EpiCentre, Institute of Veterinary, Animal, and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Prev Vet Med. 2013 Feb 1;108(2-3):178-87. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.08.003. Epub 2012 Aug 31.
Utilising a face-to-face interview of stud managers, a survey was conducted to investigate the movement patterns around, and biosecurity practices on, Thoroughbred and Standardbred stud farms. Eligible stud farms (n=60) were identified from the 2009 Thoroughbred stallion register and 2009 Standardbred stallion register, and stud managers were asked to participate in the interview. In total, 27 stud managers agreed to participate in the study, and participating stud farms included 38% of Thoroughbred and 60% of Standardbred mares bred in 2009. All stud managers reported the movement of horses to and from their stud farm. The median number of movement events per year was 127 (interquartile range 83-300). The frequency of movement events from a stud farm was not associated with the breed of horse managed on the stud farm, however Thoroughbred horses travelled further than Standardbred horses during these movement events (P<0.001). The movement patterns of horses around stud farms showed a strong seasonality associated with the commercial breeding season of each breed. While 26 (96%) of stud managers reported having procedures in place for checking newly arriving horses, only 6 (22%) stud managers reported isolating horses on arrival as a standard protocol. The main reason for isolating horses on properties, where isolation was not a standard procedure, was in response to strangles outbreaks on other stud farms (n=10). Only 2 (7%) stud managers reported implementing visitor protocols, and these protocols only applied to visiting veterinarians, but not to farriers. These findings have important implications for the control of both endemic and exotic infectious disease outbreaks within the New Zealand breeding population as the high frequency of movement around stud farms, the high number of visitors to stud farms and the lack of effective biosecurity practices or visitor protocols will be critical factors in the spread of equine influenza during an outbreak.
利用对种马场管理人员的面对面访谈，对纯种马和标准马种马场周围的活动模式和生物安全措施进行了调查。从 2009 年的纯种马种马登记册和 2009 年的标准马种马登记册中确定了符合条件的种马场（n=60），并邀请种马场管理人员参加访谈。共有 27 名种马场管理人员同意参加这项研究，参与研究的种马场包括 2009 年繁殖的 38%的纯种马和 60%的标准马。所有种马场管理人员都报告了马从种马场到种马场的移动情况。每年的移动事件中位数为 127 次（四分位间距 83-300）。种马场的移动事件频率与种马场内管理的马的品种无关，但在这些移动事件中，纯种马的移动距离比标准马远（P<0.001）。种马场周围的马匹移动模式显示出与每个品种的商业繁殖季节密切相关的强烈季节性。虽然 26 名（96%）的种马场管理人员报告说已经制定了检查新到达马匹的程序，但只有 6 名（22%）的种马场管理人员报告说将到达的马匹作为标准协议进行隔离。在没有隔离标准程序的情况下隔离马匹的主要原因是其他种马场爆发了马流感（n=10）。只有 2 名（7%）的种马场管理人员报告实施了访客协议，这些协议仅适用于来访的兽医，而不适用于蹄铁匠。这些发现对新西兰繁殖群体中地方性和外来传染病爆发的控制具有重要意义，因为种马场周围的移动频率高、种马场的访客数量多以及缺乏有效的生物安全措施或访客协议，将是流感爆发期间马流感传播的关键因素。
