This time last year the horse racing industry was in turmoil. Race tracks in New South Wales and Queensland were deserted. Equine Influenza (EI) had broken out from the quarantine station at Eastern Creek and horse movements were at a state of siege. The industry lost millions !
There are some very strange laws and protocols pertaining to the breeding of thoroughbred horses.
The industry bans the use of artificial insemination. To be legal, a stallion has to physically mate with a mare - and for this to happen horses have to be transported to where that mating takes place - and in many instances that involves overseas travel - and consequently quarantine.
As a result, the industry takes the risk of diseases such as EI being spread if quarantine arrangements fail - and greatly increases breeding costs.
The reason for this law is to limit numbers and protect the wealth of those who breed horses.
The yearling sales produce astronomical prices and to some extent this is governed by the stud fees demanded by the owners of champion horses. These owners limit the number of mares accepted for service and the breeding life of the sire is within natures time frame.
If AI were allowed it could lead to a proliferation of progeny - and a champion sire could be fathering offspring for decades - long after his normal breeding life was over, thus decreasing the market - and stud fees - for younger and up and coming stallions.
Perhaps it is time the industry gave thought to options. AI can be controlled if the industry passes a law that limits the AI services of any sire to a given number of pregnancies.
Horse breeding is an event with strict registration. There should be no difference in either number of matings or stud fees if this were allowed on a controlled basis.
As things stand, the industry is at risk of contracted disease - as evidenced by events of last year - by clinging to the practice of the nineteenth century and disregarding the advances of even the twentieth century !
No comments:
Post a Comment