European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders' Associations: Report from the Veterinary Advisory Committee

Report from the Veterinary Advisory Committee

– and minutes on discussions at the EFTBA 2011 AGM in Paris. Tim Richardson Chairman veterinary report, including AGM comments from EFTBA Chairman Joe Hernon, and from Dr James Crowhurst, Dr Roland Devolz, Dr Des Leadon, Dr Hanspeter Meier, and Dr Harald Sieme.

I would like to thank everyone on the committee for their help and advice during my time as Chairman. In particular of course to our veterinary advisors: Dr Meier, Dr Devolz, and Dr Leadon. We also welcome two new advisors: Dr Crowhurst from the UK and Dr Sieme from Germany. And of course also to Joe Hernon for his excellent EFTBA Chairmanship and great support towards this committee and me personally and Cathy McGlynn for her hard work, in depth knowledge of the EU workings and language and assistance.

In particular I want to thank Hanspeter Meier for the launching and finding very generous sponsorship, of the quarterly newsletter which is sent to you all by email. I think this is a very useful and interesting publication and urge you all to make it available to your individual members. The value of these articles is important to breeders. The Veterinary advisors last night all insisted upon the fact that each TBA must send it on.

The Committee met at length yesterday afternoon and had a large number of points to cover. However, before I do this I want to mention some European legislative issues and demonstrate how the Committee is also working effectively on behalf of all the EFTBA members.

Last year we responded in detail to a European Commission consultation on the proposed new Animal Health Strategy: we worked hard on our response to this and several of our comments were highlighted in the Commission’s response document, for example: that the “Specific needs of the horse sector should be taken into account. … and that all horses shouldn’t be treated the same … as they have hugely varied health status and disease risks”
“- Specificity has to be recognised especially for equidae, where an existing system complying with the international standards for registered horses is already in place. More emphasis should be given to its implementation.
Finally “– EU animal health policy is unclear about the status of the horses and doesn’t reflect commercial, racing, breeding, sporting and leisure movements of horses.”
We will continue to press home the specific needs of our breeders and I think this is a good example of where EFTBA is working to protect every single European breeder from unnecessary or unsuitable regulations by highlighting the unique nature of our sector.

Other issues coming up at an EU level which the committee will be keeping an eye on are the Official Commission Proposal on Animal Health law. This is expected by March 2012 but of course there will be drafts prepared before then which we will want to make input into. There is also the EU legislation on Animal Welfare preparation of 2011-15 second action plan, and the Animal Welfare in Transport Review – Commission officials will report back by the end of the year on the current effectiveness of the legislation and on the basis of that will decide whether to amend the Regulation or not.

So, back to our Veterinary Committee Agenda items where I will quickly go through the discussions we had yesterday:

Terms of Reference of the Committee
Dr Devolz stressed that the Chairman of the Veterinary Committee can stay for up to one year after a new EFTBA Chairman is elected, in case there is a particularly difficult dossier to follow. This would ensure effective continuity. These terms of reference have been signed and clearly state this overlap if required.

EFTBA Newsletter
There is a reminder to member EFTBA Associations that they should disseminate the newsletter as it is extremely useful to individual breeders. Again, many thanks go to Hanspeter Meier for his excellent editorial and choice of subjects.

Sales and DNA testing the Equine Genome
It is important for a group like EFTBA to point out to breeders important issues on this subject, such as, perhaps only one third of performance indicators are genetically related as this is still novel and in a very early period.
Regarding hair testing at sales, the AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) is clear that testing may only be undertaken with the consent of the owner, this policy should not only be applicable in the United States, but at European and other sales elsewhere.
Des Leadon confirmed the importance of making everyone understand what is being sold to the breeders today, and also the very important point on integrity issues of interpretation and the distribution of this interpretation.
These are key factors that the EFTBA organisation must make clear.

These Companies claim interpretations based on performance related analysis, not an identification of parenthood.
Dr Harald Sieme, not only at the previous days Veterinary meeting itself, but also at the AGM, clearly expressed his knowledge on the Genome situation in his country, by informing both meetings that the Marker is not the same as in Cattle.
Dr Hanspeter Meier added that some TBAs are only receiving financial support from their authorities if they include Genome studies in their breeds. This is a problem

It was suggested by Des Leadon that the Veterinary advisory committee should quickly meet the major companies, at their expense (not at EFTBA’s expense).
-Question from Dean Harron: How many Companies? Reply from Des Leadon 3 major companies.
Dean Harron also expressed his grave concern that, in order for these companies to have reduced analysis expenses their tests are carried out in India and offshore.

Des Leadon enforced the point mentioned by T Richardson that the Industry is NOT dealing with a Veterinary issue here, and that anyone can take the hairs of the mane or tail of an animal and submit them to a so called genome testing laboratory.
Therefore it is an INTEGRETY issue.

Dr James Crowhurst expressed the point that many look at this like that with heart scanning some years past, BUT that these DNA tests will not go away and they will either prove to be worthwhile or die out if no real conclusions are possible.
It was suggested that perhaps one avenue to explore, should there be DNA requested testing at sales, that the DNA tester for the purchaser be also obliged to share his findings with the animal seller (if the owner wishes to receive them).

Regarding DNA testing at sales the AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) is clear the testing should never be taken without the consent of the owners.

EFTBA Veterinary Advisory Committee believes this is an urgent matter and proposes a meeting with the commercial companies to discuss integrity issues.

The Advisory Committee asks if EFTBA members wish them to consider writing a briefing paper (and to ask their TBAs after this AGM whether this would be of use) to inform breeders of these latest developments and what this issue is all about (by including the AAEP briefing, with permission), for example, to say to members to be aware that some of the claims of the commercial companies who sell testing are not independently scrutinised.

Forensic Testing at Sales (Medication controls)
Regarding forensic testing at sales the difficulty today is the unknown factor for consignors as to what is being tested and at what levels. Chairman Joe Hernon expressed the opinion that as a consignor he is informed of this information, Tim Richardson has had less information on the subject.
The request here is though that the European sales companies have a clear policy on testing.
Mr Dean Harron asked if this subject has a time schedule, T Richardson replied that contacts have been made since February through ARQANA to the SITA organisation and that they had already started to study the problem. Dr Devolz added that the information should be available for the November meeting, which Mr Harron said he would like to see held to.

There was at both the veterinary meeting and at the AGM a common opinion that there should be identification of what is being researched for and to determine the threshold on panel testing for drugs between different sales companies.

Des Leadon explained that the question is to avoid having an unfair playing field between sales, a horse treated for this or that ailment should of course be treated, but the Industry cannot afford to have different levels of positives or negatives or interpretations between sales companies.
At present horses can have different results in different sales. There is a lack of transparency in testing. Tim Richardson added that the breeders and sellers must be in charge of what is being done at sales and not to have a system imposed upon them by the purchasers.

James Crowhurst brought to the advisory committee’s attention that there are different laboratories at each sale, so there is a risk of interpretation. Roland Devolz said that there are the official and quality controlled laboratories, but that the SITA deciders should NOT only decide on the drugs and levels with their Laboratory experts BUT to make sure that the consignors are in fully involved with competent in the field advisors.

EFTBA Advisory Committee stresses the need to agreement on the choice and the reason for each drug tested at the sales and for Forensic panels to unify testing at levels which are totally acceptable to the Industry.

The New Zealand Endoscopy Study
There was a discussion on this study in relation to previous studies and in particular European veterinary findings.

It would be of use to EFTBA to bring to buyer’s attention the results in race performances shown in this study, in particular in the area of the classified veterinary endoscope findings: “Grade 3 throat” (1 and 2 being considered best)
It would also be worth drawing this New Zealand study to the attention of Bloodstock Agents before the sales season.

With the Authors authorisation, this study should be added to the Hanspeter Meier quarterly Newsletter.

The Australian Study on the Use of the Whip
Dr Devolz informed the Committee that this study had not been peer reviewed. He also informed the Committee that there are two international racing committees working on this issue, and that the EFTBA is following with interest these developments.
At the AGM Tim Richardson expressed the same reserve about this Report, Mrs Camilla Skodvedt, reminded the delegates that the non-use of the whip is already in place in Norway.
The discussion turned then to the Welfare of horses, and it was again re stated that the Thoroughbred Industry carries the Welfare of the horse in the highest esteem, as the Industry itself revolves around the sport of excellence, competition and is so much in the public eye.
Des Leadon expressed the need to realize that the Welfare people very often have no idea about horses, this remark was backed by Chairman Joe Hernon, on the basis that people who have NO idea about a horse, the riding of such animals, publically and repeatedly blanket qualify the race horse and breeding industry as non-Welfare minded and open the Industry to the dangers of being dictated to, Dr Leadon stated that the Industry must me more proactive and be seen out there and not spend it’s time defending from the back foot.

Disease Update – From ICC and RESPE
The Committee congratulated and encouraged both organisations on the transparency, speed and efficiency of both organisations in their reporting. That RESPE is working on obtaining EU funding and will have a full time person to help ensure that this dossier gets to the people that decide at EU levels.

ITALY Mr Franco Castelfranchi supplied a substantial document on the EIA situation in Italy with explanations on the positive cases which are in the Mule population and no TB cases have been reported in this 2010 document. Dr Devolz asked if Italy could speed up the information as EIA is a very serious disease and in order to give confidence to all neighbouring countries, the RESPE and the ICC should been continually informed of the situation. Mr Castelfranchi said that he will see with 4 vets spaced over the length of Italy to report.

Turkey
Dr Devolz supplied the Turkish position from Dr Gür, which showed a drop in the % of EVA positives in Turkey.

Romania
Tim Richardson at the AGM thanked Isabella Copar for introducing him to Theodor Domocos, a Vienna based journalist who feeds information on the AIE in Romania when requested. T Richardosn also mentioned that the EU regulations imposed on Romania have started to take effect.

Horse Movement Update
Dr Devolz tabled a paper from Turkey on the EVA situation.
There was also a discussion about the EIA situation in Italy.
Dr Leadon gave an update of European horse movements, which underlines that there are many more movements of horses than there used to be therefore the investment in control of disease is more important than before. Des expressed the need for “Risk Assessment” as movement is far greater than one imagines, T Richardson added that this fitted perfectly with the theme of his term as chairman ie “prevention is better than cure”.

EHV Abortion incidents
A discussion about incidents across Europe and the need for continued vigilance. That the question of the efficiency of the EHV vaccine is being discussed, but Hanspeter reminded the meeting that Herpes virus has peculiarities which prevent a good immune response to the vaccine as one is used to in some other diseases.

Anthelmintic resistance
A general discussion was had about increasing resistance to Anthelmintics.
James Crowhurst stated that no wormer today can replace Ivermectine And that this is a problem even in the very best managed farms. R Devolz reminded the delegates that pasture management such as dropping picking and cattle rotation are all methods of worm controls too.

It was agreed that the EHV vaccination and the resistances in the worms and antibiotics will be more interesting articles for Hanspeter’s Newsletter, thus raising the awareness of breeders.

Paris 15/05/11

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European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders' Associations

Fédération Européenne des Associations déleveurs de Pur Sang Anglais

Report from the Veterinary Advisory Committee