SAFE, MIDGE‐PROOF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FOR HORSES

Further to our article in the January 2014 issue of the ERC Newsletter (Exciting research into
ensuring horses can travel internationally ‘midge free’) Principal Investigator, Dr Patrick Page, and
his team have over the past two years conducted research on the possibility of making jet‐stalls
‘midge‐proof’. Two papers have been submitted on this topic, the more recent having just been
published. The first paper compared the efficacy of untreated and alphacypermethrin insecticide‐
treated high density polyethylene mesh against biting midges, while the second paper dealt with the
efficacy of alphacypermethrin insecticide‐treated mesh applied to jet stalls housing horses.
Culicoides
biting midges are of economic and veterinary significance worldwide, primarily due to the
Orbiviruses they transmit. They are the principal vectors of African horse sickness virus (AHSV),
equine encephalosis virus and bluetongue virus in South Africa.
In addition to their impact on
horses and livestock in South Africa, these viruses have been shown to have a devastating effect on
naïve populations, and concerns have been raised over the introduction and spread of viruses such
as AHSV, and the need for optimal preventative strategies. The global expansion of containerised
trade, including intercontinental movement of horses, provides potential mechanisms for
introducing these viruses. While clear recommendations for pre‐export quarantine and testing of
horses for AHSV have been in place for many years, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
have now included recommendations that an appropriate gauge mesh, impregnated with an
approved insecticide be placed over containers during transport of horses through regions not free
of AHSV. Measures developed to protect horses during transport should ideally also be directly
applicable to protect the local horse population against AHSV.
Following are summarised versions of these two papers.
1.
Field
and
in
vitro
insecticidal
efficacy
of
alphacypermethrin‐treated
high
density
polyethylene mesh against
Culicoides
biting midges in South Africa
The objective of this study was to determine if alphacypermethrin insecticide‐treated high density
polyethylene (HDPE) mesh applied to light traps will reduce the entry of
Culicoides
midges,
particularly
C. imicola
which is implicated as the principal vector of AHSV, into the traps. It was
proposed that the results would support the potential of alphacypermethrin‐treated HDPE nets for
protecting horses against
Culicoides
midges, and be applicable to containerised transport systems
(jet stalls) for horses.
The results showed that the HDPE mesh had a significant effect in reducing the numbers of
Culicoides
midges, predominantly
C. imicola
collected by the light trap. The magnitude of reduction
for the untreated HDPE mesh and the alphacypermethrin‐treated HDPE mesh was 4.2 and 7.2 times,
respectively. While the light trap with the alphacypermethrin‐treated HPDE mesh consistently
collected fewer
Culicoides
midges than the untreated HDPE mesh, a significant repellent effect was
not demonstrated, likely due to the attraction of the light overriding any repellent effect. The
greater efficacy of the alphacypermethrin‐treated mesh was therefore more likely due to an
insecticidal effect.
C. imicola
midges were additionally exposed to the treated mesh in a laboratory contact bioassay.
This resulted in a rapid insecticidal effect, with the initial magnitude and rate of midge death being
greater after 3 minutes exposure compared with 1 minute exposure of the midges to the mesh.
Subsequently, at 30 minutes post exposure both groups had reached maximal (100%) effect which
was maintained up to the final assessment at 24 hours.
The positive results of this study showed that HDPE mesh had potential to reduce exposure of
housed horses to
Culicoides
midges during high risk periods for AHSV transmission, or during
containerised transport. Additionally, treating the mesh with alphacypermethrin could increase the
overall reduction of
Culicoides
midge biting rates.
Acknowledgments:
We thank Dr. Elisabeth Scheffer for assistance with sorting of insect catches. The Faculty of Veterinary Science Research
Fund, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Equine Research Centre and the Mary Slack and Daughters
Foundation are acknowledged for s

Bob that is way to much reading to so early in the morning, however by reading the heading i assume u means midgets so just say so. i dont think that is politically incorrect. also may put under general forum cause us serious racing folk don't want to read about Midgets and their holiday plans.
personally i think its just weird and wrong to travel with your horse on holiday but hey everyone to their own.

sorry it looks a bit of a copy n paste disaster but all the info is there

I also thought the post was something satirical on midgets

Sylvester wrote: Bob that is way to much reading to so early in the morning, however by reading the heading i assume u means midgets so just say so. i dont think that is politically incorrect. also may put under general forum cause us serious racing folk don't want to read about Midgets and their holiday plans.
personally i think its just weird and wrong to travel with your horse on holiday but hey everyone to their own.

bwahahaha.... :lol: :lol:

Sly the use of the term Midgets is most definitely politically incorrect ..the appropriate term would be "Vertically Handicapped"