Limited movement in Qld 28 Sept

Yesterday was the first day that permits were being issued for mares wishing to gain access to stallions within Queensland and we are sure the DPI office fax would have been running hot with applications.

For some, there is still a little bit of confusion as to what is, and what isn’t, allowed.

Hopefully this quick summary will clear a fair bit of it up for those situated in this category.

As of Thursday September 27, mares are now being permitted to move from one EI free zone to another EI free zone under a certain set of permits and protocols.

This permit must be accompanied by a vet verification letter.

A breeder’s eligibility to get this approval is relatively simple to work out, although there will be a number of people who are still unable to move at the present time.

Once you have completed all the necessary paperwork and faxed it through to the DPI, they will determine whether or not your mares are located within an EI infected area, within a buffer zone (15km radius from an infected area) or within a clean zone.

Movement permits will only be issued to those within a clean zone.

If you are granted a permit, you will be required to phone the farm to where your mare is being transported and they will explain their arrival requirements regarding bio-security.

The state has also been split into a number of very strict, small “walk-on precincts”.

These are

1. Beaudesert to Innisplain.
2. The inner Darling Downs (Greenmount to Wellcamp).
3. Gladfield (Nolan Heights).
4. Certain areas in Warwick.

It is within these areas only that normal “walk-on” coverings can be completed.

If your mare is situated outside of the precinct in which the stallion you wish to patronise is situated, then you will only be granted a one way movement permit and your mares must remain at the farm you have sent them to.

Unfortunately, there are still many people terribly disadvantaged at the moment by either being denied access to the stallions of their choice, or even more frustratingly being positioned within an infected area, or buffer zone, and not being able to move at all.

We hope this is a situation that will be addressed as quickly as is feasibly possible.

Also, to those clients with mares situated outside the state of Queensland, unfortunately nothing has changed and you are currently still unable to move your mares into Qld studs. 

The Queensland Breeders Board has worked very hard to try and get these movement permits put in place and it has been an exceptionally frustrating time for all concerned as there were many obstacles and frustrations thrown at them time and time again.

Much of the success, or failure, of this system will now fall squarely upon the shoulders of all breeders. It is still of paramount importance that all necessary biosecurity measures are kept in place, that contact with people who may have been exposed to EI is avoided and that all suspect cases of EI are reported immediately to the DPI.

It is only with complete honesty and diligence from everyone concerned that we can hope to continue to go forward for the rest of the season.

It is also important to realise that there is a vaccination plan being processed which we hope will allow more liberal movement in the not too distant future.

It is certainly not an ideal situation we are faced with, but it is a start and that puts plenty of breeders in a better position than they were last week.