Near-Record Year For CWD From Deer Farmi
Wisconsin
There were 60 deer from hunting ranches across the state that tested positive for CWD last year. The only year with a higher total of infected deer at captive operations was in 2006 when a total of 61 tested positive.
Darlene Konkle, assistant state veterinarian for the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, said the spike in 2006 came after a deer breeding facility was depopulated, whereas 2017's infected deer came from game farms already known to have CWD on the premises.
"We have not had a depopulation in 2017 but we do have several hunting ranches that are positive for CWD and some of those are increasing the rate in which they are taking out animals," Konkle said.
So far this year, nine deer have tested positive for CWD at deer breeding facilities and hunting ranches. The latest comes from a deer farm in Washington County, which has been quarantined. Konkle said the agency is working with the deer farming and hunting ranch industries to contain the spread of CWD.
"We’re constantly re-evaluating our monitoring and status programs and our licensing programs and looking at risk and looking at new information as we get it as well," said Konkle.
In 2016, Gov. Scott Walker ordered DATCP to create best practices for deer farms, and tasked the state Department of Natural Resources to conduct deer farm fencing every two years. Earlier that year, state Rep. Nick Milroy, D-South Range, and former Democratic state Rep. Chris Danou had called on Walker to enact tighter regulations for the state's deer farms and ranches.
"If you have a farm that has this disease on, it they shouldn’t be able to operate," said Milroy. "They jeopardize millions and millions of dollars in Wisconsin’s economy not only for our hunting heritage but also for the other close to 400 deer farms that aren’t infected."
According to DATCP, there are 376 deer farms in Wisconsin and 19 of them have tested positive for CWD since 2001. To date, 11 captive herds have been depopulated including a 2015 case in Eau Claire County in which the state paid the owner $300,000 for the animals that were killed
The love of money at any cost in everything we do will bring us to our knees eventually. We ruin everything we touch in one way or another over time in hopes of making it better, easier and more profitable. Sometimes at any cost.
Is there a method where live deer can be tested? If so, every deer at every farm should be tested every year at the farmers expense. If one positive is found and verified the farmer should loose their game farm license and be responsible to depopulate their entire farm. I don't understand how the DNR justifies spending our tax and license purchase money to support private businesses.
Jeff, the latest WON mentioned a method in which live deer were tested.
That's what I could never figure out either Jeff, why should the DNR have to pay these people for there domestic deer business? We give our money to the DNR for resources, I would think we could have a say in the matter when they hand it over to these people because there livestock is sick.
There is a test (the DNR is testing all the captured deer for the predator study) but it is not as accurate as testing done on dead animals. My understanding is that it has a higher rate of false positive results. That's better than false negatives I guess.
Again, this issue is Legislative. The DNR is just following statute. NOBODY in the DNR thinks they should be paying for depopulation out of their budget. Well, the Secretary maybe.
I did not mean to sound like I blamed the DNR for anything. I presume they are just operating under what current laws, politics, and funding allow them to do.
Actually Skoot, I spent some time looking into the science on that test last month. I never found anything about false pos, it just had a problem detecting the earlier stages. (false neg) this was about not enough prions in the sample area. with disease progression the detection approached perfection.
That's different than what the area wildlife supervisor explained to me then.
Sorry - time for another rant..... What totally blows my mind is the amount of money that TAX PAYERS, like you and me are paying to kill the animals that the owner has his money invested in. Why do the TAX PAYERS have to foot the bill?? Who foots the bill for failed corn or soybeans? The farmer or the farmers crop insurance? Who foots the bill if a farmer looses his pigs and milk cows in a barn fire? He or his insurance does. Who foots the bill for me if I have an accident with an under-insured or uninsured driver? My insurance or I do. Who pays for any other business failure? The owner or they file for bankruptcy.
Why are tax payers having to foot the bill for a failed business venture. Did we force the owner to purchase these deer and raise them in an area where they are over populated and given the ability to spread the disease because of the overpopulation? No we did not!
Time to contact the powers that be and give them another ear full!!!!
why not write a resolution to the Congress, or NRB on that,,,, I agree with you 100 percent
Skook I am looking for a link I can send you. I am on the road with a lap top and might not have the files I want with me.
Google this stuff around you might find the best articles before me.
"A rectal associated mucosal lymphoid tissue (RAMALT) biopsy (live-animal) test has been developed by researchers and appears to hold promise for future use in certain CWD monitoring or management situations in farmed cervids. This technique utilizes the current IHC testing technologies described above. The RAMALT is not currently approved as an official test for CWD."
Gander this one https://portal.nifa.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/1014014-development-and-evaluation-of-a-skin-test-for-chronic-wasting-disease.html
There are several counties that will have resolutions introduced. I have several examples that were emailed to me today that I haven't looked at yet.
The process is very easy. If anyone is interested in information, pm me.
http://www.elkresearchcouncil.org/pdf/J-Clin-Microbiol.-2016-Haley-1117-26.pdf
I called my rep in Madison and had a good long talk. She had no idea where the funds come from and will dig into it and get back to me. She is new to hunting and understand that things need to be done to change the CWD situation with deer farms.
I will let you know what I hear back.
The argument for paying for depopulation is probably that the threat to wild deer is worth the cost to reimburse the game farms. I don't agree with it, just playing devil's advocate.
This argument would support the fact that we have to do something to get these farms controlled. Or better yet, eliminated.
Would something as simple as mandating that they carry a certain level of insurance take care of it?
I'm sure if there was real money at risk things would tighten up pretty quickly.
I heard Arby's is going to add venison sandwich to their menus. Is that what most of these places do, sell to resturants?
There are quite a few kinds of game farms. Some are high fence hunting operations, scent companies, breeding farms for other game farms, a few are raising animals for food but generally not deer.
I could be wrong but I think the commercial venison is from elk.
commercial venison is Red Deer.
Some of trophy potential bucks are sold to ranches and tribal hunting operations out west and then sold to be 'hunted' for big money when they reach their potential.
