Horses intercepted at US border had parasitic disease

Ten Mexican horses intercepted spell existence smuggled across the Rio Grande river into the the States were suffering from the parasitic affliction equine piroplasmosis, government require maintain revealed.

The instance has highlighted the risks posed to U.S.A. livestock yesteryear animals existence smuggled across its edge from Mexico.

US Border Patrol agents of late seized the 10 adult horses, along amongst iv yearlings, every bit smugglers tried to require maintain them across the Rio Grande close Indian Hot Springs, inwards southern Hudspeth county, southward of El Paso.

The animals, described every bit thoroughbreds, were turned over to the States Department of Agriculture officials, who tested the horses inwards Presidio, Texas, for several diseases considered unusual to the US.

All 10 of the adult animals tested positive for equine piroplasmosis, which is routinely establish inwards United Mexican States together with many other countries simply about the world, but is non considered endemic to the US.

The blood-borne protozoal affliction tin live on fatal to horses together with could exercise major constraints to interstate and international movements if left undetected. It does non touching on humans.

El Paso-based champaign veterinary Grant Wease, amongst the U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, said the illegal displace of animals was an ongoing delineate of piece of employment organisation inwards the vast opened upward spaces of West Texas.

“In some places, the Rio Grande poses no barrier at all to pes traffic for human being or animal,” he said.

Wease said that, inwards 2011, most 280 caput of cattle together with 160 equines, mainly horses, were intercepted yesteryear federal officials along the Rio Grande.

To farther complicate the situation, many of the normal import processes for livestock entering Texas require maintain been impacted yesteryear edge violence, making the endeavor to smuggle animals into the soil fifty-fifty to a greater extent than tempting.

The investigation of the most recent incident of Equus caballus smuggling is ongoing.

Federal agriculture government together with the Texas Animal Health Commission are working to decide non solely the root of the horses, but the possible finish every bit well.

The commission recently passed rules simply about equine piroplasmosis requiring testing of racehorses prior to entry into a Texas track, together with numerous other states require maintain done the same because of recent cases establish inwards that population of
horses.

“Racing quarter horses amongst some connector to United Mexican States look to live on at highest opportunity of testing positive to the emerging disease,” Texas soil veterinary Dee Ellis said.

Although the intercepted horses were described every bit thoroughbreds, they were considered to live on to a greater extent than probable breeding-type animals rather than race-ready horses.

Ellis continued: “This province of affairs highlights the ongoing edge safety problems Texas is facing, which leads to an increased opportunity of affliction introduction for the Texas livestock population when animals come inwards our soil illegally.

“I encourage all citizens that witness unusual activity regarding livestock displace close the Mexican edge to contact their local law enforcement or creature wellness officials every bit rapidly every bit possible to study the situation.”

 

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