The FEI has changed its regulations on equine influenza vaccination due to a supply shortage ©Getty Images

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Board has approved a temporary exemption to its veterinary regulations in response to a shortage of influenza vaccines in Europe.

The governing body has decided to extend the booster intervals from six months to 12 in addition to deploying increased disease surveillance and a higher level of general biosecurity.

Current FEI regulations require influenza boosters to be given to horses in the six months leading up to a competition, but not within seven days of arrival at the event.

"In their review of the potential impact of the vaccine shortage, the FEI epidemiology group found that even a short interruption to vaccine supplies could have a significant impact on several types of sport, breeding and leisure horses," FEI veterinary director Göran Akerström said.

"However, the horses with the highest risk of developing a disease, including life-threatening conditions, are horses aged 0-4 that do not yet have a strong immune defense against equine influenza.

"In particular, equine sectors with young horses, such as breeding and horseracing could face serious horse welfare problems if vaccines are not available to them.

"Old, retired horses could also be at a high risk.

"This is why the FEI veterinary epidemiology working group has advised that middle-aged equines, like FEI horses that are at least six years old and that have been vaccinated on a regular basis, are considered better protected because of a longer vaccination history."

FEI veterinary director Göran Akerström, right, has said that equine sectors with young horses could face serious welfare problems if vaccines are not made available ©Getty Images
FEI veterinary director Göran Akerström, right, has said that equine sectors with young horses could face serious welfare problems if vaccines are not made available ©Getty Images

Boehringer Ingelheim, the FEI's vaccine supplier, is currently experiencing delays for the equine influenza vaccine due to technology upgrades at its production facilities.

"The FEI veterinary epidemiology working group was in agreement that a temporary extension of the booster intervals would not put the FEI population of horses in danger of developing disease, while making vaccines available to the more high-risk equine groups in the short term," continued Akerström.

"The equestrian community now needs to work together to mitigate a very challenging shortage of vaccines.

"The extension is only a temporary solution and only possible because FEI horses are well protected after having been vaccinated every six to 12 months, often for many years.

"We will revert back to the six-month booster interval as soon as the vaccine availability is back to normal as we need to continue building on this collective immunity for the long term."

The change will last from October 1 to April 1 next year.