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Sunday, April 27, 2014

Indiana State Senate chief David Long calls for study of trophy deer industry's disease risks

Indiana State Senate chief David Long calls for study of trophy deer industry's disease risks
 

State Senate chief David Long calls for study of trophy deer industry's disease risks

 

Ryan Sabalow, ryan.sabalow@indystar.com 9:13 p.m. EDT April 26, 2014

 

The leader of Indiana's Senate said he's willing to consider closing the state's borders to live-deer imports in the wake of an Indianapolis Star investigation that uncovered a link between the trophy deer-breeding industry and the spread of disease.

 

State Senate President Pro Tempore David Long, R-Fort Wayne, called for a summer study session to discuss the disease risks associated with Indiana's nearly 400 deer farms, and address the decades-long legislative and legal stalemate over high-fence hunting.

 

"I think the whole issue needs to be analyzed thoroughly," said Long, R-Fort Wayne.

 

The Star's investigation examined the disease risks and ethical concerns associated with North America's $1 billion captive-deer industry, which breeds animals with freakishly large antlers and ships them to fenced preserves to be shot by hunters willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars for the trophies.



snip...
 
 

Some animals are so valuable as breeding stock — with antlers measuring twice the world record for deer taken in the wild — that farmers pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for them.

 

The industry's chief risk is the spread of chronic wasting disease, a mad cow-like brain disorder that is always fatal to deer and has never been found in Indiana.

 

Because there is no approved CWD test for live deer, 21 states have banned the importation of live deer, fearing CWD outbreaks. Missouri conservation officials told The Star last week that they plan to issue an import ban, citing The Star's investigation. Whether it will stick is another question. Officials expect opposition from the state's deer farmers, who are aggressively pushing a law that would wrest regulatory control of their industry from wildlife officials.

 

Messages left with the Missouri Whitetail Breeders and Hunting Ranch Association were not returned last week.

 

More at-risk deer moved to Indiana

 

Indiana still allows imports from states where CWD has not been found. The Star learned this week that five farms in Indiana are under quarantine after state officials discovered that deer shipped in from a farm in Pennsylvania could have been exposed to CWD. When the deer were imported, CWD had not yet been found in Pennsylvania.

 

It's the second time potentially infected deer from Pennsylvania have made their way into the state. In the first incident, one of the deer, known as Yellow 47 for the color and number of the tag in its ear, escaped and was never found.

 

Such escapes are widespread in the captive industry, raising other disease concerns as well. Bovine tuberculosis, which can infect cattle and humans, has been discovered on at least 50 captive deer and elk operations. A deer farm in Indiana is believed to have spread the disease to cattle, and the government response cost taxpayers more than $1.2 million.

 

Long said he was troubled to learn about the latest issue involving Pennsylvania deer.

 

The interstate movement of deer has been linked to the spread of disease. What are we risking for trophies? Robert Scheer/The Star

 

Pennsylvania agricultural officials told The Star last week that a 5-year-old doe that once lived on a Punxsutawney, Penn., farm with more than 200 other deer tested positive this spring for CWD after it died. The Punxsutawney farm and the deer on it had been sold last year. They were shipped to 39 farms in Pennsylvania, as well as facilities in nine other states, including Indiana and Missouri.

 

"Any one of these (farms) could have CWD-positive deer today," said Bryan Richards, the chronic wasting disease project leader at the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center.

 

Richards said taxpayers will have to foot the bill for the massive effort to track down potentially infected animals in the "web of recent sales," even if no disease is detected. He said many state wildlife agencies also are likely to begin testing wild animals near farming or hunting operations that received deer from the Pennsylvania herd, at a substantial cost.

 

All of this, Richards said, "exemplifies the risks associated with movement of live deer."

 

Shawn Schafer, the North American Deer Farmers Association's executive director, said the fact that the farms were quarantined is proof the system is working. "This isn't a raging, blazing case of disease running rampant throughout the industry," he said.

 

He said there's no need to limit interstate movement because state and federal officials test captive deer when they die and use farm records to backtrack shipments and find other infected animals. The Star, however, found shoddy record-keeping often hampered efforts to track outbreaks, and deer escapes were common. There are also proven instances of nose-to-nose contact with wild deer through deer fences.

 

Indiana deadlocked for years

 

Long, Indiana's Senate president, said it may be time for Indiana to follow the lead of states that have banned deer imports.

 

"The legislature would be well advised to get some facts on what's going on in the rest of the country," Long said, "and to see how some of the other states are responding to this."

 

State Rep. Sean Eberhart, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, said he'd like to do "an all- encompassing study" that addresses both disease and how to regulate hunting preserves. The Shelbyville Republican said he's happy to hear that Sen. Long was open to discussing the idea.

 

"I need his support, of course," Eberhart said.

 

Long, who once compared high-fence hunting to dog fighting, agreed that the summer study committee also should discuss the nearly decade-long stalemate over how to regulate high-fence hunting in Indiana.

 

Currently, the state's four hunting preserves are offering hunts without oversight from wildlife officials, and hunting methods aren't governed by agricultural humane slaughter standards.

 

For more than 10 years, Indiana's lawmakers have been unable to reach agreement on the nearly annual legislation that gets introduced about high-fenced hunting preserves. A bill that would have set regulatory standards for preserves was narrowly defeated this year in the Senate.

 

Without action, fundamental questions remain: Are farm-raised deer livestock, or wildlife? If they are livestock, why are they not subject to humane slaughter rules? If they are wildlife, why do hunting rules not apply?

 

Such issues have been discussed in Indiana since at least 2004, when an attorney general report cited ambiguity in the law and recommended a legislative solution. Lacking such a solution, wildlife officials issued an order that would have shut down the dozen or so high fence operations then operating in Indiana. The industry sued, and a Harrison County court judge ruled the DNR's order was improper because captive deer are livestock not under the agency's oversight. However, less than a year earlier, an Owen County court judge tossed out another case challenging the DNR's authority.

 

Attorney General Greg Zoeller said that he decided to appeal the Harrison County case in an effort to clarify the law. "This idea of having no clarity is not something that is healthy, really, for anybody," Zoeller said.

 

While the court case was moving forward, Long blocked the introduction of several House-passed bills related to high-fence hunting. Long told The Star he made a promise during the administration of Gov. Mitch Daniels to let the courts decide. After the Harrison County decision, he says he stayed true to his word and allowed members of the Senate's natural resources committee to introduce a bill this year that set ground rules for preserves and could have opened the door for more in the state.

 

Even so, Long cast one of the key "no" votes against the bill, which died from lack of a majority in an evenly split Senate.

 

Hunting community divided on the issue

 

Long says he's spoken with a number of hunters "who absolutely despise these preserves" and state wildlife officials who "to a person are concerned" about chronic wasting disease and its link to deer farming.

 

The Star's investigation, he said, raised even more questions that should be addressed. Long said that for years, the deer industry has has the loudest voice in the Indiana debate.

 

"To be honest with you, we're getting one side of this: That these preserves really aren't as bad as they're made out to be."

 

Another often-heard argument from the industry is that animal rights organizations bent on abolishing all hunting are behind questions raised about the industry.

 

After The Star's report, however, big-game hunting groups including The Quality Deer Management Association and the Boone and Crockett Club and Pope & Young clubs raised concerns about ethical issues posed by shooting farm-raised deer behind fences and the disease risks posed by the brisk interstate deer trade.

 

The Boone and Crockett Club began advocating for states to close their borders to captive deer imports due to the disease risks.

 

Similar positions have since been issued by the National Wildlife Federation and the Humane Society of the United States.

 

Call Star reporter Ryan Sabalow at (317) 444-6179. Follow him on Twitter: @ryansabalow.

 


 

Saturday, June 29, 2013

 

PENNSYLVANIA CAPTIVE CWD INDEX HERD MATE YELLOW *47 STILL RUNNING LOOSE IN INDIANA, YELLOW NUMBER 2 STILL MISSING, AND OTHERS ON THE RUN STILL IN LOUISIANA

 


 

Monday, June 24, 2013

 

The Effects of Chronic Wasting Disease on the Pennsylvania Cervid Industry Following its Discovery

 


 

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

 

CWD GONE WILD, More cervid escapees from more shooting pens on the loose in Pennsylvania

 


 

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

 

Chronic Wasting Disease CWD quarantine Louisiana via CWD index herd Pennsylvania Update May 28, 2013

 

6 doe from Pennsylvania CWD index herd still on the loose in Louisiana, quarantine began on October 18, 2012, still ongoing, Lake Charles premises.

 


 

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

 

PENNSYLVANIA 2012 THE GREAT ESCAPE OF CWD

 


 

Monday, June 24, 2013

 

The Effects of Chronic Wasting Disease on the Pennsylvania Cervid Industry Following its Discovery

 


 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

 

PENNSYLVANIA 2012 THE GREAT ESCAPE OF CWD INVESTIGATION MOVES INTO LOUISIANA and INDIANA

 


 

Pennsylvania CWD number of deer exposed and farms there from much greater than first thought

 

Published: Wednesday, October 17, 2012, 10:44 PM Updated: Wednesday, October 17, 2012, 11:33 PM

 


 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

 

PA Captive deer from CWD-positive farm roaming free

 


 

Sunday, January 27, 2013

 

Indiana 6 deer missing from farm pose health risk to state herds INDIANA

 


 

Saturday, January 18, 2014

 

*** Long folds, Money to great, Indiana high-fence hunting bill may advance, along with CWD

 


 

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

 

Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 10:08 PM

 


 

Cc: Greg.Zoeller@atg.in.gov ; steve.creason@atg.in.gov ; info@indianawildlife.org ; dnrwebmaster@dnr.IN.gov ; s1@iga.in.gov ; s4@iga.in.gov ; h57@in.gov ; simpson@indianawildlife.org ; twardy@indianawildlife.org ; watson@indianawildlife.org ; h51@in.gov ; h75@in.gov ; h53@in.gov ; h46@in.gov ; h30@in.gov ; h54@in.gov ; h62@in.gov ; h69@in.gov ; h64@in.gov ; h17@in.gov ; h42@in.gov ; h56@in.gov ; nkelly@jg.net

 

Subject: Indiana State to appeal high-fence deer hunting ruling

 

Greetings Honorable Attorney General Zoeller Sir and the Great State of Indiana, I wish to submit the following scientific information on CWD and escapees of cervids from game farms, and some other recent scientific studies on the CWD TSE prion. I hope you find interest in this Sir. in my opinion, the USDA would be the worst regulatory authority for CWD from state to state. I do think that regulations should have a standard set of mandatory regulations for each state to follow, as I believe if the regulations differ from state to state, then you would have many problems. however, I have witnessed the mad cow follies of the USDA and the OIE et al daily for almost 16 years straight, and all they are interested in is trade, same as the shooting pen industry. ...good luck! snip...

 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

 

Indiana State to appeal high-fence deer hunting ruling

 


 

Friday, April 26, 2013

 

INDIANA Republican State Sen. Travis Holdman Senate Bill 373 ag-gag WILL PUT HUMANS AT RISK

 


 

 

From: Barbara Simpson

 

Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2013 3:47 PM

 

To: Terry S. Singeltary Sr. Subject:

 

Re: Rep. Matt Ubelhor of Bloomfield is going to amend Senate Bill 487 to include the legalization of “canned” deer hunting operations in Indiana

 

Hi Terry. Thx for sending this. It's really helping let the people who are making the decisions for wildlife know how hunters and other conservationists feel. Barb

 

Sent from my iPhone

 

On Mar 23, 2013, at 12:08 PM, "Terry S. Singeltary Sr." wrote:

 

Indiana must say no to canned hunting

 

snip...end...tss

 

============================

 

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

 

Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2013 9:51 PM

 

To: BSE-L BSE-L

 

Cc: CJDVOICE CJDVOICE ; bloodcjd bloodcjd ; Michael Hansen ; Ronnie Cummins ; John Stauber ; thomas pringle

 

Subject: Indiana 6 deer missing from farm pose health risk to state herds

 

1/22/2013 11:11:00 AM

 

snip...

 

Sunday, January 27, 2013

 

Indiana 6 deer missing from farm pose health risk to state herds

 


 

Thursday, October 03, 2013

 

*** TAHC ADOPTS CWD RULE THAT the amendments __REMOVE__ the requirement for a specific fence height for captives ***

 

Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC)

 

October 3, 2013

 


 

Wednesday, September 04, 2013

 

*** cwd - cervid captive livestock escapes, loose and on the run in the wild ***

 


 

The New Hornographers: The Fight Over the Future of Texas Deer, Captive shooting pens, and the CWD TSE prion disease

 


 

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

 

National Rifle Association and the Unified Sportsman of Florida support a Florida ban on the importation of captive deer and cervids into Florida

 


 

Friday, March 07, 2014

 

*** 37th Annual Southeast Deer Study Group Meeting in Athens, Georgia (CWD TSE Prion abstracts)

 


 

Thursday, August 08, 2013

 

Characterization of the first case of naturally occurring chronic wasting disease in a captive red deer (Cervus elaphus) in North America

 


 

Game Farm, CWD Concerns Rise at Boone and Crockett Club

 

Friday, March 28, 2014 Concerned about captive deer operations transmitting diseases to wild herds, the Boone and Crockett Club now officially supports state bans on commercial import and export of deer or elk.

 

The Club also opposes efforts to relax regulation of captive cervid breeding operations or to remove management authority over such operations from state wildlife agencies.

 

A full position statement, posted here, was passed at the Club’s December meeting.

 

The Club’s concerns were reinforced at the recent Whitetail Summit hosted by the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), the first summit to focus on key issues and challenges facing free-ranging white-tailed deer.

 

“Of all the presentations, seminars and findings, I was most pleased to see the attention given to the connections between chronic wasting disease (CWD) and the game farming industry. This has been on our radar, and on the radar of QDMA, other conservation groups, state agencies and sportsmen for quite some time,” said Richard Hale, chairman of the Club’s Records Committee.

 

Hale added, “Congratulations to QDMA on one of the most impressive and well-run summits I’ve had the pleasure of attending and for keeping this issue front and center.”

 

CWD is a degenerative brain disease that affects elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and moose. The disease can be transmitted by direct animal-to-animal contact through saliva, feces and urine, and indirectly through environmental contamination. CWD is fatal in deer, elk and moose, but there is no evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans, according to the CDC and The World Health Organization.

 

Documented cases of CWD have been found in captive and/or wild deer and elk in 22 states and two Canadian provinces. In some, but not all, cases where the disease has been found in wild populations, the disease is present in captive populations within these regions.

 

In 2002, the Boone and Crockett Club, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Mule Deer Foundation formed the CWD Alliance. Its purpose was to pool resources, share information and collaborate on ways to positively address the CWD issue. Other organizations have since joined the Alliance, including QDMA and the Wildlife Management Institute, which now administers the Alliance website www.cwd-info.org.

 

“Evidence strongly suggests that captive animals infected with CWD can serve as the source for the spread of the disease to other captive animals, and between captive animals and wild populations,” said Hale. “To reduce the risk to wild deer populations, several states passed laws prohibiting game farming or live captive deer and elk importation, but now they are fighting efforts to expand captive deer and elk breeding and shooting operations within their jurisdictions. The captive cervid industry is persistent in proposing new legislations to overturn these laws, or transfer the authority of captive deer and elk from state fish and game agencies to their respective departments of agriculture.”

 

No vaccine or treatment is available for animals infected with CWD and once established in a population, culling or complete depopulation to eradicate CWD has provided only marginal results. In fact, the prevalence of CWD is rising at an alarming rate in some infected wild deer populations. Prevention is the only truly effective technique for managing diseases in free-ranging wildlife populations. Consequently, what can be done is minimizing the spread of CWD by restricting intra- and interstate transportation captive, privately owned wildlife, which frequently occurs in game farming.

 


 

Boone and Crockett club position statement

 

REGULATION OF GAME FARMS First Adopted December 7, 2013 - Updated December 7, 2013

 

Situational Overview

 

The captive cervid industry, also referred to as game farming, uses artificial means to breed captive deer, elk, and other cervids for sale in shooting preserve operations. These game farms commonly transport captive deer and elk to other shooting preserves in a state or in other states.

 

Transportation of captive, game farm animals has been shown to increase the risk of spreading parasites and infectious, diseases, such as chronic wasting disease (CWD) and bovine tuberculosis, to other captive and wild cervids in new locations. There is currently no way of testing live animals for CWD, and infected animals show no signs for at least 16-18 months post-infection. There is no vaccine, and despite fenced enclosures, captive animals often come in contact with wild populations thereby spreading diseases. Once CWD is present, the area cannot be decontaminated even if infected animals are removed. As a result, many states have banned or are attempting to ban the importation of captive cervids (as well as intact carcasses of hunter-killed, wild cervids) to lower the risk of spreading CWD and other infectious diseases.

 

Position

 

The Boone and Crockett Club supports state bans on importing or exporting captive deer and elk by game farming operations in order to protect the health of native populations. The Club opposes any legislation aimed at relaxing regulations governing captive cervid breeding operations or removing management authority over such operations from state wildlife agencies. The Club does not oppose the transportation of wild cervids by state agencies and non-governmental organizations for the purpose of re-establishing wild game animals to their historic, open ranges.

 

The breeding of captive deer, elk, and other cervids for profit to create abnormally large “trophy” animals for fenced shoots under non-fair chase conditions are addressed in the Boone and Crockett Club’s positions on “Genetic Manipulation of Game” and “Canned Shoots.”

 


 

Saturday, March 29, 2014

 

Game Farm, CWD Concerns Rise at Boone and Crockett Club

 


 

Sunday, April 06, 2014

 

The Conservation Federation of Missouri is Opposed to the Transfer of Captive White-tailed Deer Management

 


 

Monday, March 03, 2014

 

*** APHIS to Offer Indemnity for CWD Positive Herds as Part of Its Cervid Health Activities ???

 


 

Saturday, February 04, 2012

 

*** Wisconsin 16 age limit on testing dead deer Game Farm CWD Testing Protocol Needs To Be Revised

 

Approximately 4,200 fawns, defined as deer under 1 year of age, were sampled from the eradication zone over the last year. The majority of fawns sampled were between the ages of 5 to 9 months, though some were as young as 1 month.

 

*** Two of the six fawns with CWD detected were 5 to 6 months old.

 

All six of the positive fawns were taken from the core area of the CWD eradication zone where the highest numbers of positive deer have been identified.

 


 

*** Spraker suggested an interesting explanation for the occurrence of CWD. The deer pens at the Foot Hills Campus were built some 30-40 years ago by a Dr. Bob Davis. At or abut that time, allegedly, some scrapie work was conducted at this site. When deer were introduced to the pens they occupied ground that had previously been occupied by sheep. ...

 

also, see where even decades back, the USDA had the same thought as they do today with CWD, not their problem...see page 27 below as well, where USDA stated back then, the same thing they stated in the state of Pennsylvania, not their damn business, once they escape, and they said the same thing about CWD in general back then ;

 

”The occurrence of CWD must be viewed against the contest of the locations in which it occurred. It was an incidental and unwelcome complication of the respective wildlife research programmes. Despite it’s subsequent recognition as a new disease of cervids, therefore justifying direct investigation, no specific research funding was forthcoming. The USDA veiwed it as a wildlife problem and consequently not their province!” ...page 26.

 


 

”The occurrence of CWD must be viewed against the contest of the locations in which it occurred. It was an incidental and unwelcome complication of the respective wildlife research programmes. Despite it’s subsequent recognition as a new disease of cervids, therefore justifying direct investigation, no specific research funding was forthcoming. The USDA veiwed it as a wildlife problem and consequently not their province!” ...page 26.

 

sound familiar $$$

 

Sunday, January 06, 2013

 

USDA TO PGC ONCE CAPTIVES ESCAPE

 

*** "it‘s no longer its business.”

 


 

Between 1996 and 2002, chronic wasting disease was diagnosed in 39 herds of farmed elk in Saskatchewan in a single epidemic. All of these herds were depopulated as part of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) disease eradication program. Animals, primarily over 12 mo of age, were tested for the presence CWD prions following euthanasia. Twenty-one of the herds were linked through movements of live animals with latent CWD from a single infected source herd in Saskatchewan, 17 through movements of animals from 7 of the secondarily infected herds.

 

***The source herd is believed to have become infected via importation of animals from a game farm in South Dakota where CWD was subsequently diagnosed (7,4). A wide range in herd prevalence of CWD at the time of herd depopulation of these herds was observed. Within-herd transmission was observed on some farms, while the disease remained confined to the introduced animals on other farms.

 


 

Friday, May 13, 2011

 

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) outbreaks and surveillance program in the Republic of Korea Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) outbreaks and surveillance program in the Republic of Korea

 

Hyun-Joo Sohn, Yoon-Hee Lee, Min-jeong Kim, Eun-Im Yun, Hyo-Jin Kim, Won-Yong Lee, Dong-Seob Tark, In- Soo Cho, Foreign Animal Disease Research Division, National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, Republic of Korea

 

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been recognized as an important prion disease in native North America deer and Rocky mountain elks. The disease is a unique member of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), which naturally affects only a few species. CWD had been limited to USA and Canada until 2000. On 28 December 2000, information from the Canadian government showed that a total of 95 elk had been exported from farms with CWD to Korea. These consisted of 23 elk in 1994 originating from the so-called “source farm” in Canada, and 72 elk in 1997, which had been held in pre export quarantine at the “source farm”.Based on export information of CWD suspected elk from Canada to Korea, CWD surveillance program was initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) in 2001. All elks imported in 1997 were traced back, however elks imported in 1994 were impossible to identify. CWD control measures included stamping out of all animals in the affected farm, and thorough cleaning and disinfection of the premises. In addition, nationwide clinical surveillance of Korean native cervids, and improved measures to ensure reporting of CWD suspect cases were implemented. Total of 9 elks were found to be affected. CWD was designated as a notifiable disease under the Act for Prevention of Livestock Epidemics in 2002. Additional CWD cases - 12 elks and 2 elks - were diagnosed in 2004 and 2005. Since February of 2005, when slaughtered elks were found to be positive, all slaughtered cervid for human consumption at abattoirs were designated as target of the CWD surveillance program. Currently, CWD laboratory testing is only conducted by National Reference Laboratory on CWD, which is the Foreign Animal Disease Division (FADD) of National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS). In July 2010, one out of 3 elks from Farm 1 which were slaughtered for the human consumption was confirmed as positive. Consequently, all cervid – 54 elks, 41 Sika deer and 5 Albino deer – were culled and one elk was found to be positive. Epidemiological investigations were conducted by Veterinary Epidemiology Division (VED) of NVRQS in collaboration with provincial veterinary services. Epidemiologically related farms were found as 3 farms and all cervid at these farms were culled and subjected to CWD diagnosis. Three elks and 5 crossbreeds (Red deer and Sika deer) were confirmed as positive at farm 2. All cervids at Farm 3 and Farm 4 – 15 elks and 47 elks – were culled and confirmed as negative. Further epidemiological investigations showed that these CWD outbreaks were linked to the importation of elks from Canada in 1994 based on circumstantial evidences. In December 2010, one elk was confirmed as positive at Farm 5. Consequently, all cervid – 3 elks, 11 Manchurian Sika deer and 20 Sika deer – were culled and one Manchurian Sika deer and seven Sika deer were found to be positive. This is the first report of CWD in these sub-species of deer. Epidemiological investigations found that the owner of the Farm 2 in CWD outbreaks in July 2010 had co-owned the Farm 5. In addition, it was newly revealed that one positive elk was introduced from Farm 6 of Jinju-si Gyeongsang Namdo. All cervid – 19 elks, 15 crossbreed (species unknown) and 64 Sika deer – of Farm 6 were culled, but all confirmed as negative. : Corresponding author: Dr. Hyun-Joo Sohn (+82-31-467-1867, E-mail: shonhj@korea.kr)

 

2011 Pre-congress Workshop: TSEs in animals and their environment 5

 


 


 


 

Friday, May 13, 2011

 

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) outbreaks and surveillance program in the Republic of Korea

 


 

Monday, June 18, 2012

 

natural cases of CWD in eight Sika deer (Cervus nippon) and five Sika/red deer crossbreeds captive Korea and Experimental oral transmission to red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus)

 


 

Friday, December 14, 2012

 

DEFRA U.K. What is the risk of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD being introduced into Great Britain? A Qualitative Risk Assessment October 2012

 

snip...

 

In the USA, under the Food and Drug Administration’s BSE Feed Regulation (21 CFR 589.2000) most material (exceptions include milk, tallow, and gelatin) from deer and elk is prohibited for use in feed for ruminant animals. With regards to feed for non-ruminant animals, under FDA law, CWD positive deer may not be used for any animal feed or feed ingredients. For elk and deer considered at high risk for CWD, the FDA recommends that these animals do not enter the animal feed system. However, this recommendation is guidance and not a requirement by law.

 

Animals considered at high risk for CWD include:

 

1) animals from areas declared to be endemic for CWD and/or to be CWD eradication zones and

 

2) deer and elk that at some time during the 60-month period prior to slaughter were in a captive herd that contained a CWD-positive animal.

 

Therefore, in the USA, materials from cervids other than CWD positive animals may be used in animal feed and feed ingredients for non-ruminants.

 

The amount of animal PAP that is of deer and/or elk origin imported from the USA to GB can not be determined, however, as it is not specified in TRACES. It may constitute a small percentage of the 8412 kilos of non-fish origin processed animal proteins that were imported from US into GB in 2011.

 

Overall, therefore, it is considered there is a __greater than negligible risk___ that (nonruminant) animal feed and pet food containing deer and/or elk protein is imported into GB.

 

There is uncertainty associated with this estimate given the lack of data on the amount of deer and/or elk protein possibly being imported in these products.

 

snip...

 

36% in 2007 (Almberg et al., 2011). In such areas, population declines of deer of up to 30 to 50% have been observed (Almberg et al., 2011). In areas of Colorado, the prevalence can be as high as 30% (EFSA, 2011).

 

The clinical signs of CWD in affected adults are weight loss and behavioural changes that can span weeks or months (Williams, 2005). In addition, signs might include excessive salivation, behavioural alterations including a fixed stare and changes in interaction with other animals in the herd, and an altered stance (Williams, 2005). These signs are indistinguishable from cervids experimentally infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

 

Given this, if CWD was to be introduced into countries with BSE such as GB, for example, infected deer populations would need to be tested to differentiate if they were infected with CWD or BSE to minimise the risk of BSE entering the human food-chain via affected venison.

 

snip...

 

The rate of transmission of CWD has been reported to be as high as 30% and can approach 100% among captive animals in endemic areas (Safar et al., 2008).

 

snip...

 

In summary, in endemic areas, there is a medium probability that the soil and surrounding environment is contaminated with CWD prions and in a bioavailable form. In rural areas where CWD has not been reported and deer are present, there is a greater than negligible risk the soil is contaminated with CWD prion.

 

snip...

 

In summary, given the volume of tourists, hunters and servicemen moving between GB and North America, the probability of at least one person travelling to/from a CWD affected area and, in doing so, contaminating their clothing, footwear and/or equipment prior to arriving in GB is greater than negligible. For deer hunters, specifically, the risk is likely to be greater given the increased contact with deer and their environment. However, there is significant uncertainty associated with these estimates.

 

snip...

 

Therefore, it is considered that farmed and park deer may have a higher probability of exposure to CWD transferred to the environment than wild deer given the restricted habitat range and higher frequency of contact with tourists and returning GB residents.

 

snip...

 


 

New studies on the heat resistance of hamster-adapted scrapie agent: Threshold survival after ashing at 600°C suggests an inorganic template of replication

 


 

Prion Infected Meat-and-Bone Meal Is Still Infectious after Biodiesel Production

 


 

Detection of protease-resistant cervid prion protein in water from a CWD-endemic area

 


 

A Quantitative Assessment of the Amount of Prion Diverted to Category 1 Materials and Wastewater During Processing

 


 

Rapid assessment of bovine spongiform encephalopathy prion inactivation by heat treatment in yellow grease produced in the industrial manufacturing process of meat and bone meals

 


 

PPo4-4:

 

Survival and Limited Spread of TSE Infectivity after Burial

 


 

Sunday, April 13, 2014

 

Mineral licks: motivational factors for visitation and accompanying disease risk at communal use sites of elk and deer

 

Environmental Geochemistry and Health

 


 

Monday, March 03, 2014

 

*** APHIS to Offer Indemnity for CWD Positive Herds as Part of Its Cervid Health Activities ???

 


 

Singeltary submission ;

 

Program Standards: Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program and Interstate Movement of Farmed or Captive Deer, Elk, and Moose

 

*** DOCUMENT ID: APHIS-2006-0118-0411

 


 

Saturday, February 04, 2012

 

*** Wisconsin 16 age limit on testing dead deer Game Farm CWD Testing Protocol Needs To Be Revised

 

Approximately 4,200 fawns, defined as deer under 1 year of age, were sampled from the eradication zone over the last year. The majority of fawns sampled were between the ages of 5 to 9 months, though some were as young as 1 month.

 

*** Two of the six fawns with CWD detected were 5 to 6 months old.

 

All six of the positive fawns were taken from the core area of the CWD eradication zone where the highest numbers of positive deer have been identified.

 


 

Sunday, September 01, 2013

 

*** hunting over gut piles and CWD TSE prion disease

 


 

Saturday, March 15, 2014

 

Potential role of soil properties in the spread of CWD in western Canada

 


 

Saturday, April 19, 2014

 

*** Exploring the zoonotic potential of animal prion diseases: In vivo and in vitro approaches ***

 

*** These results would seem to suggest that CWD does indeed have zoonotic potential, at least as judged by the compatibility of CWD prions and their human PrPC target. Furthermore, extrapolation from this simple in vitro assay suggests that if zoonotic CWD occurred, it would most likely effect those of the PRNP codon 129-MM genotype and that the PrPres type would be similar to that found in the most common subtype of sCJD (MM1).

 


 

OLD HISTORY ON CWD AND GAME FARMS IN USA

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

TSS

 

 

From: Sabalow, Ryan

 

Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 10:04 AM

 


 

Subject: Reporter request for information

 

Hi Terry,

 

My name is Ryan Sabalow. I’m an investigative reporter for the Indianapolis Star. I’m working on a long-term investigation taking a look at the captive cervid industry. Can you please give me a call? I see you’ve done a lot of work on your blog about this topic. My number 317-444-6179. Thanks for your help.

 

 

Ryan Sabalow

 

Indianapolis Star

 

Phone: 317-444-6179

 

Twitter: @ryansabalow

 

=======================

 

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

 

Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 11:09 AM

 


 

Subject: Fw: [BSE-L] IMPORTANT: Cervid Industry and State Veterinarians on Rewriting Chronic Wasting Disease Rule

 

hi ryan,

 

nice speaking with you over the phone. sure, I will help out any way I can with your story. here is the usda/aphis statement and link. this should keep you busy till I can send you some more data......

 

kind regards, terry

 

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr. Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2013 10:43 AM To: BSE-L@LISTS.AEGEE.ORG Subject: [BSE-L] IMPORTANT: Cervid Industry and State Veterinarians on Rewriting Chronic Wasting Disease Rule

 

 snip...

 

Tuesday, April 02, 2013

 

IMPORTANT: Cervid Industry and State Veterinarians on Rewriting Chronic Wasting Disease Rule

 


 

=====================

 

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr. Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2012 10:34 AM To: ryan.sabalow@indystar.com Subject: CWD TSE PRION, AND SCRAPIE ?

 

=====================

 

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

 

Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2014 10:56 AM

 

To: BSE-L BSE-L

 

Cc: info@indianawildlife.org ; dnrwebmaster@dnr.IN.gov ; s1@iga.in.gov ; s4@iga.in.gov ; h57@in.gov ; simpson@indianawildlife.org ; twardy@indianawildlife.org ; watson@indianawildlife.org ; h51@in.gov ; h75@in.gov ; h53@in.gov ; h46@in.gov ; h30@in.gov ; h54@in.gov ; h62@in.gov ; h69@in.gov ; h64@in.gov ; h17@in.gov ; h42@in.gov ; h56@in.gov ; nkelly@jg.net ; CJDVOICE CJDVOICE ; bloodcjd bloodcjd

 

BCC: Michael Hansen;Ronnie Cummins;thomas pringle;John Stauber;ryan.sabalow@indystar.com ryan.sabalow@indystar.com;

 

Subject: Long folds, Money to great, Indiana high-fence hunting bill may advance, along with CWD

 

Indiana high-fence hunting bill may advance

 

==================

 

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

 

Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 9:48 PM

 


 

Subject: Fw: [BSE-L] Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin White-Tailed Deer: Implications for Disease Spread and Management

 

hello Ryan et al @ indystar.com,

 

thought this might help out on your upcoming story on shooting pens...see study just out...could slow down the horn porn...kind regards, terry

 

*** Given that quality deer management practices focus on production of older bucks with large antlers, management agencies could face difficult alternatives from these competing interests.

 

*** However, we also note that CWD transmission rates and prevalence are much higher in captive deer farms than has been reported in wild populations [67].

 

 From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr. Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 1:32 PM To: BSE-L@LISTS.AEGEE.ORG Subject: [BSE-L] Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin White-Tailed Deer: Implications for Disease Spread and Management

 

snip...

 

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

 

Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin White-Tailed Deer: Implications for Disease Spread and Management

 


 

===========================

 

From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

 

Sent: Friday, March 28, 2014 10:32 AM

 

To: Sabalow, Ryan Subject: Re: BUCK FEVER What can happen if preserve owners make the rules

 

A SHORTER VERSION I am getting out via social web, hunters, breeders, state to state, korea, canada and such......later.......terry

 

Friday, March 28, 2014

 

BUCK FEVER What can happen if preserve owners make the rules

 

BUCK FEVER

 

What can happen if preserve owners make the rules

 

Damning investigation by Mr. Sabalow et al @ IndyStar, that shows what we have known for decades about, an industry run amuck, an industry that will eventually self regulate itself, if they get their way, an industry that in my opinion, has been spreading cwd to hell and back for decades, i.e. the shooting pen industry. ...tss

 

BUCK FEVER

 

What can happen if preserve owners make the rules

 

What can happen if preserve owners make the rules

 

At one Indiana high-fence operation, deer — some ill or appearing drugged — were hunted in what prosecutors called 'killing pens.' Today, laws like those that sent the owner to prison are under assault in many states.

 

Ryan Sabalow, ryan.sabalow@indystar.com

 

"I think the DNR was so jealous 'cause I was selling deer for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it would take 10 years for them to make what I was making in one day." — Russ Bellar

 

Buck Fever

 

Chapter 4

 

The nation's deer farmers are aggressively lobbying for regulatory changes that would benefit their industry. One Indiana case serves as a warning of what could happen if the industry is allowed to set its own rules. Robert Scheer/The Star

 

PERU, Ind. – For seven days in January 2005, a jury in a federal courtroom heard tales from a now-notorious Indiana hunting preserve of deer being drugged and even a sick deer propped up in a 1-acre pen so a hunter could shoot a $15,000 trophy.

 

Jurors heard testimony from an outdoor television celebrity, a corporate CEO, a country music star and an ex-NFL quarterback, some of whom paid substantial sums to shoot deer in enclosures so small that prosecutors dubbed them "killing pens." One shot his deer only minutes after it was released from a trailer. ...

 

snip...see full text, videos of interviews and such ;

 


 

Overview: Trophy industry breeds risk disease, costs taxpayers millions

 

The pursuit of deer bred for enormous antlers and shot in hunting pens is compromising our ethics and laws, and comes with growing risk and costs.

 


 

Chapter 1: A troubling industry is born

 

Amish farmer unwittingly helped give rise to a booming new business — and ethical and legal quandaries.

 

"I am the king behind my fence. These are my deer." — Marty Berry, Texas deer breeder

 


 

Chapter 3: How fair is the chase?

 


 

Chapter 4: What can happen if preserve owners make the rules

 


 

Is the rack worth the risk?

 

The search for the source of a deadly disease often leads to deer farms.

 

The interstate movement of deer has been linked to the spread of disease. What are we risking for trophies? Robert Scheer/The Star

 

SEYMOUR, Ind. – In April 2012, a tree fell on a fence in Southern Indiana and 20 white-tailed deer bounded through the gap, their tails raised like stark white flags.

 

One of the deer in the pen had been shipped from a Pennsylvania herd where two deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease, a neurological disorder that's always fatal to deer and elk and has been found in 22 states — but never in Indiana.

 

Not yet, anyway.

 

That buck — which state officials call Yellow 47, for the color and number of the tag in his ear — has never been found. And because there is no reliable way to test for the disease until an animal dies, no one knows whether Yellow 47 had CWD when he arrived in Indiana, or whether he could be spreading it to his wild brethren today. ...

 

BUCK FEVER

 


 

A MUST READ !!!

 

BUCK FEVER

 


 

see full text and more ;

 

Friday, March 28, 2014

 

BUCK FEVER What can happen if preserve owners make the rules

 

BUCK FEVER

 


 

 

 

TSS

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