From CHRB
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Oct. 16, 2024) — Under the supervision of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and dictated by state and federal standards, five additional horses have been euthanized at Los Alamitos after they tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). This follows the euthanasia of seven other EIA positive quarter horses earlier this month. All 12 horses were trained by Heath Taylor and stabled in his barn at Los Alamitos.
As was reported October 3, CDFA ordered three of the Taylor horses to remain in quarantine as part of a group including those that tested positive. All three of those horses later tested positive and were among the five euthanized on Wednesday.
After EIA was detected among Taylor horses in other states as well, CDFA and United States Department of Agriculture initiated epidemiological tracing of the disease. As such, all of Taylor’s horses at Los Alamitos were tested by CDFA. Those tests identified two additional positives in the Taylor barn, resulting in their euthanasia. The other horses tested by CDFA have tested negative but six remain in quarantine. The six are identified as “close contacts” while in another state.
Epidemiological tracing is ongoing, and CDFA is actively monitoring the situation.
All fatalities are reported on the CHRB website on a weekly basis consistent with existing statutory requirements. More information about EIA is available at www.equinediseasecc.org.