Outdoor News posted a Minnesota Board of Animal Health press release in Four more farmed white-tailed deer test positive for CWD:
In late April, the Board of Animal Health and U.S. Department of Agriculture euthanized a quarantined herd of 14 white-tailed deer in Meeker County, west of the Twin Cities. Samples collected from the animals were tested at the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, and four deer — all bucks — were confirmed CWD positive on May 15, BAH reported late Wednesday, May 17. This herd was part of an investigation initiated with a CWD infected farmed deer herd found in Crow Wing County late last year.
The Board shared the test results with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which responds to and manages CWD in wild deer. The Board works with the USDA as it investigates and regulates CWD in farmed deer. The owner agreed to euthanize the animals and test them for CWD as part of a herd plan developed between the USDA, BAH and the owner after finding a trace animal in the herd was positive for CWD in January.
The herd plan also includes tracing animal movements into and out of this herd within the last five years. This tracing revealed that two of the four CWD positive animals came from a Wright County deer farm as fawns in 2014. The Wright County farm has also been placed under quarantine as of May 15.
“This emphasizes the need for a strong CWD surveillance program in our captive deer and elk. Although these animals appeared healthy, they were infected with CWD and would have continued to spread the disease if they remained alive. CWD testing all deer and elk that die or are killed on a producer’s property is critical to the program,” said Dr. Linda Glaser, BAH assistant director. “We quarantined the Wright County herd after discovering two of the four CWD positives originated there, but that herd is not considered infected. Herd movements are restricted, and the herd will be closely monitored until 2019.”
The Meeker County farm is empty and remains quarantined for all deer and elk species, and fences remain in place to keep wild deer off of the site. The next step is to clean and disinfect as much of the herd enclosures as possible. When that is complete, the property will remain quarantined for a period of five years.
For earlier coverage on CWD incidents and policy discussions in Minnesota, check out our earlier posts:
Chronic Wasting Disease: concerns for MN wild whitetails prompts deer farm moratorium bill
Special deer hunt ends; CWD found in one doe
Wild and farmed animals: more chronic wasting disease found in Minnesota's deer population
Chronic wasting disease: 800 people pack DNR meeting about special hunt for 900 whitetails
Photo: A deer with CWD.
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