Great CWD Podcast

[Pedernal]

Texas A&M is doing live testing... But for some politicians in Greg Abbot's circle, Texas Tech would probably be doing it as well.

https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/2016/08/19/tp...now-available/

From another article:
"The latest finding is from a 3 ½ – year-old buck that underwent a live test rectal biopsy for CWD conducted in March by the deer breeder. Tissue samples revealed the presence of CWD prions during testing at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in College Station. TAHC and TPWD were notified by TVMDL of a suspect positive on May 1. The samples were then submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, which validated the suspect findings on May 9."

http://cwd-info.org/cwd-update-6/

The live testing is not accurate for animals in the early stages of CWD and can test negative, animals that do test positive with the live testing are essentially already shedding prions into the environment at a copious rate. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22914819

Thanks for the info Gents

[bukkskin]

Encinal honest question. Have you tested any animals off of your place? I'll answer first. I haven't tested any on my places yet but will start this year.

Encinal, are you going to answer this question????? Or ignore it?

I mean, your all about wiping out CWD, right?

[WItoTX]

The live testing is not accurate for animals in the early stages of CWD and can test negative, animals that do test positive with the live testing are essentially already shedding prions into the environment at a copious rate. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22914819

That makes sense. Even post mortem tests for CWD in the early stages of the disease aren't always positive. I don't have a link, but Brian Richards, the biologist interviewed in the subject podcast, stated this during the podcast. I imagine post mortems probably catch more CWD than live testing though.

[Pedernal]

That makes sense. Even post mortem tests for CWD in the early stages of the disease aren't always positive. I don't have a link, but Brian Richards, the biologist interviewed in the subject podcast, stated this during the podcast. I imagine post mortems probably catch more CWD than live testing though.

I would agree simply based on the tissue samples that can be tested...

I wish Texas was being more proactive like mandating test not just for the counties that have had positive test but also test the surrounding counties. Additionally, I believe feeders should be banned in counties with positive tested deer. And I know I will probably be torched for this last statement but I could not care less....

[systemnt]

I would agree simply based on the tissue samples that can be tested...

I wish Texas was being more proactive like mandating test not just for the counties that have had positive test but also test the surrounding counties. Additionally, I believe feeders, trees, leaves, water sources, other deer, dirt, and other places shed prions can be homed on should be banned in counties with positive tested deer. And I know I will probably be torched for this last statement but I could not care less....

fify

[Encinal]

Encinal, are you going to answer this question????? Or ignore it?

I mean, your all about wiping out CWD, right?

#47.

[Encinal]

No they haven't, its not accurate the science has proven that, this is something the deer farmers are just pushing.

Getting many live tests of a deer herd at 65% efficacy, is more valuable over time than few 97% efficacy death loss tests. That’s the way the rules are designed, to be able to have very high chance to Cathy the disease at a certain prevalence.

Breeders didn’t push that exclusively, it made sense with math.

It also makes sense with math to test fewer deer in the pasture for monitoring, but no one wants to hear about that.

[WItoTX]

I would agree simply based on the tissue samples that can be tested...

I wish Texas was being more proactive like mandating test not just for the counties that have had positive test but also test the surrounding counties. Additionally, I believe feeders should be banned in counties with positive tested deer. And I know I will probably be torched for this last statement but I could not care less....

Agreed, Wisconsin did that for a short time, and it worked well for controlling CWD, until people got upset that they couldn't feed deer to watch from their houses, and Wisconsin cut their funding to CWD research, prevention, and eradication.

But you also have to agree, without those feeders and guzzlers to supplement the natural feed and water, Texas properties probably wouldn't have half the carrying capacity they have with them. And that is why people will attack you for saying that, because all of a sudden its a lot harder to figure out where to put the heated deer blind.

[Bear82]

Banning feeders would destroy the economy in those areas. It will never happen. There would be less deer, less hunters, less income for ranchers, corn demand goes down, corn prices fall, farmers make less. Where does it stop.

I just want to know when I'm going to die for eating infected deer meat.

[WItoTX]

Banning feeders would destroy the economy in those areas. It will never happen. There would be less deer, less hunters, less income for ranchers, corn demand goes down, corn prices fall, farmers make less. Where does it stop.

I just want to know when I'm going to die for eating infected deer meat.

I don't disagree with any of that. But on the flip side, what happens if 10 or 20 years from now, a majority of deer have CWD in some form or another? Essentially no deer makes it past 2 yo based on gestation as of today. What will your kids hunt? Is it worth that risk? Because those economies you mention will cease to exist if that happens too.

[Stoof]

I don't disagree with any of that. But on the flip side, what happens if 10 or 20 years from now, a majority of deer have CWD in some form or another? Essentially no deer makes it past 2 yo based on gestation as of today. What will your kids hunt? Is it worth that risk? Because those economies you mention will cease to exist if that happens too.

I do see where a short term loss could be a long term gain. But most people can't see past the end of their wallets.

[systemnt]

what if deer decided to walk around through brush or wooded areas where other deer walk or expand their core areas and come in contact with other deer...or shed prions in places other than around a bucket full of corn.....?
thank God that will never happen.... yup gettin rid of feeders will do the trick...
#thinkofthechildren

[Pedernal]

what if deer decided to walk around through brush or wooded areas where other deer walk or expand their core areas and come in contact with other deer...or shed prions in places other than around a bucket full of corn.....?
thank God that will never happen.... yup gettin rid of feeders will do the trick...
#thinkofthechildren

Obviously banning feeders would not eliminate all deer to deer contact but it would diminish the exposure opportunities created by a multitude of deer eating in a contaminated area. To think we should just sit back and just see what happens is not the best option. Without some kind of cure, this is not going to be good for deer and or the hunting industry. Buying a bit of time while research is being conducted will not brake the hunting industry...

[bukkskin]

It will hit the herd, just like up north. Some deer will die from it. Some will develop an immunity to it and this will be passed on to some of the offspring.
Eventually, the deer will all survive.
Quit worrying, it will be a non-issue in the end. Just like up North where it came from.

[bossbowman]

I wish Texas was being more proactive like mandating test not just for the counties that have had positive test but also test the surrounding counties.

TPWD went ape in 2015 the first year CWD popped up in Medina and Fayette? counties and there was lots of testing that went on road kill deer in all counties, the lab @ A&M was backlogged, just about all the TPWD draw hunts tested deer that were harvested too. Since then they have really backed off, which is a mistake, I'm sure a big factor is the cost to do each test.

Additionally, I believe feeders should be banned in counties with positive tested deer.