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80.
Shuttle Stallions
Remain Quarantined
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27/08/2002 |
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Early
tests for the West Nile Virus on the champion Canadian standardbred Astreos at
Eastern Creek Quarantine station have come up negative which necessitates a
further delay for the 59 stallions currently quarantined there. It is becoming a
serious situation as the stallions are scheduled to begin breeding next week.
The majority of stallions are due to cover large books of mares.
On arrival in Australia Astreos began exhibiting symptoms of the West Nile
Virus, lack of co-ordination, weakness of the hind limbs, falling down and
inability to rise, muscle twitching, and disorientation. However Astreos is
reported to have made a full recovery but Australian agriculture officials have
begun testing for the possibility of equine herpes, which will result in a
further delay.
Due to stand his first season in Australia, Astreos, won the time-honoured
Little Brown Jug and is a million dollar winning son of the champion racehorse
and sire, Artsplace.
Some of the thoroughbred studs affected include Coolmore, which has 6 horses in
quarantine, Woodlands, Arrowfield and Widden. There are nine standardbred
stallions currently at Easter Creek including Asteros who was bound for Alabar
Farm in Victoria, D M Dilinger, Presidential Ball and Armbro Operative.
Coolmore has postponed its annual stallion parade while Arrowfield had to cancel
the launch of one of their new stallions for 2002, Zafonic. One Coolmore
stallion not affected is first season stallion Giant's Causeway who is already
safely installed at the famed Jerry’s Plains property.
Over the past two years, some 600 horses in the United States have been infected
with the West Nile Virus, many of which died while eleven people have also been
fatally infected in the United States this year. The virus, which is transmitted
by mosquitoes, is spreading rapidly from the east coast to the west with 38
states recording incidences of West Nile Virus. A vaccine manufactured by Fort
Dodge Laboratories is showing promising signs of being safe and effective.
By: Mark Smith
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