CWD Confirmed in PA

[melody]

From the Dep. of Agriculture's web site:

Current Information on Chronic Wasting Disease

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed the first positive case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Pennsylvania in October 2012. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease of the nervous system of cervid animals including deer, elk and moose. CWD is not believed to be transmissible to humans.

An interagency CWD task force is in place to address the threat of the disease to Pennsylvania’s captive and wild cervid populations and includes the departments of Agriculture, Environmental Protection and Health, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The task force is currently following the Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan to prevent further spread of this devastating disease to the state’s captive and wild cervid populations.

www.agriculture.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_24476_10297_0_43/AgWebsite/Page.aspx?name=Chronic-Wasting-Disease-Information&navid=0&parentnavid=0&pageid=138&

Wonder if we will see a formal press release or if they will try to bury it? And remember, the PGC has no authority to regulate or promulgate reguations on Cervidae livestock operations.

[Deleted]

Do we know where the case was discovered, or whether it was in a wild or captive animal, Melody?

[melody]

PDA

News for Immediate Release

Oct. 11, 2012

First Case of Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Pennsylvania Deer
Adams County Captive Deer Tests Positive; No Evidence of Effect on Humans
Editor’s Note: Agriculture Secretary George Greig and other officials will hold a press conference to discuss Chronic Wasting Disease at 1 p.m. today, Thursday, Oct. 11, in the Capitol Media Center.

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture today confirmed the first positive case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the state on a deer farm in Adams County.

The disease is fatal in deer, elk and moose, but there is no evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The World Health Organization.

The positive sample was taken from a white-tailed deer at 1491 New Chester Rd., New Oxford, and tested as part of Pennsylvania’s intensive CWD monitoring efforts. The sample tissue was tested at the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg and verified at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.

In addition to the Adams County location, the department has quarantined two farms directly associated with the positive deer at 6464 Jacks Hollow Rd., Williamsport, Lycoming County, and 61 Pickett Rd., Dover, York County. The quarantine prevents movement of animals on and off the premises.

“Pennsylvania has an aggressive Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance program and a strong response plan,” said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. “Steps are being taken to prevent further spread of this disease to the state’s captive and wild deer populations.”
An interagency CWD task force is in place to address the threat of the disease to Pennsylvania’s captive and wild deer, elk and moose populations. The task force includes representatives of the departments of Agriculture, Environmental Protection and Health, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The task force will carry out the response plan, which includes education and outreach with public meetings and minimizing risk factors through continued surveillance, testing and management.

“To date CWD has not been found in Pennsylvania’s wild deer population,” said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. ”Concerns over CWD should not prevent anyone from enjoying deer hunting and consuming meat from healthy animals.”
Roe said that hunters should shoot only healthy-appearing animals, and take precautions like wearing rubber gloves when field-dressing their deer and wash thoroughly when finished.

“Though no human disease has been associated with CWD, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people or other animals do not eat any part of an animal diagnosed with or showing signs of CWD,” said Acting Health Secretary Michael Wolf.

CWD attacks the brains of infected deer, elk and moose, producing small lesions that eventually result in death. It is transmitted by direct animal-to-animal contact through saliva, feces and urine.

Signs of the disease include weight loss, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, and abnormal behavior like stumbling, trembling and depression. Infected deer and elk may also allow unusually close approach by humans or natural predators. The disease is fatal and there is no known treatment or vaccine.

CWD was first discovered in Colorado captive mule deer in 1967, and has since been detected in 22 states and Canadian provinces, including Pennsylvania’s neighboring states of New York, West Virginia and Maryland. Pennsylvania is the 23rd state to find CWD in either a captive or wild population of deer and the 13th state to have it only in a captive deer herd.

Surveillance for CWD has been ongoing in Pennsylvania since 1998. The agriculture department coordinates a mandatory CWD monitoring program for more than 23,000 captive deer on 1,100 breeding farms, hobby farms and shooting preserves.

In addition, the Game Commission collects samples from hunter-harvested deer and elk and those that appear sick or behave abnormally. Since 1998, the commission has tested more than 38,000 free-ranging deer and elk for CWD and all have tested negative.

For more information from the departments of Agriculture and Health and the Pennsylvania Game Commission, visit:
• www.agriculture.state.pa.us (click on the “Chronic Wasting Disease Information” button on the homepage),
• www.pgc.state.pa.us (click on “CWD Info”), and
• www.health.state.pa.us (click on “Diseases and Conditions”)

Media contacts:
Samantha Elliott Krepps, Agriculture, 717-787-5085
Aimee Tysarczyk, Health, 717-787-1783
Jerry Feaser, PGC, 717-705-6541

[Deleted]

Until this very moment I was not aware of the prevalence of "deer farms" in this state. In fact, there is the PA Deer Farmers Association. Their website has a policy and penalties associate with CWD:

www.padfa.com/health-regulations/

Now, I'm sure there are a lot of responsible people involved in this, but I'd be willing to bet there are some rogues as well. These farms just seem to be potential CWD ticking time bombs in my mind, but like I said, I wasn't even aware of them. I hope the PA Department of Agriculture is on top of this and dove-tails with the PGC regularly.

[Deleted]

Really sad news I always new it would be here but now it has really sunk in.

[galthatfishes]

First case was confirmed in Iowa or Il. as well recently. Captive herd once again.

Dutch knows the state. One of his friends has land right close by

[Deleted]

Hopefully it will be contained.

[Deleted]

cl3, there are many rogues raising deer. The reason the deer farm lobby pressed the legislature to give the Dept of Ag control over captive raised deer and take it from the PGC was because the PGC was serious about enforcing the regulations, particularly the inter farm movement of deer for breeding purposes and prosecutions were made. The deer farmers knew that Ag enforcement is a joke and practically non existant.

[Deleted]

Here's the PDA's Response Plan, and page 24 deals with captive deer:

www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_24476_10297_0_43/AgWebsite/Files/Publications/2011%20CWD%20Response%20Plan.pdf

They recommend the whole herd be "depopulated" re: killed. I hope there is a hefty fine from both the PDA and PDFA on the farmer as well. I don't know enough about "deer farming" to say whether or not it fills a useful need or if it should be outlawed.

Also, are you telling me a "farmed deer" could never escape?! Or some chucklehead gets cute and tries to open a fence to "hunt" a buck free range?!

[Deleted]

I don't know if you know it or not but the prions that transmit CWD will remain vialble in the soil in the deer enclosure for years and years, they don't even know how long as of the last time I read anything on it. If they de-populate and put other deer back into the same fields they have accomplished nothing.

[galthatfishes]

Neither fire nor bleach kill the prions.

Let me dig out QDMA's statement regarding deer farming.

[galthatfishes]

www.qdma.com/news/captive-deer-breeding-legislation-overwhelmingly-defeated-during-2012-legis

[neville]

Remember - Act 51 of 2006 specifically prohibits the PGC from having any regulatory authority over cervidae livestock operations. See HB 1580 (I seem to recall) of that session.

13 of the 23 states that have CWD ONLY have it in livestock operations. Hmmm.

[melody]

"They recommend the whole herd be "depopulated""

John's right about the enforcment being the reason why the farmers fought so hard to take away enforcment from the PGC and turn it over to Ag. The legislature was quick to jump on the bandwagon with the farmers and protect them from the "heavy handed PGC law enforcement". Then with budget cuts and monies redirected over the years, less and less interest was directed towards monitoring cervid farms and the movement of animals from one farm to another.

We knew it was only a matter of time until an outbreak occurred in PA. Now lets see if Ag has the intestinal fortitude to do the right thing now and make them depopulate the whole herd and shut down the operation. Word is, it's much wider spread, with numbers in the double digests, of farms that have come in contact with the infected deer.

[Deleted]

Oct 11, 2012 15:28:22 GMT -5 melody said:

Word is, it's much wider spread, with numbers in the double digests, of farms that have come in contact with the infected deer.

When I saw the CWD "policy" on the PA Deer Farmers Association website, I'd bet you are correct.

[galthatfishes]

I went to a deer farm operation a few years back. It was a "public meeting" over in Hummelstown.

While we were there, a deer (big buck) dropped dead in the field. Not one person said a word. There was a woman there from Ag. I asked her when they were going to test it (since she was already there, and just seemed disinterested). Her reply?

"We have 24 hours to test it, but unfortunately, we are understaffed"

My jaw hit the floor. Don't know what happened.

[Deleted]

Mel, don't forget at the time we had a Commissioner who was going against the Agency and supporting the deer farmers getting under Dept of Ag. Some of the things he said at meetings with deer farmers was reprehensible.

[melody]

From today's press conference:

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANNOUNCES FIRST CONFIRMED CASE OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE FOUND IN PENNSYLVANIA
10/11/12
By Kati Lawson, PLS Intern

Secretary of Agriculture George Greig announced at a press conference today that the first case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been
confirmed. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, CWD is a fatal disease found only in deer, elk, and moose.

“There is no scientific evidence that CWD can affect humans, but the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people or other animals do not eat any parts of cervids (mammals of the deer family) showing signs of CWD,” said Sec. Greig.

According to Sec. Greig, Pennsylvania agencies have already begun taking steps to quell an outbreak of CWD in the state. “Pennsylvania has surveillance efforts to find CWD positive
animals,” said Sec. Greig, “our first area of focus is public outreach and education, we will also continue surveillance testing and management efforts to determine the scope of the
infection.”

State Veterinarian Dr. Craig Shultz reiterated the fact that CWD is not a threat to humans, and that the disease is very slow moving. “The investigation is in very preliminary stages…
we are actively working with our regulatory partners on this task force and implementing the statutes that we have within the Department of Agriculture in regulating the farm cervid
industry.”

When asked what kind of threat CWD posed to Pennsylvania, Dr. Shultz said “it certainly has economic impacts, in terms of free-roaming cervids and activities associated with freeroaming
cervids, as well as farm cervids that supply venison could all be very negatively impacted if we don’t take reasonable steps to control this disease.”

Calvin DuBrock, Director of the Bureau of Wildlife Management for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, was asked about CWD’s impact on the upcoming hunting season.

“There may be requirements for certain areas for checking deer at a check station so that we can determine whether or not the deer has been impacted by CWD,” said DuBrock, “this
is just to reassure hunters.”

DuBrock also said that a news release would be out soon to tell hunters exactly what to do, while stressing that there are no human health problems connected to CWD.

“You can go to the Game Commission’s website, and click on CWD information and everything you need to know is contained there,” explained DuBrock.

Acting Secretary of Health Michael Wolf reiterated the importance of being educated about CWD. “We urge people to follow the guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that recommend people not eat any part of the animal diagnosed with or showing signs of CWD,” emphasized Sec. Wolf.

[35whelan]

Oct 11, 2012 12:35:54 GMT -5 galthatfishes said:

First case was confirmed in Iowa or Il. as well recently. Captive herd once again.

Dutch knows the state. One of his friends has land right close by

Northern Illinois has had CWD since before 2003... Also Michigan had it and put a halt to baiting of deer, since deer transmit it when in constant contact with other deer, such as at a bait pile.. Recently they lifted the ban in certain counties and hunter's are once again alowed to bait.. With all the bait pile's in New Jersey, CWD would spread like wildfire. Maybe Pa should get after New Jersey to BAN BAITING...

[galthatfishes]

On February 22, 2012 the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) issued a national press release urging its members and other concerned sportsmen in several states to contact their elected officials and urge them to oppose legislation initiated by the deer breeding industry that would enable introduction of captive deer breeding operations or expansion of these practices within those states.

QDMA supports the legal, ethical pursuit and taking of wild deer living in adequate native/naturalized habitat in a manner that does not give the hunter an unfair advantage and provides the hunted animals with a reasonable opportunity to escape the hunter. QDMA is not opposing high-fence operations that meet the above conditions.


What is the captive deer breeding Industry?
The captive deer breeding industry (also called the deer farming industry or captive cervid industry) uses artificial means to breed captive deer for profit – typically realized through sales of live animals for controlled breeding and shooting, as well as semen and embryos. Current estimates suggest there are more than 10,000 deer breeders in North America. In general, breeders seek to establish one or more genetic “lines” of deer to produce bucks with the antler size and configuration they desire. Bucks that do not meet this objective typically are sold to fenced shooting preserves, with some killed only days or weeks after release.

The process of selective breeding typically requires animals of known and often narrow pedigrees to be intensively handled and frequently medicated. Bucks from which semen is collected often are physically or chemically restrained and subjected to electro-ejaculation, whereby an electric probe is inserted into the buck’s rectum and energized until ejaculation occurs. In does, artificial insemination is common, whereby a doe may be stimulated to ovulate through use of estrous-synchronizing drugs, followed typically by insertion of semen into the doe’s reproductive tract.

Why is this issue one that QDMA felt the need to address?
QDMA’s mission is to ensure the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. This mission is specific to wild white-tailed deer, not those genetically altered, artificially created and human-habituated. QDMA believes that growth and expansion of the captive deer breeding industry could threaten North America’s wild white-tailed deer and the deer-hunting heritage. QDMA is responding to aggressive moves to legalize deer breeding in several new states and to loosen regulations in others. Previously, such efforts were limited to just a few states annually (which QDMA also opposed). However, during the 2012 legislative season, this number swelled to nine states. Simply stated, QDMA believes the potential negative implications warrant our actions.

Isn’t this a private property rights issue?
QDMA has a long history of supporting private property rights, especially those which do not infringe on our members’ rights to hunt healthy, wild, white-tailed deer on the properties they own, manage or hunt. Under the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and the Public Trust Doctrine, wildlife, including white-tailed deer, are collectively owned by all citizens rather than individuals. We contend that captive deer breeding facilities infringe upon the tenets of the North American Model. Thus, we see this as a resource issue (use, access, and allocation) rather than a private property rights issue.

Isn’t this just dividing hunters?
The underlying ethics of North America’s hunting heritage were well articulated by early conservation pioneers such as Teddy Roosevelt and Aldo Leopold. We believe that to the vast majority of hunters, deer hunting is the pursuit of wild deer produced without direct human contact or artificial manipulation that are hunted and harvested in an ethical manner. We adhere to Webster’s definition of “wild” as follows: “living in a state of nature not ordinarily tame or domesticated.” Therefore, we don’t agree we are dividing hunters, but rather distinguishing between hunting and shooting based on whether or not the quarry is wild. While practices such as Internet shooting, poaching, and canned shoots involve killing of animals, the hunting community, as well as the majority of the non-hunting public, widely reject these practices as hunting.

What are some of QDMA’s primary concerns with this industry?
1. Erosion of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and the Public Trust Doctrine

The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is recognized globally as the premier model for wildlife conservation and management. We believe the captive deer breeding industry undermines important tenets of this model, notably that wildlife is a Public Trust resource owned collectively by the people, not individuals.

2. Loss of public support for hunting

Multiple surveys have confirmed that a wide majority of hunters and non-hunters alike support ethical hunting and venison consumption. Therefore, we have concerns that expansion of rearing or shooting of artificially manipulated deer may erode public support for our deer-hunting heritage.

3. Unnatural and extreme manipulation of white-tailed deer

This industry routinely produces bucks with unnatural, often grotesque antlers through controlled breeding, often of closely related animals. In fact, some breeders have produced bucks with antlers so large they can barely keep their heads off the ground. During this process, there has been minimal focus on other genetic traits important to long-term health and survival. Basic genetics shows that focusing on a single trait such as antler size often is highly detrimental to a species in the long-term.

4. Potential spread of disease and other biological agents

Any time an animal is moved, any disease or parasite associated with that animal also is moved. With an estimated 10,000-plus deer breeding facilities in North America, including many in states which can import and/or export deer to other states, the potential for spread of disease is undeniable. Some diseases of concern include chronic wasting disease (CWD), bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis, though certain internal and external parasites also could threaten the health of wild deer.

While there has yet to be conclusive evidence related to transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) from captive to wild deer, most states and Canadian provinces where CWD has been documented in wild deer also are home to captive deer facilities. This poses tremendous risks with respect to CWD since the most reliable test for this disease can only be performed on dead animals. CWD incubation time in whitetails can be several years, and therefore unidentified CWD-positive deer can be unknowingly transported across state lines and/or among captive facilities. Despite a lack of conclusive evidence confirming transmission of CWD from captive to wild deer, there have been some suspicious cases. For example, CWD was discovered in a captive deer facility in Missouri in 2010, and in two wild bucks within two miles of that facility in 2012. Numerous disease experts agree the distribution map of CWD suggests that CWD likely arrived in several new states through transportation of live deer or deer parts (either legally or illegally) and not spontaneously or through natural deer movements.

5. Lack of benefits for wild deer or the vast majority of deer hunters

For the overwhelming majority of deer hunters in North America who will never be a deer breeder nor have the resources or inclination to shoot an artificially manipulated, human-habituated buck, there are numerous risks and no tangible benefits of the captive deer-breeding industry to them or wild deer.

6. Public cost

Where deer breeding exists, wildlife and agricultural agencies have considerable oversight responsibilities related to permitting, testing, surveillance and enforcement. Collectively, this consumes considerable time and resources from already depleted budgets. This is hunter and taxpayer money that we believe would be far better spent providing public hunting access, technical assistance to landowners, and wildlife law enforcement. Also, when CWD or other diseases which require state/provincial-mandated action are confirmed, the cost to taxpayers often runs in the millions of dollars. Also, unlike hemorrhagic and some other diseases, there is no way to decontaminate an area after CWD is identified. It remains present in the soil with the ability to infect deer that come in contact with it in the future. This presents a tremendous long-term risk to wild deer, sportsmen and our state wildlife agencies.

7. Devaluation of the intrinsic value of deer and the hunting experience

We believe the proliferation of the captive deer breeding industry and related shooting facilities are negatively affecting public perceptions of wild deer and related hunting experiences. Further, we are concerned that the widespread availability of captive-reared, abnormally large-antlered “shooter” bucks could alter hunter expectations and change the fundamental hunting experience, thus exacerbating hunter declines and associated economic contributions.

[stan]

Time to start this discussion as well - in earnest...


Walt Cottrell sounded the alarm loud and clear on Monday morning during the opening session of the two-day quarterly meetings of the Pennsylvania Game Commission at the Holiday Inn near the Sports Complex........

Cottrell, the Wildlife Veterinarian for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, gave a presentation on Chronic Wasting Disease, a disease that affects members of the Cervidae family, which includes deer and elk...........

No cases of CWD have been identified in Pennsylvania, but the disease has been found in 15 states and two Canadian provinces. One of the ways it is spread is through deer urine, which archery deer hunters and some firearms deer hunters use as both a lure and masking scent.

"Saskatchewan has already banned urine lures and nine states are considering it," Cottrell told the members of the commission.



articles.mcall.com/2009-10-06/sports/4453405_1_deer-hunters-firearms-deer-antlered

[galthatfishes]

Couldn't agree more.

[Deleted]

Whatever they have to do to help control or extinguish this disease I am for if it means banning urine lures then so be it.

[TusseyMtman]

The whole "deer farming" thing needs outlawed. But, it won't happen because plenty of rich and powerful people like to shoot big bucks in pens.
I am a businessman and support the right of motivated, driven, people to prosper in life. However, it should not cause harm to the economic or physical well-being of others or wildlife resources, etc.
It is a DIRTY business we don't need!

[ridgecommander]

Oct 11, 2012 17:30:56 GMT -5 35whelan said:

With all the bait pile's in New Jersey, CWD would spread like wildfire. Maybe Pa should get after New Jersey to BAN BAITING...

One must keep in mind that "bait" is not solely piles of corn or mineral. Deer are browsers, not grazers. Even in the prescence of a pile of "bait" they will feed and move onto the next preferred food source which also will happen to have deer concentrated around it. Whether that is a dropping white oak, a brassica plot, a bird feeder, a farmers mineral block in a pasture, a pile of acorn rage, a clover patch, sunflower seeds for cardinals etc.... All concentrate deer.

When I was in Ohio last week, every corner of evry alfalfa field I entered was mowed down by deer. It is a guarantee that every deer in the surrounded area has shared saliva with each other in the corner. A pile of corn would be no different.

It would be all but impossible to implement a ban on "baiting" without unfairly targeting hunters or those that like to use trail cameras year round. Unless Grandma Jones and her bird feeder or hunter Dan and his 1/2 acre plot of chicory or Farmer Joe and his alfalfa are targeted as well, I am very unsupportive of any talk or implementation of a baiting policy that would unfairly target hunters primarily that wish to place a feeder or bait intended for deer. Either for hunting or picutre purposes.

It seems whenever I see talk of CWD(which is a serious threat to deer) the discussion turns towards solutions that would impact hunters more than other segments of our populous which contribute as much if not more to the problem.

JHMO of course but food for thought.