been handled there," he said.
"Whilst I sympathise with these people greatly, they've been coming to and from our town after initially not decontaminating.
"Maybe the authorities didn't realise how contagious this disease was and people haven't been decontaminating thoroughly enough."
Kruger believed his stud may have become infected by a staff or family member brushing against someone from Morgan Park.
"Someone from here (Lyndhurst), whether it's family or staff, may have touched or brushed up against someone at a petrol station," he said.
"It all comes down to decontamination. People must decontaminate new arrivals onto farms and when they leave.
"A foot bath and hand wash initially was probably not sufficient. You can carry it on your clothes and hair and when (former) Premier Beattie went through Morgan Park with his entourage a lot of them had no headwear on."
Kruger said EI, which had shut down the Sydney spring carnival and severely disrupted racing in Queensland, was only a light strain but he had reservations it was being spread by the wind.
"I'm not an expert on EI but I'm not convinced it's airborne," he said.
"I've got neighbours with it and neighbours without it. A friend of mine lives 400 metres from Morgan Park and he doesn't have it.
"He's the only one that goes onto his property and he decontaminates.
"With the winds we had last week, if it was airborne he should have got it."
Kruger said the disease was spreading towards Toowoomba and warned studs in the region to ensure proper decontamination measures were undertaken.
"It's now in the Allora area (between Warwick and Toowoomba) and it's getting closer to Toowoomba," he said.
"If staff from those studs mix with people and go to a pub or restaurant it'll get to those studs in time.
"We're fortunate we've had it in early spring when the weather is cool and there's no flies.
"If these studs (at Toowoomba) get it in early October or November then they're in trouble because the heat and influenza is not a nice combination."
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