Third Indiana Cervid Farm with Tuberculosis Identi

[greg]

http://www.in.gov/boah/2396.htm

Third Indiana Cervid Farm with Tuberculosis Identified

INDIANAPOLIS (7 July 2009)—Animals on a third Indiana cervid farm have tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (commonly called “TB,” or more formally known as Mycobacterium bovis). The positive red deer were identified through testing by the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) as part of the continuing investigation related to the first TB-positive cervid identified in May. “Cervid” is a category of animals that includes elk and various species of deer.

The latest herd, a multi-species cervid operation in Harrison County, is currently under quarantine. The animals on the property were purchased directly from the index herd in Franklin County.

While this marks the third herd declared “infected,” Indiana’s TB status for cervids has not changed. Under U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, because all three premises are linked, this remains one case.

Likewise, Indiana’s Free status for cattle and bison remains unaffected. USDA maintains a separate status rating for the two species groups. Only when two unrelated cases of bovine tuberculosis are identified in cattle within 48 months will a state’s status change.

A TB-positive beef cow that was traced to a Franklin County farm in December 2008, although in the vicinity of the index cervid herd, was not declared to be a TB-positive cattle herd by USDA. That herd, which was fully tested two times over 60 days, did not yield any positive animals, leaving Indiana’s cattle status unchanged since 1984.

More information about the disease and the investigation, as it develops, will be available on the BOAH website at: www.boah.in.gov.

[greg]

Received from the Indiana Wildlife Federation based on the preliminary report from BOAH:

Fish and Wildlife Action Committee Members:

Today, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health released a detailed status report on the progress of containing and eradicating tuberculosis from the three cervid farm locations confirmed by tests to have TB.

So far, BOAH has acted swiftly and thoroughly to trace all potentially infected animals shipped to 15 or more locations across the state. The full TB test takes several weeks for confirmed results.

As you can see from the report, all animals at the first site in Franklin County have been depopulated. Very soon, the entire herd at the Harrison County location will also be put down and the third herd in Warren County will also be destroyed. USDA is compensating owners for losses. BOAH will provide updates as the potentially infected herds are either confirmed as positive or negative over the next several weeks.

Attached you will also find a new rule preliminarily adopted today by BOAH that will require a new TB test prior to any shipment of cervids within the state of Indiana. It is already required for any cervid imports to Indiana.

The impact of this TB problem on the Harrison County lawsuit blocking the DNR Rule on Canned Hunting is unknown at this time.

Conservation Officers will assist BOAH in taking about 30 wild deer and possibly other wildlife in proximity to the Franklin County site in the near future to try to determine if there is any TB in the wild deer population. Obviously, IWF will monitor progress and share information as soon as it becomes available.

[greg]

Preliminary Epidemiological report on 2009 Bovine Tuberculosis Trace (page 1)

On 05/06/2009, eleven Red Deer were offered for state inspected slaughter at a state inspected processing establishment. These were part of a group of sixteen Red Deer purchased from a producer whose premise is approximately 0.45 miles from the premise where a TB positive slaughter cow was traced after being sold on 09/20/2008. One of the slaughtered Deer, a 4 year old female had extensive purulent abscesses throughout her head, thorax and abdomen. She was condemned and sampled for TB and CWD.

On 05/08/2009, a histopathology analysis was received from NVSL, with a diagnosis of Mycobacteriosis compatible. The sample was positive for M. tuberculosis complex by PCR testing and reported as such on 05/13/2009. Culture results are positive for Mycobacterium bovis.

The remaining group of adult Red Deer was slaughtered on 05/13/2009. One was condemned for multiple abscesses, three were retained for abscesses in the viscera and one was clear of gross lesions. All were sampled for for TB and CWD. The samples from lesioned animals were all Mycobacteriosis compatible andPCR positive for M. tuberculosis complex.

The infested premise had a mixed cervid herd consisting of approximately 20 elk, 40 Red Deer, 23 Fallow Deer, and 5 Sika Deer. The herd entered the Indiana State Chronic Wasting Disease Certification Program on 10/19/2004. The premise is situated on approximately 200 acres in Franklin County. The cervids roam over approximately 100 acres, part open pasture with the bulk heavily wooded. There is a woven wire fence around the entire enclosure with an area initially cleared on both sides. As part of the preliminary establishment of the farm, any wild Whitetail deer present were chased out before closing the fence releasing the captive cervids.

All purchased cervids originated from one of two sources. All Elk were purchased from a producer who sold out his herd to the infected premise and two other operations in Indiana. Any others were sent to slaughter. The source for the other cervids still maintains a mixed cervid herd of 10 Red Deer, 10 Elk, 14 Sika, 4 Elk/Sika crosses, 18 Whitetail Deer, 3 Axis Deer and 19 Fallow Deer. This facility is under quarantine and testing of all animals is in the planning stages.

[greg]

Preliminary Epidemiological report on 2009 Bovine Tuberculosis Trace (page 2)

Trace outs from the infected herd are the previously listed slaughter facility, 3 Elk cows to another breeding facility on 08/25/2007 and Red Deer and Fallow Deer to a shooting preserve in Harrison County on 01/01/2009. The shooting preserve has an inventory of 45 Whitetail Deer, two Elk, six Red Deer, and one fallow. All of the above premises are under quarantine.

The breeding facility sold the three trace out Elk to a premise in Wayne County on 02/01/09, along with the balance of their herd. This premise now has only bison and goats. Since this premise no longer has the original trace out animals present, it is considered an exposed facility instead of infected. A complete herd TB test was completed on 07/09/09. One of the goats tested as suspect, was euthanized and necropsied at Purdue ADDL. No gross lesions were found and tissues were submitted to NVSL for examination. We are still waiting for final results.

The Wayne County premise had also purchased an Elk bull and calf on 10/19/08 and is currently under quarantine. Another Elk cow was purchased and slaughtered by an individual on 11/29/08. Two Elk cows were purchased by another producer on 01/09/09. These elk have fenceline contact with 12 Fallow Deer and 16 llamas. They are currently under quarantine and waiting testing.

Five Red Deer stags and one Fallow Buck that were traced out from the original infected premise to the Harrison County shooting preserve were tested for TB starting on 05/23/09. When the tests were read, all were suspects, sacrificed, necropsied and sampled. Four of the Red Deer had abscesses and have since tested positive for bovine TB on culture. This premise is now classified as infected. A preliminary appraisal has been done and we are waiting on an indemnity offer to begin preparations for depopulation.

The three Elk cows at the Wayne County premise were tested for TB starting 06/01/09. One cow went down in the chute and could not be made to stand. She was euthanized and necropsied at Purdue ADDL the next day. She had extensive lesions of chronic pneumonia and pleuritis. Samples were taken and sent to the NVSL. The tissues were Mycobacteriosis compatible on histopathology and positive for Mycobacterium complex on PCR. They have since come back as positive for bovine TB on culture. This premise is now considered infected. A preliminary appraisal has been done and an indemnity offer is awaited so we can plan the depopulation effort there.

[greg]

Preliminary Epidemiological report on 2009 Bovine Tuberculosis Trace (page 3)

Depopulation efforts on the original infected premise in Franklin County premise began on 07/07/09. The original plan was to get the animals into the pens on the farm and use the handling facilities to restrain the animals as Wildlife Services personnel euthanized them. Animals that we wanted to sample would be marked and then necropsied and sampled at the rendering facility where the bodies were to be disposed. The first day, we got 18 animals, the second only three. The animals were no longer coming up into the handling pens, so we changed our strategy. The third day and the next week, Wildlife Services shot animals out in the field and we helped handle carcasses and sampled animals of interest. The final effort involved multiple drives through the fenced premise utilizing personnel from BOAH, USDA and DNR. Wildlife Services shot any animals that were flushed by the process. We believe that all cervids excepting possibly one Fallow fawn have been removed. Monitoring for any remaining cervids is ongoing.

Total numbers captive cervids taken:
19 Elk
21 Red Deer
14 Fallow Deer
5 Sika Deer
10 fawns

Wildlife Services with the assistance of USDA/APHIS/Veterinary services and BOAH has been sampling wildlife on the premise, both inside and outside the fence. The local DNR office is finalizing a plan to sample wild Whitetail deer in the area with our assistance. With this information, we hope to have an idea of the prevalence of TB in the wild population. Also, if a bovine TB positive wild animal is confirmed, all cattle herds in a 10 mile radius will be required to be tested for TB. As of 07/27/09, preliminary histopathology results on a wild Whitetail deer, three raccons and an opposum are negative for TB lesions.

[Jack Ryan]

What I don't understand is why the taxpayers get socked for the cost of these petting zoo losses.

They should be reimbursing the taxpayers for the public property they have infected trucking their pets around the state.

[greg]

Deer cull planned to test for bovine tuberculosis

Conservation officers from the Department of Natural Resources will cull up to 30 white-tailed deer this week in a targeted area of Franklin County to help determine if bovine tuberculosis has spread to wild populations.

Three southeast Indiana facilities with captive cervids – deer or elk – have tested positive for the disease since May, according to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH). The DNR has worked cooperatively with BOAH and the U.S. Department of Agriculture on surveillance procedures for the ongoing investigation, which now shifts to testing wildlife.

The DNR has communicated directly with all Franklin County property owners in the vicinity of the targeted deer cull and has their cooperation.

Deer carcasses from the cull will be placed in a refrigerated truck, after which BOAH veterinarians will collect tissue samples for testing at the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University.

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial disease that affects primarily cattle. There is only a remote chance of humans contracting the bacteria from deer, and that risk is reduced further when proper food handling and cooking precautions are used.

Indiana DNR and BOAH for several years have provided educational materials and guidance on bovine TB in white-tailed deer, including advice to hunters and meat processors on what they should look for when field dressing or processing deer taken during the hunting seasons.

For more information on deer health issues, visit IN.gov/dnr/fishwild/2842.htm.


Media contacts: Phil Bloom, DNR communications director, (317) 232-4003; Denise Derrer, BOAH public information director

[greg]

Thru Thursday they had taken 20 of the 30 "samples" they were after. I imagine they are done by now and the "samples" are on the way to the lab.

[greg]

Got this email today:

The only updates I have right now (and a press release will be coming
out in a few days, after we confirm a few things between agencies) are:

-the quarantined site in Wayne County has been completely depopulated,
leaving only the Harrison County site

-DNR has completed a harvest of 30 white-tailed deer; our veterinarians
took samples of all of them; laboratory test results should be to us in
four to six weeks (mid-September)

Denise Derrer
BOAH