Movement of racehorses around New Zealand is to come under more stringent control to guard against any outbreak of viruses.
From Monday, 1 June, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing says any racehorse away from its stable for more than a week will be recorded on a database.
The agency says the horse population is one of the most mobile of all animal populations and tracking in this way is a key component of improving biosecurity.
This database will allow a continual fix on the position of every racing horse in the country.
In the event of an outbreak of equine influenza, MAF Biosecurity would have immediate access to the information.
