Notes of the UK Equine Disease Coalition Meeting

Notes of the ‘UK Equine Disease Coalition’ meeting

Friday 13th May 2016

Room 632, Linen Hall, 162 Regent Street, London W1B 4JN

Attendance:

Richard Hopley (Defra)

Richard Newton (AHT)

Ben Mayes (BEVA)

Keith Meldrum (World Horse Welfare)

Roly Owers (World Horse Welfare)

Fin Twomey (APHA)

Balazs Toth (APHA)

James Yeates (RSPCA)

Apologies:

Mark Bowen (BEVA), Josh Slater (RVC), Andrew Voas (Scottish Government), James Wood (Cambridge University)

1.  RO welcomed everyone, noting apologies from MB, JS, AV and JW.

2.  Notes on the previous meeting – Fri 4 Dec 15 – were agreed as an accurate record.

3.  Matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda.

  1. Racing Right. Government has initiated the process to bring forward draft legislation to establish a Racing Right. It was agreed that the sector would need to continue stressing the importance of requiring future investment in research from the betting ‘levy’.
  2. Slaughter Compensation review. KM noted that this had been on hold since the spending review and is unlikely to be considered again until after the EU referendum. The equine sector had prepared a paper on the equine sector to explain how this differed from the farm livestock sectors – final draft currently with Jan Rogers (BEF) and will be forwarded to Becky Taylor (Defra lead on this project).
  3. Out of hours contact with APHA. FT reported the central number (0300 200 301) had a 24-hour facility to report notifiable disease in England – FT to confirm arrangements for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. BM said that the online export platform established by APHA Carlisle had been a very positive development.
  4. Piroplasmosis. RO confirmed that MB had raised importance of considering testing for piroplasmosis in pre-purchase examinations with BEVA.

4.  Terms of Reference. Agreed that RO would liaise with each member of the coalition to ascertain their interest in remaining on the group.

5.  Equine Identification Regulation. RO outlined latest situation with regards to:

·  Central Equine Database (CED) – awarded to Bramble Hub – who are proposing to sub-contract the development work to Equine Register (which is good news for the sector) and the hosting and service management to Topline Computing. Technically Defra are likely to meet their requirement to have a CED established by 1 Jul but the database is unlikely to be operational from a practical perspective until the start of next year. The CED will have an on-line facility for owners to notify change of food chain status, death of an animal etc.

·  Drafting the Statutory Instrument (SI) to bring in the enforcement arrangements for the new European Regulation (2015/262). There has been no enforceable equine ID regulation since 1 Jan and there is unlikely to be any until late 2017. Defra are due to consult on the new implementing regulation later this year – which will include the sector’s proposal to retrospectively microchip all UK equines. The proposal for fixed penalty notices (FPNs) – which the sector feels is another critical aspect for an effective equine ID system – is still being considered by Defra, although it is technically allowable under current English legislation However in Scotland establishing FPNs will require primary legislation. KM highlighted that consideration would need to be given to exempted semi-feral populations from the requirement for treatment with a medicinal product to be recorded in the passport where the product has a zero withdrawal period as some of these animals had no passport (e.g. for oestrus suppression).

6.  CEM control. Since last meeting a very constructive meeting had been held with the CVO in March. Following that meeting KM tabled an updated flow diagram on how to deal with suspect and confirmed CEM cases. Establishing a BEVA approved list of experienced vets to investigate and treat confirmed cases needs to be developed further with David Mountford. It was agreed that consideration should be given to requiring an independent vet, as opposed to the premises vet, to deal with premises that are not in full compliance with the HBLB Code of Practice or that do not agree to cooperate with testing of animals moved from the index premises. KM, RN and FT to meet to finalise the detail of the proposal. RH noted that the policy proposal would need to be considered by Defra’s Animal Disease Policy Group (ADPG) – meets quarterly, chaired by Peter Lee (Defra Director), CVO is a member. KM advised that consideration is now being given to EVA along similar lines to CEM.

7.  African Horse Sickness – vaccine development coordination meeting. CVO had confirmed he is positive about the proposal to convene a meeting this autumn. Agreed to consider FEI, FEEVA, TBA and Defra trade attendees on the invite list. RO to secure possible dates from CVO and then liaise with Alf Fuessel at the Commission (post meeting note – CVO and RO agreed to speak to Alf at the forthcoming OIE General Session to try to secure his interest in the proposal).

8.  EU Animal Health Regulation. KM outlined latest progress – regulation was published on 9 Mar. This is basic and work is now starting on drafting the detailed tertiary regulation. KM, RN and MB are the equine sector review team. RH said that Pamela Thomson’s team would still have oversight of this project but detail being pushed out to different teams within Defra. RH to confirm point of contact at Defra for both core team and those dealing with equine legislation.

9.  Disease update

  1. Equine Infectious Anaemia. RH confirmed that the draft policy paper had been parked and given the impending Animal Health Regulation it is unlikely to be considered further.
  2. Equine Herpes Virus. RN confirmed that it had been an active year to date with a number of outbreaks in vaccinated animals, including at the National Stud and at a Hertfordshire stud that had resulted in 10 abortions. Vaccine availability remains a problem.
  3. Strangles. RN noted that MSD had prioritised other vaccines over their strangles vaccine.

10.  Update from related groups/initiatives

  1. Animal Health and Welfare Board for England – no update.
  2. Equine Stakeholder Group for Scotland – next due to meet 2 Jun.
  3. Equine Sector Council for Health and Welfare – RO noted that discussions were taking place with the BHIC as to the possibility of closer collaboration and/or merger.
  4. Defra Exotic Disease Core Group – RH confirmed that whilst the group was still established it is inactive – and that Defra would raise any disease issues with the Coalition in the first instance.
  5. Equine Establishments Working Party – BM confirmed that a meeting took place on 26 Oct and the BHS had taken on the task of progressing the equine establishments interactive checklist.
  6. AHT Equine Industry Committee – next due to meet 15 Sep.

11.  AOB. RO said that Jan Rogers (BEF) had provided an update on the organisation’s current focus on biosecurity – split between an awareness element (focusing on tetanus, CEM, strangles, influenza, EHV, AHS, EIA and EVA) – and a responsive element following a disease outbreak (utilising the BEF’s wide contact list). The BEF plan to work inclusively, especially with BEVA and the Disease Coalition).

12.  Date of next meeting – Mon 7 Nov – 1pm.