Research has revealed that even before the outbreak of horse flu Australian thoroughbred owners were concerned with biosecurity issues and a new equine virus threatening their industry

Results from an Australian-wide questionnaire sent out by Dr Phil McManus, from the University of Sydney School of Geosciences, not long before the outbreak of horse flu in Australia, prove that the thoroughbred industry felt that Australia was not secure against biological enemies.

"They said the biggest threat was a new equine virus. The only other worry anywhere near that on scale was drought," Dr McManus said.

Dr McManus said that the outbreak was bound to happen and hoped that it would shine a bright light on the issue of biosecurity in Australia.

The world-wide travel of thoroughbreds and a suspected breach in quarantine procedures had combined with ineffective back-up measures to result in this outbreak, said Dr McManus.

According to Dr McManus there were rumours circulating throughout the industry that there may have been unofficial "easing" of quarantine regulations.

"If it is the case, that subcontracted private vets were not practising good quarantine procedures going back to 2005, then it has taken just two or three seasons to all go haywire," he said.

Dr McManus pointed out that if West Nile Horse Virus or foot and mouth disease entered the country it would be far worse, as they are fatal for most healthy horses.

"This could've been a lot worse in terms of disease and the impacts, so it is certainly an expensive wake-up call. There are lessons to be learnt, whether they will be learnt is another matter."

Dr McManus and Associate Professor Glenn Albrecht from the University of Newcastle are in the first year of their three year ARC Discovery Grant looking at the role of nature and tradition in thoroughbred breeding.