By Kelsey Riley
French breeders were given the go-ahead on Friday evening to continue with their season, with the Ministry of Agriculture approving an extensive list of protocols drawn up by veterinarians and breeding industry experts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while transporting mares and while at the breeding shed. The breeding season had been under threat in light of the country's government-mandated lockdown, and earlier on Friday Haras de Bouquetot, home of last year's leading first-crop yearling sire by average, Shalaa, announced it would close its breeding shed for two weeks.
Those that contributed to writing the protocols include veterinary advisors to France Galop and LeTROT; representatives of the AVEF, IFCE and the Societe Hippique Francaise; and Camille Vercken, founder of equine biosecurity consultancy Equiways.
“The continuation of the breeding season is an absolute necessity for the players in the horse industry, whether for breeders or stallion owners,” said EFTBA President Loic Malivet. “So the industry had to come together to propose solutions allowing the continuation of breeding in absolute respect of the rules of hygiene and security facing COVID-19. These steps also respond to the call of the President of the Republic, who [wishes] to maintain economic activity in France despite the particularly painful circumstances that our country is going through today.”
Malivet continued, “The EFTBA calls on all professionals in the sector to act responsibly and apply [the protocols] immediately. We are of course available to inform and support breeders and stallion owners.”
The protocols include the submission of all paperwork-including a signed copy of the protocols–related to the covering electronically before arrival at the stallion farms; having just one person with the mare and having that person stay in the vehicle at all times; leaving foals at home as much as possible, and not stopping to or from the run to the breeding shed except in case of emergency. Any equipment (headcollars, lead ropes, chip readers, etc.) used on mares in the breeding shed should be disinfected between each use. In the case of non-compliance with instructions by a mare owner, the stallion farm may refuse her. The protocol advises that farms that cannot follow the protocols should cease operations. The full list of protocols can be found here.
The statement released by the EFTBA on Friday does not touch on the directive issued earlier in the week by The Ordre National des Veterinaires and AVEF (Association Veterinary Equine France) to veterinarians to cease any non-emergency reproductive procedures in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
