Vet Matt Ball, a veterinarian involved in last year's outbreaks of Hendra in northern NSW says the uptake of the new vaccine by horse owners has been slow.
The vaccine has been available for horse owners in Hendra hot spots, from Kempsey north in NSW and into Queensland, since the start of the month.
Flying foxes - Carriers of deadly Hendra virus
According to the Australian Veterinarian Association, it has become clear that Hendra virus is now an endemic disease in Australia.
© 2012 by Justin Welbergen
"I think the uptake has been relatively slow. From discussing it with local private veterinarians, I think there's only been around that up to 100-type figure since it was released."
The Hendra vaccine is now available nationally.
In 2011, the virus, transmitted by flying foxes, killed 10 horses on the state's north coast on eight different properties, with Macksville the most southerly case.
According to the Australian Veterinarian Association, it has become clear that Hendra virus is now an endemic disease in Australia. All known cases in horses (more than 30) have occurred in Queensland or northern NSW (one case to date) from the Great Dividing Range east.
However, it’s thought that there is a potential for disease wherever there are flying foxes given that antibodies to the virus have been detected in some proportion of all Australian flying fox populations.
Vet Matt ball, from the North Coast Livestock Health and Pest Authority, says the vaccine is a critical tool for horse owners to protect against the disease.
But he says horse owners should also consider standard biosecurity measures to protect their horses.
"The main one is to ensure that food and water sources don't get contaminated from secretions from bats, but beyond that, if horses are always wanting to sleep under fig trees and things like that, you may need to consider seclusion fencing away from that area," he said.
"But I suppose biosecurity advice includes getting checked up if a horse has signs of disease."
Mr Ball says the region has been fortunate there hasn't been a Hendra outbreak this year.
"It shows the sporadic nature of the disease, it's something that probably occurs randomly by chance," he said.
"We don't have a full understanding what can predict, I guess, to see the disease in the district.
"It's obviously is related to do with stress factors in the flying foxes and we have been lucky this year that we've had no positive results even though Queensland has."
Read more about Hendra virus