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 Biosecurity is doing everything you can to reduce the chances of an infectious disease being carried onto your farm by people, animals, equipment, or vehicles by reducing exposure to infectious agents, and minimizing spread once disease occurs. Biosecurity protocols for individual facilities should be developed in coordination with the local veterinarian serving the facility.
The Alberta Equestrian Federation (AEF) has initiated action on Biosecurity and our Breeds & Industry Committee is very much involved. In May 2008 the AEF, in partnership with the Alberta Veterinary Association and the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine created an informational Biosecurity Brochure for downloading or contact the AEF office to have some brochures/materials mailed to you.
March 2009
It has been reported to the Alberta Equestrian Federation that there are diagnosed strangles in two commercial stables in the Edmonton area and reported respiratory complications with horses at another location. All horse owners, stable managers and all those who are responsible for horse care would be well advised to inquire about the biosecurity status of any venue where horses are commingled. In addition, we recommend that all horse owners take responsibility for their horse's health by ensuring that good biosecurity practices are being practiced in the places where their horse or horses are kept. Anyone with concerns is advised to consult their veterinarian.
April 2009
What does Swine Flu and Your Horse Have in Common?
Answer: Potentially YOU!
People within the horse community need to be reminded that human influenza, although rare, can be transferred to horses. During the Swine Flu outbreak all AEF members, stable owners, and staff, trainers, farriers and veterinarians need to be more vigilant than ever in practicing bio-security.
Steps to take include:
1. be aware of where you have been and consider your footwear and clothing as carriers disinfect more than usual
2. Washing or disinfecting hands while at the stable: before you begin working with your horse and/or different horses
3. If you have the flu stay away from the barn while you are sick
4. Change clothes and footwear if you travel from barn to barn, including visits to other commodity/species facilities (swine, poultry, etc.)
5. Given the current situation, particular caution should be exercised with visitors to the farm, particularly those who may recently have returned from the southern U.S.A. or Mexico but even local barns
6. If you cough or sneeze cover your face with a handkerchief or your sleeve
7. Have respect for your animals and apply common sense
Please refer to the AEF brochure for everyday Biosecurity practices.
For more information on Swine Flu please check the information on the Public Health Agency of Canada's website:
http://www.fightflu.ca/index-eng.html
For more information on Biosecurity please check out the information on the *Canadian Food Inspection Agency web-site:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/biosec/defensee.shtml
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/swine-porcine/faq_rg_swine-eng.php
September 2009
AEF is a partner with the Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada (HWAC) www.horsewelfare.ca which in turn has stakeholder representation with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Equine Working Group. The European Commission has notified CFIA regarding concern about possible pharmaceutical contents in meat and meat food products. The CFIA Equine Working Group is addressing pharmaceutical content including withdrawal time concerns from the equine perspective. There will be a need for horse owners to keep and provide health records respecting the administering of pharmaceuticals. The AEF, AFAC and HWAC websites will soon have health record documents available for downloading. The bottom line: traceability of equine animals is going to be required for two reasons:
1. Control of infectious diseases (The CFIA EWG is not dealing with this issue at this time.)
2. Traceability of horses for the purpose of reviewing health records respecting the administration of pharmaceuticals.
For Health Record please click here
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