How Soon We Forget...

[Equine Reproduction]

In a review of the 19 full-page stallion ads in the December issue of the "USDF Connection" magazine, only two carried any information about the equine viral arteritis (EVA) status of the stallion. In a random review of 19 full-page stallion ads in the December issue of the "AQHA Journal" absolutely none of the ads carried any mention of EVA status of the stallions.

It seems that stallion owners are either avoiding the issue, or burying their heads in the sand in the belief that if they can't see a problem, it doesn't exist! Sadly this is not true.

As we come close to the start of the 2009 (northern hemisphere) breeding season, it seems that the onus is being placed even more on the mare-owner to do their part in the prevention of another outbreak of EVA in the US. If the stallion owners are not going to do their part by educating the mare-owner as to the staus of the stallion they are offering at stud, then it behooves the mare owner to ensure that status - after all, it is the mare owner that will be the first to know of there is an outbreak as a result of breeding their mare to a positive "shedding" stallion when other already-pregnant mares on their farm start aborting or coming up "open".

Mare owners: One of the first questions to ask a stallion owner PRIOR to booking to their stallion is "what is the EVA status of your stallion?". The ideal answer you are looking for is "EVA negative and vaccinated annually". "Tested EVA negative" or even "tested negative and vaccinated" is not adequate unless the animal has been vaccinate annually - simply testing the animal and getting a negative result will not prevent them becoming infected and a shedder the week after they are tested!

Stallion owners: Use the "EVA negative, vaccinated annually" terminology in your advertisements! It demonstrates that you are an ethical breeder doing your bit to prevent the transmission of this troublesome disease.

Why do we continually hammer on about this? Take a moment to consider the impact that resulted from an infected stallion in New Mexico in 2006:

Associated EVA cases are confirmed in 6 States – NM, UT, MT, KS, OK, AL.
Circumstantial evidence suggests associated EVA cases in 4 more States – CA, ID, CO, TX.

A total of 69 direct exposures were identified:
48 (69.5%) were mares inseminated with shipped semen.
20 (29%) involved mares & foals that had visited the index premises.
1 (1.5%) was a mare that was both inseminated & also visited the index premises.
(Direct exposure = horse potentially exposed to infection on index premises (NM) or through insemination with infective semen).

New Mexico and Utah were the most affected States:
A total of 50 facilities involving 2022 horses were placed under supervised or voluntary quarantine in those two States alone.

The true extent of the outbreak is difficult to gauge as Federal and State reporting requirements for EVA are inadequate.

Need we say more?

If so, please review the articles about equine viral arteritis to be found on our web site at http://www.equine-reproduction.com/articles/

Hope the above helps!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com
Check out our Holiday Enrollment Special!

[Hi Jump]

I know this issue is serious but I will say designing an effective stallion ad often is a matter of capturing the attention of the viewer and more information is available in detail on websites. All the information mare owners may wish for is difficult to fulfill in a print ad AND make a display that is effective. But websites are a wonderful way to give detailed information and we have put tremendous effort into providing it there.

I will say that stallion owners should be leading the way by taking the effects of EVA and other communicable diseases seriously, as it will affect how we conduct busines in the future. Though I heard nary a whisper anywhere on these boards, more and more states are going to require permits in place prior to semen shipment, paperwork which if found absent, offending vets using the semen not properly permitted, will suffer disciplinary actions. We stand two EVA negative and vaccinated stallions and obtained permits to ship this last year. Montanna, Colorado, Kentucky , California and New Mexico have requirements for permits coming into place since a lack of regulation has resulted in losses and the spread of disease. There may be more this next year I have not heard of.

This needs to be given some thought by mareowners and stallion owners in their planning and breeding, not only do you need to know the stallions status to address how you would proceed with the breeding, you also need to know who has their status documented and permits in order, lest the breeding somehow go sideways, say semen rejected by the vet for lack of paperwork at the last minute because they realize the liability they will have if they proceed to use non-permitted semen.

Imagine all the breeding that takes place, think about the amount of extra paperwork this will generate, time frames for state agricultural departments to handle increasing loads and take this into consideration. I think disease has to be taken seriously because further spread and losses will not just affect individuals , it will shape tracking regulations that will have to be put in place for all agriculture (movement of livestock) if situations escalate to unacceptable losses in any facet of agricultural production (swine, cattle etc)

If anyone has any information to add about legislation coming in their states I think we all would benefit from adding this to the discussion as well.

Lisa Paulson, Synergy Sporthorses
Home to Holstein stamm776 Cotopaxi and Hanoverian Raffaello (HJBP)
http://www.synergysporthorses.net

[vineyridge]

I would disagree. The AQHA people who have N/N or N/H mares and stallions usually post the information rather prominently on their breeding advertisements. EVA information would be equally easily incorporated in the stallion description in any ad.

[sniplover]

Not to mention how easily the color breeders fit color genotypes into their stallion ads. I definitely think EVA status should be listed Front and Center.

[Sugarbrook]

YIKES. I just did an ad in the Chronicle (Pony Breeding). Both my stallions are tested and vaccinated and I did not mention it. I am wondering now if I should put that on my web site also? Any thoughts?? Funny thing is that not one mare owner has asked that question.

[Equine Reproduction]

I know this issue is serious but I will say designing an effective stallion ad often is a matter of capturing the attention of the viewer and more information is available in detail on websites. All the information mare owners may wish for is difficult to fulfill in a print ad AND make a display that is effective. But websites are a wonderful way to give detailed information and we have put tremendous effort into providing it there.

Unfortunately, many breeders do not use the internet and rely on ads in publications. Additionally, you would be appalled at just how many stallion owners that have stallions that have tested positive don't disclose! Mare owners need to be informed in order to ask the proper questions, but many mare owners don't breed that often and just aren't even aware that the disease is out there!

Though I heard nary a whisper anywhere on these boards, more and more states are going to require permits in place prior to semen shipment, paperwork which if found absent, offending vets using the semen not properly permitted, will suffer disciplinary actions.

There are currently a couple states that "do" require EVA status of semen being included, but it needs to be done smart, as well. Montana, for example, does not allow EVA positive semen into the state at all!! If you are a mare owner and have planned ahead and vaccinated your mare and have picked your stallion that happens to be EVA positive, you would have to take your mare out of state to breed her! That type of restriction will cause the disease to go underground. Washington state has put in a requirement that eveyone needs to be notified of the status, mare owner has to be apprised of what needs to be done, etc., so they are proactive. It just needs to be done correctly!

This needs to be given some thought by mareowners and stallion owners in their planning and breeding, not only do you need to know the stallions status to address how you would proceed with the breeding, you also need to know who has their status documented and permits in order, lest the breeding somehow go sideways, say semen rejected by the vet for lack of paperwork at the last minute because they realize the liability they will have if they proceed to use non-permitted semen.

Unfortunately, many, many vets are not even aware that there is an issue and that there are requirements in place by some states. It is virtually impossible to monitor and the onus is being placed on the vets to insure that the semen is negative.

It's EASY to deal with the disease and be proactive. The purpose of my post is to enlighten mare owners to the fact that they need to be aware that it is out there. Ethical stallion owners it will not be an issue. But it is concerning how many stallion owners haven't even bothered having their stallions tested. Additionally, some sort of push needs to be in place to address states such as Montana who have taken regulations to the extreme and have basically made it impossible to breed to an EVA positive stallion! That's unfortunate and ludicrous, especially in light of how easy it "is" to deal with!

Breeders like Iron Springs Farm and Gray Fox Farm are extremely proactive and will provide mare owners with the information and the vaccines, if necessary (last year there was a shortage of the vaccine available). But there are a few other stallion owners out there that do have EVA positive shedding stallions that attempt to sweep it under the table.

So, how to address those situations? What's the most effective? Education, obviously. But how to accomplish that? Breeders didn't sit up and take notice until the Quarter Horse industry was hit with it. In spite of the fact that the Tennessee Walker industry was hit with a similar problem just a year earlier! Testing for the disease is cheap! And, it's not the ethical stallion owners that the issue is with, it's those that choose to not acknowledge or disclose that there is a problem. No easy answers, but if mare owners know to ask the questions up front, or if stallion owners disclose status up front, it will hopefully eventually eradicate the disease. Especially in light of how easy it "is" to manage the disease!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com
Check out our Holiday Enrollment Special!

[Equine Reproduction]

YIKES. I just did an ad in the Chronicle (Pony Breeding). Both my stallions are tested and vaccinated and I did not mention it. I am wondering now if I should put that on my web site also? Any thoughts?? Funny thing is that not one mare owner has asked that question.

Believe it or not, the whole impetus of my post is to encourage mare owners to ask the question! I would put it up on your website, at the very least. And, we realize that not putting it in an ad is often just an oversight. And, as Hi Jump noted, many states are now putting in regulations and restrictions and requiring permits. We've actually put into our breeding contract that the mare owners is responsible to determine what paperwork is required, if any, for particular states because it is virtually impossible to keep track of everything these days! Requiring permits from different states is going to be extremely cumbersome. We are in the process of trying to put together a list of what is required from the various states, but it's not an easy task! Anyone that has knowledge of their particular state's requirements, please email it to me and we'll try and get a list up on the website - kathy@equine-reproduction.com

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproductionc.om
Check out our Holiday Enrollment Special!

[Kyzteke]

OK, ER -- now you've shamed me (hangs head).

I've never had my stallion tested (although only one of the some 10-20 mares he's bred has ever aborted, and then later that same mare was bred back and delivered a fine healthy foal), but still....

I suppose it would be easier to just point me to some articles, but HOW do you test for EVA?
Pull blood or look at semen?

And if I vaccinate HIM, do I have to reduce his exposure to pregnant mares for a time? I seem to remember you mentioning somewhere that vaccination for the stallion must be done in advance of breeding season...but can't remember how far in advance and why.

But thanks for mentioning all this -- it is an important issue.

[Equine Reproduction]

OK, ER -- now you've shamed me (hangs head).

<smile>...My post is not meant to shame anyone. It's truly about educating!

I've never had my stallion tested (although only one of the some 10-20 mares he's bred has ever aborted, and then later that same mare was bred back and delivered a fine healthy foal), but still....

Ah, but herein lies the rub. Most mares that are bred to an EVA positive stallion will not themselves abort! The problem arises when you introduce that mare back into a herd of other pregnant mares! That's when abortion storms occur.

I suppose it would be easier to just point me to some articles, but HOW do you test for EVA?
Pull blood or look at semen?

Pull blood and send it to the University of Kentucky, Gluck Institute. Vaccinate immediately after you pull the blood. If the test comes back positive, you can at that point, have his semen checked.

And if I vaccinate HIM, do I have to reduce his exposure to pregnant mares for a time? I seem to remember you mentioning somewhere that vaccination for the stallion must be done in advance of breeding season...but can't remember how far in advance and why.

28 days. But, it's truly just a quarantine that keeps him from coming in physical contact with other horses.

But thanks for mentioning all this -- it is an important issue.

My post truly wasn't meant to shame anyone. It was to heighten awareness and get mare owners to ask! Better to be proactive rather than reactive.

Hope that helps!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com
Check out our Holiday Enrollment Special!

[NoDQhere]

Our boys are tested and vaccinated but I guess I don't have that info "posted" either. Shame on me:no:.

Really, the test and quarantine is easy. All breeders do need to do this, but we also know of many breeders who don't. :mad:

[Hi Jump]

I imagine that when a few vets get nailed for inseminating with non permit semen, and a few mare owners find vets refusing to inseminate with shipments that do not have certification of the permit, then this will be more important to people.

I shipped to Montanna this last year with permit nowever I also had a conversation with another stallion owner shipping there without any status disclosure, no permit and the semen was inseminated. So as I say until the regulation has teeth that make people abide , it will have these inconsistancies.

I would rather comply and and reduce risk than have things so out of hand that harsh regulations have to be put in place for not only the transport of semen but tracking all livestock movement. Just the thought of the backlog of paperwork slowing movement to and from shows, transport of horses in sales etc. is a nightmare but I can see that step being brought in if we cannot be responsible and abide by this.

Lisa, Synergy Sporthorses
Home to stamm 776 Cotopaxi and Hanoverian Raffaello (HJBP)
http://www.synergysporthorses.net

[Equine Reproduction]

I imagine that when a few vets get nailed for inseminating with non permit semen, and a few mare owners find vets refusing to inseminate with shipments that do not have certification of the permit, then this will be more important to people.

I don't think making it more difficult is the answer. Inasmuch as most stallions are EVA negative, making it difficult for everyone is not the answer and not the way to make breeders aware of the disease.

I shipped to Montanna this last year with permit nowever I also had a conversation with another stallion owner shipping there without any status disclosure, no permit and the semen was inseminated. So as I say until the regulation has teeth that make people abide , it will have these inconsistancies.

Montana's regulation(s) on EVA are, quite honestly, not in the best interest of the breeders in the state of Montana. The state vet's attitude on it just showed a lack of understanding of the disease. And, restricting the entry of positive semen will just drive it underground. Dr. Timoney and I had a discussion about the restrictions and he agreed that it was going to cause more problems rather than prevent the spread of the disease. Washington state's regulations are progressive and have the best interest of the breeders in mind.

I would rather comply and and reduce risk than have things so out of hand that harsh regulations have to be put in place for not only the transport of semen but tracking all livestock movement. Just the thought of the backlog of paperwork slowing movement to and from shows, transport of horses in sales etc. is a nightmare but I can see that step being brought in if we cannot be responsible and abide by this.

Exactly! If everyone is aware of the issues, addresses it and is proactive about it, hopefully it will prevent really restrictive regulations being initiated which would result in more paperwork for everyone involved!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com
Check out our Holiday Enrollment Special!

[Kyzteke]

Ah, but herein lies the rub. Most mares that are bred to an EVA positive stallion will not themselves abort! The problem arises when you introduce that mare back into a herd of other pregnant mares! That's when abortion storms occur.
Pull blood and send it to the University of Kentucky, Gluck Institute. Vaccinate immediately after you pull the blood. If the test comes back positive, you can at that point, have his semen checked.
Hope that helps!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com
Check out our Holiday Enrollment Special!

Well, all my pregnant mares are together and I've only ever had one abortion -- plenty of other horrid stuff, but only one abortion.

Is there another place closer I could send the blood sample to? KY is on the other end of the country from me. If I ask my vet to take the sample can't she just use her normal lab?

Thanks for the info.

[omare]

(I think Cornell does it too)

if you have a farm of stallions, geldings, unbred mares, pregnant mares....my head starts spinning.....so you would need to:

1) draw blood (two vials-one as a backup) for testing immediately before vaccinating colts/stallions over the age of one year?
2) vaccinate boys
3) vaccinate unpreg mares
4) make sure you isolate pregnant mares for 28 days from everyone esle?
5) dont worry about geldings?(vaccinate-or not?)
6) keep everyone home on the farm for 28 days?(No shows for the geldings.)

(Is the second/succeeding year vaccinating as complicated? )
Thanks-(I am afraid the vets may not be sure of the protocol when you have mixed herd.)

[Kyzteke]

Bump -- so ER can answer all our questions...

[3Dogs]

I am going to congratulate Silverhorne - one of those "two" who posted the statu... a must I would think for a stallion owner (and a mare owner) to know...

[Equine Reproduction]

My apologies for not posting sooner. I "did" reply twice, but the internet gremlins decided it was just too tasty a morsel to pass on <rolling eyes>. So, here's hoping three is a charm!

Answers below in bold:

Is there another place closer I could send the blood sample to? KY is on the other end of the country from me. If I ask my vet to take the sample can't she just use her normal lab?

There are other labs that you "can" send the blood samples to. However, you want to be sure that they are a USDA certified lab. We prefer using UoK for a couple reasons. First, the test is free through them. You'll probably have to pay your vet for the blood draw and paperwork, but at least the test itself isnt additional. And secondly, it helps Dr. Timoney in compiling statistics and keeping track of those stallions that "are' EVA positive.

1) draw blood (two vials-one as a backup) for testing immediately before vaccinating colts/stallions over the age of one year?
Correct. We actually usually vaccinate our intact colts in January of their first year when we are boosting all the other boys.

2) vaccinate boys

Correct

3) vaccinate unpreg mares

Correct.

4) make sure you isolate pregnant mares for 28 days from everyone esle?

The 28 day isolation is necessary for stallions. Mares can be isolated for 21 days. If you are just moving all of your pregnant mares from those animals being vaccinated, and you are vaccinating stallions then yes. 28 days.

5) dont worry about geldings?(vaccinate-or not?)

Catch 22. The most common method of transmission is via the respiratory route. So if you have geldings going out to shows that have not been vaccinated, they do stand the chance of contracting the virus via the respiratory route. They can then return to your farm and pass the disease along to say, young animals that may not have been vaccinated. However, there isn't any real risk to a gelding in that he's not going to become a shedder and he's not going to be bred to an EVA positive stallion. Make sense?
6) keep everyone home on the farm for 28 days?(No shows for the geldings.)

(Is the second/succeeding year vaccinating as complicated? )

No quarantine or protocols necessary on boosters

It really is very easy to vaccinate for the disease. It's more about being proactive and preventing its spread. Request that any stallion you are breeding to that has an "unknown" status be tested before booking.

Hope that helps!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com
Check out our Holiday Enrollment Special!

[Sugarbrook]

Kathy: We have tested and vaccinated both of our stallions. We have done this for a few years now.

I was talking to another person who owns a stallion. I asked her about vaccinating (and testing). She said she had not done that.

Tonite I get a message on my answer machine that "Sandy, you have been getting WRONG INFORMATION"....... " two vets I talked to said you should NOT vaccinate your stallions, as they will always turn up positive, and further more I think that is the Univ of Fl's position".

YIKES!!!!!!! How do I respond to this?

[Equine Reproduction]

Tonite I get a message on my answer machine that "Sandy, you have been getting WRONG INFORMATION"....... " two vets I talked to said you should NOT vaccinate your stallions, as they will always turn up positive, and further more I think that is the Univ of Fl's position".

YIKES!!!!!!! How do I respond to this?

<LOL>...You tell her that she is absolutely correct - that the stallions will test positive hence forth, but they will test positive because they've been vaccinated. But that your information is spot on and that she is being sadly misinformed about the disease. This is the kind of misinformation that is so prevalent about the disease <sigh>. Many (most?) vets just don't have a good grasp on the disease and it's prevention.

You test prior to vaccination to show that the stallion was sero negative PRIOR to vaccination. That's your record. That's your proof! Thats our ticket showing that the stallion "was" negative prior to vaccination. You then need no longer to test, so long as you are boosting them annually. They will henceforth test positive. If there is EVER any questions, you simply do a collection of semen and have that tested! It will show that the stallion is EVA negative in the semen.

I suspect that she's getting only part of the information on the University of Florida's stand on vaccination. If you have questions, contact Dr. Peter Timoney at the University of Kentucky. He is the acknowledged worldwide expert on the disease and he is also who worked with us and co-wrote the article on our website about EVA.

It is unfortunate that this kind of misinformation and hysteria are being perpetuated. Tell our friend to start reading and educating herself on the disease and to recognize that her vets may very well just not know sufficiently about the disease to be giving her informed advice.

Hope that helps!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com
Check out our Holiday Enrollment Special!

[Sugarbrook]

Thank you Kathy. It is as I suspected. I just needed your backup information, and once again you came forth post-haste, and I truly appreciate that. Sandy

[Dune]

Thank you, Kathy, for posting this.:yes: As a mare owner who has asked this question, and in some cases, got a response so cold it was like I was asking for their deceased Grandmother's secret chili recipe :rolleyes:.....it's nice to know that true professionals won't be put off by the question....and it's something that ALL mare owners should ask.

[crestline]

Kathy-
I hope you don't mind...I sent you an email directly just to double check our plans for vaccination and quarantine. We're at a boarding barn with Palladio so I want to be really careful and not freak anyone out. We've always tested but never have been in a good position to vaccinate...but are this year so want to take advantage of it.

Thanks for being our EVA guru!!!

:-)