CWD Discussion in Rushford Sep 19th

Posted: September 4, 2019

Bryan Richards, Emerging Disease Coordinator at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin will speak about Chronic Wasting Disease on September 19, 2019 at 7:00pm in the Rushford-Peterson School Auditorium. In this presentation he will discuss basic characteristics of CWD and how it impacts the potential for successful deer management, documented disease distribution and prevalence trends, and recent science updates. An open discussion will follow.

CWD is a fatal, contagious, neurodegenerative disease in deer and elk. The cause is a malformed prion which has been found in tissue and fluids of infected animals, including in their urine, feces, saliva, blood, and antler velvet. Those prions have also been found to be present environmentally in soil and plants.

Southeastern Minnesota is now a disease management zone, which means the DNR will implement rules that attempt to control the disease within the area. According to the DNR CWD Management Plan, should prevalence of CWD be found to be greater than 5% in this area, the DNR will then move to label the area an endemic zone and switch to passive surveillance, liberal hunting, and monitoring within the zone.

Whether you are a landowner, farmer, a concerned citizen, or hunter the spread of CWD will affect all residents of southeast Minnesota. Attendance by all residents is encouraged.
The presentation is sponsored by the Farm Bureaus of Winona, Houston, and Fillmore Counties along with the Bluffland Whitetails Association. You may contact Cynthie Christensen, President, Houston County Farm Bureau, (507) 251-8465 for more information.

Additional Photos