Horse bonanza ahead
Stringent quarantine procedures have reined in SA’s equine export business. But the development of a new test for African horse sickness could change all that and give the industry a huge boost
For decades SA’s horse industry has been handicapped by African horse sickness (AHS), a deadly virus that severely limited its ability to sell horses overseas. This is set to change, bringing with it prospects of surging exports and a huge increase in employment opportunities. This change in fortunes is thanks to the Equine Research Centre (ERC) at the University of Pretoria, which has developed a new AHS test. Representing a giant step forward, the test provides a result in four hours, compared to three weeks at the moment. As it stands, SA exports 300-350 horses annually, valued at about R250m. But the long delays, as horses leaving SA are subject to a draconian quarantine of 21 days at the Kenilworth station in Cape Town followed by another 90 days in Mauritius, has curtailed growth in the industry. The new test, which will radically speed up the process, checks for the virus at the DNA level. It is also 98.7% accurate, compared to the existing test’s 44%. "There is only a one in...
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