January 2019 • Volume 8 • Issue 3
Advertisers Index: 7c’s Whtietails................................................................................................. Cover ADM........................................................................................................................4 Blosser Whitetails....................................................................... Inside Front Cover Bowmans Xtreme Whitetails ................................................................................26 C&E Wildlife Products..........................................................................................18 Come-N-C............................................................................................................29 Conquest Deer Farm............................................................................................31 Cross Canyon Whitetails......................................................................................38 Dan Inject Dart Gun..............................................................................................41 Deerstore.com......................................................................................................28 Head Gear LLC....................................................................................................10 Hilty Whitetails......................................................................................................35 LoneHollow Whitetails.................................................................Inside Back Cover Microchip ID..........................................................................................................42 Nutra-glo...............................................................................................................16 Pet-Ag, Inc............................................................................................................25 Pine Creek Whitetails......................................................................................36-37 Pneu-Dart...............................................................................................................2 Prime Acres..........................................................................................................33 Purina...................................................................................................................32 Rocky Ridge Whitetails...................................................................................17, 39 Shock Effect.........................................................................................................30 STGenetics.............................................................................................................6 Tajada.....................................................................................................................7 Trophy Whitetail Deer, Inc....................................................................................16 UDFOM................................................................................................................31 Whitetail Guide.....................................................................................................42 Whetstone Brothers.........................................................................................21-23 Whitetail Syndications.......................................................................................... 11 Wilks Whitetails....................................................................................................15
In this issue:
Congratulations Raffle Winners!................................................................13 Deer Wire News......................................................................19, 24, 40, 43 MDA Board of Directors...............................................................................3 Meet the team...........................................................................................34 Membership Application............................................................................14 Mycroplasma....................................................................................... 27-28 NADeFA Convention.................................................................................44 NADeFA News Update..............................................................................20 We need your input.....................................................................................5 Sponsors for 2018.....................................................................................12
Featured Story: 7C’s Whitetails.........................................8-9
NEWSLETTER GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PUBLISHING BY: D & K DESIGN
advertising4@mac.com • 435-817-0150 • Editorial Provided by Contributing Writers. Kathy Giesen • D & K Design • 1812 W. Sunset Blvd. Ste 1-355, St. George, UT 84770
missourideerassociation.com Like us on Facebook! Missouri Deer Association
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Advertising: 4 Newsletters are sent out Annually. Spring • Summer • Fall • Winter
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Feb.
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ADMINISTRATOR Kathy Giesen D&K Design 1812 W. Sunset Blvd. Ste 1-355 435-817-0150 admin@missourideerassociation.com
Board of Directors: PRESIDENT Jacques E. deMoss (‘20) Winter Quarters Wildlife Ranch 10113 W. Farm Road 124 Bois D’Arc, MO. 65612 337-322-2569 jacques.demoss@gmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT Donald Hill (‘21) Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch 178 Oak Creek Ln Bland, MO 65014 573-943-6644 oakcreekranch@earthlink.net
TREASURER Matt Kirchner (‘19) Missouri Whitetails RR 1 Box 120 A Alexandria, MO 63420 660-341-0554 mkirchner32@gmail.com
SECRETARY Bradley Puff (‘20) High Adventure Ranch 308 Mikel Ave St. Louis, MO 63043 1-877-858-3481 bpuff@highadventureranch.com
DIRECTOR Jerry Campbell (‘21) Missouri Whitetails RR 11 Box 121A Alexandria, MO 63430 847-778-8327 jcdeerfarm@gmail.com
DIRECTOR Sam James (‘19) Whitetail Dreams 6504 Rippling Water Way Columbia, MO 65201 573-590-1459 sam@whitetailsdreams.net
DIRECTOR Brian White (‘20) Xtreme Whitetails of Missouri North Oak Creek Lane Strafford, MO 65757 417-343-1360 brianblair385@hotmail.com
DIRECTOR Brett Niles (‘21) The Oaks 725 N. 2nd St. Ste. M Lawrence, KS 66044 785-856-3333 bniles@bearcommunications.net
DIRECTOR Marc Hightower (‘21) The Hunting Grounds marc@thehuntinggrounds.com
DIRECTOR Garrett Westfall (‘21) Double G Ranch Whitetails 12602 Summersette Liberty, MO 64068 816-806-9905 doublegwestfall@gmail.com
Welcome New Board Members: Marc Hightower & Garrett Westfall 3
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WE NEED YOUR INPUT... As you know the new rules proposed by Missouri Department of Conservation are now back in effect after the loss of our lawsuit in July. Now that the borders are closed to the importation of live cervids, the new CWD sampling and testing regulations are in effect and the record keeping rules have changed, I need to know the actual impact these rules are having in your businesses. (Both on the producer/farmer side as well as the preserve side)
and going forward. I know the supply of shooter bucks is far outweighed by demand, forcing many preserve owners to cancel hunts and refund deposits. I know many breeder operations cannot bring in deer they need to improve/increase their herds and/or have deer they purchased before the borders closed that they cannot bring into the state. This is the type of information I need to accumulate to show the Governor and lawmakers what MDC has done to us by implementing these industryI feel its important that we, as an industry, show the Governor and lawmakers crippling rules. in Jefferson City exactly how hard these rules are on our industry and how I will not be using your names in this data compilation. I am merely it will negatively impact us financially both now and in the long-run. I want needing responses from our members so that I can tally up the financial to be able to accumulate real numbers from our members so that I can take impact both now and in the future. It does not have to be a lengthy this data and present it to those interested parties at the state capital to help response, I just need a brief synopsis of your situation so I can pool the us make some changes to give us some relief. information as a whole. Therefore, I am asking our Missouri resident members, both producers Your response is crucial and I thank you in advance for your cooperation and preserve owners, to respond to me with dollar figures and an and attention in this matter. explanation of how these rules negatively impacted you this year so far Jacques E. deMoss, MDA President
How the new MO rulings have affected my Breeding Facility / Hunting Ranch: Name:___________________________________________________________________________________ Farm / Ranch name:_______________________________________________________________________ Location: (City in MO that your Farm or Ranch resides in)________________________________________ Email:___________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:___________________________________________________________________________________ (This information is for internal use only. This information will not be shared.) Financial Loss Now: ___________________________ Financial Loss Future: _________________________ How have these rules negatively impacted you so far this year? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ How will these rules negatively impact you so in the future?__________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ Mail or Email to: Jacques deMoss, 10113 W. Farm Road 124, Bois D’Arc, MO. 65612, Bois D’Arc, MO. 65612 Email: jacques.demoss@gmail.com 5
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Featured Farm: Texas 7C’s Whitetails– Growing Wide, Impressive Deer By: Gail Veley
In 2001, 7C’s Whitetails began as a privately-owned facility. When Sosa began to work for the farm in 2007, it was initially “to buy the best genetics that we could have,” he said. In 2010, Sosa pushed to offer those genetics to the industry, and make the ranch’s presence more public. He firmly believes that strong Texas genetics could greatly enhance deer in any state, Missouri being one of them. “We are out to raise the biggest and prettiest deer there are,” he said. “And all of our breeder bucks are at least 250 inches.”
If there was a theme song for 7C’s Whitetails, it just might be “Home on the Range.” This sprawling deer ranch 16 miles northwest of Freer, Texas, sits on 32,000 acres of beautiful brush country. “Our deer have the best of both worlds,” said Breeding Manager Shiloh Sosa. “They get to live on this big beautiful ranch, and get the best care, too.”
The pedigree of a vast majority of the deer on the ranch include Big Boy, the founding father and backbone of their breeding operation. This month’s cover deer, Wicked Dreams, three years old, is cut from the same cloth. He’s the first buck you see when you pull into the ranch, as his pen sits closest to the road. However, it wouldn’t matter where he was on the ranch. The moment you see him, all of your attention turns to him. “He is real standout,” Sosa said. “He is very well bred and has that wild factor about him.” His frame, while mostly typical, includes non-typical attributes to compliment his 30” inside spread. Wicked Dreams was used for both A.I. and live cover this past breeding season. Semen straws from bucks such as him as well as Big Boy and numerous other high-quality bucks, have Texas seems to be one of the best places to raise top quality deer, been sold in various states from Missouri to Florida to Texas and all and 7C’s Whitetails is no exception. The ranch has become famous the way to Michigan. “Every year our pasture genetics are improved for producing wide, big, framey yet very attractive deer. This is due, tremendously,” Sosa said. in part, to the vegetation found on the ranch that’s so favorable for deer to eat, and 7C’s commitment to finding and breeding the best “We have semen straws of some of the best bucks in the industry, and also feel we are helping produce the best bucks,” he explained. genetics available.
Sosa Family
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Some of these bucks include Duster, Venom, Bozz, Big Shady, Witch Doctor, Big Boy, Breaux, Big Dream, Universal Express, Voo Doos Magic and Big Stitch, all of whom have 31-41” inside spreads. These bucks are just a few among the several that give 7C’s Whitetails it’s reputation for producing wide and eye-catching deer.
Bushwhacker
“One thing we are known for is width,” Sosa said. “I’d say we are probably top ten in the country for width.” Within the 32,000 acres on the ranch, there are 50 pens, located within 56 acres, that are devoted to breeding and raising deer. Currently the ranch has close to 500 deer and 17 employees (besides Sosa) who are part of the overall operation. Sosa’s interest in deer began when he was a child. His father, who managed and operated several Texas ranches in the 70’s, was one of the first individuals to manage deer using high fences and helicopter surveys. Today Sosa has followed in his footsteps, and also uses a helicopter as well as trucks and four-wheelers for keeping track of the deer.
Big Dream
Sosa’s passion for deer is shared by his wife Kristen, a nurse practitioner, and their three daughters, Addison, 7, Kylee, 4, and Brynley Steele, 1, who live on the property year-round. Sosa, who has a degree in wildlife management, considers his job “a great opportunity to work for a great family” and the ranch itself a great place for his family to live. When he isn’t working at 7C’s he helps oversee a private 2,000-acre family-owned hunting ranch, Golden Meadows Whitetails, located in Louisiana and managed by Jody Doucet. Allie Cat one of our bucking bulls He also competes in team roping competitions with his quarter horses, enjoys hunting and also raises bucking bulls.
Big Shady
However, as Sosa spends time caring for the deer and seeing to their health and longevity, he feels grateful to be able to make their lives better. “I can’t imagine myself doing anything different. I feel blessed every day. It’s good to know how wonderful the people in the deer industry are,” he said. “Sure, there’s regulations but you just work around them. I still love it and still have the passion to be involved. There’s really no downfalls for me.”
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Shiloh Sosa • 956.285.0041 • shiloh.sosa@chouest.com 9
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Congratulations Raffle Winners!
THE GUN WINNERS ARE: Bo Sparks Greg Nelson Stratton Edwards Jeff Nold Donald Hill Shawn Schafer Chris Ryckman Jaques deMoss Ike Conway Brandon Walker
THE HUNT WINNERS ARE:
Jacques deMoss David Schrage
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You can also renew or sign up and make payment on our website:
missourideerassociation.com (if you still owe for 2018 membership, please include payment with your 2019 dues)
MDA - Membership Form Name: ____________________________________________________Spouse:______________________________________________ Farm Name/Company:___________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________ City:_____________________ State:______________ Zip:____________ Main Phone: __________________________ Alternate Phone:___________________________ Fax:___________________________ Email:___________________________________________________ Web Site:______________________________________________
I give permission to have my contact information published in the annual directory and on the website SINGLE Year Memberships: (Starts now and goes to end of 2019) ____
Yes
No
THREE Year Memberships: (Starts now and goes to end of 2021)
Large Breeder 2019 - $100
____ Large Breeder 2019-2021 - $300 (Voting Rights)
Small Breeder 2019 - $50
____ Small Breeder 2019-2021 - $150 (Less then 10 Deer, Non-Voter)
Hunting Ranch 2019 - $100
____ Hunting Ranch 2019-2021 - $300 (Voting Rights)
Affiliate Member 2019 - $50
____ Affiliate Member 2019-2021 - $150 (Supporter or Out of State Producer)
(Voting Rights) ____
(Less then 10 Deer, Non-Voter) ____ (Voting Rights) ____
(Supporter or Out of State Producer)
PAYMENT METHOD- Check: (Make checks or money orders payable to:)
Missouri Deer Association
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Ck #
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Zip Code of CC Billing:
_____________________________________________________ Expiration Date: _____________________________________
Name on Card:___________________________________________________________________ CVV Code: _________________________________
Mail To: Missouri Deer Association (C/O Amanda Peckinpaugh) 1905 West Main Street, Marion, IL 62959 Fax To: 435-574-1937 • Membership Info: 435-817-0150
Thank You for Supporting MDA! 14
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SEALE: MDC’s Attack on Deer Farmers Is A Disservice and the deer herd grew by 40 percent in those areas in the subsequent years. CWD was found in Wisconsin in 2002, and since then the herd has doubled in two of the most highly infected counties, and there has been no reduction in the prevalence of the disease.
I’d like to respond to falsehoods in a recent article about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The Missouri Department of Conservation is doing a disservice to all landowners and hunters by obsessively attacking deer farmers over CWD. While CWD was first detected on a deer farm in Missouri before being found in free-ranging deer in the surrounding area, that does not tell us where the disease came from. Was CWD spread to the farm by free-ranging deer, or vice versa? With the deer farms testing 100% of their mortalities and not finding any more cases, and MDC testing less than 1% of the harvested deer and finding 75 cases, most experts in disease issues will tell you it was more apt to have been transferred from the wild deer to the deer farm.
Arkansas offers a lesson. In 2015, CWD was found for the first time in Arkansas, in a part of the state where there are no deer farms. Subsequent testing found it in scores of free-ranging deer. Some experts believe CWD existed, quietly, for years without being detected, due to the fact that they had stopped testing any significant numbers back in 2002, as had Missouri. Contrast that with deer farms, which conduct mandatory testing of all eligible animals if they move deer across state lines. Deer farms are the “canary in the coal mine” for CWD moving into an area because they are constantly testing for CWD. But that doesn’t mean they are the source. Further, the idea that a culling strategy will work is bogus. Wisconsin spent $30 million on an eradication and prevalence reduction strategy in CWD affected areas,
1919
CWD is a slow-acting disease that can incubate for years. CWD has not proven to have any significant impact on the wild cervid populations in CWD endemic states such as Colorado or Wisconsin as stated on record by wildlife agencies. Science has shown that the decline in the mule deer populations over the past few years in these western states have been from urban sprawl, drought, depredation, human environmental intervention and overhunting. For years, MDC has failed to prioritize testing of hunter-harvested deer for CWD. The agency needs to conduct more testing so that hunters know exactly where CWD is prevalent. The agency should also strictly enforce a ban on bringing in carcasses from CWD-positive areas, as that is one easy way for CWD to spread from one area to another. But it’s time to stop the politically motivated blame-game against deer farms. AUTHOR: Charly Seale, American Cervid Alliance SOURCE: https://www.news-leader. com/story/opinion/2018/11/03/morechronic-wasting-disease-than-deerfarms/1860042002/
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®
FARM BILL PRESS RELEASE The North American Deer Farmers Association (NADeFA) applauds the passage of the conference report for H.R. 2, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Commonly known as the Farm Bill, this legislation reauthorizes programs at USDA that help production agriculture thrive. Of particular importance to NADeFA is inclusion of a provision prioritizing research into Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The conference report passed the House on December 12 by a vote of 369-47 and the Senate on December 11 by a vote of 87-13. The President is expected to sign the legislation as soon as this week. The following text of the conference report can be found on page 326. ‘(16) CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.— Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of supporting research projects at landgrant colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)) with established deer research programs for the purposes of treating, mitigating, or eliminating chronic wasting disease. NADeFA has worked tirelessly with Members of Congress, congressional
committees and staff to ensure that strong language prioritizing research into CWD was included in the farm bill. While there has been an increased interest in combatting CWD, most of the effort has focused on surveillance and containment in wild deer populations. NADeFA has been funding research into live testing and genetic resistance that can not only contain the disease, but also start reversing its spread. An increased focus from the USDA can expand and accelerate that existing work to benefit all deer, both farmed and wild. Shawn Schafer, Executive Director of NADeFA, had this to say about passage of the Farm Bill: “This bill is an important step for everyone working in production agriculture, and will help keep our rural communities strong. While we have had many friends in Congress that have helped us through this process, we could not have gotten the CWD language included without the leadership of Representative G.T. Thompson of Pennsylvania, and Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota. They have been, and remain, great friends to the farmed deer industry. More research in to diagnosing, treating, and eradicating CWD will benefit both deer farmers and sportsmen, and help our rural communities
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thrive. I am happy that Congress has worked to address this important need and we look forward to continuing work with USDA on this and all cervid health issues.” Founded in 1983, the North American Deer Farmers Association is dedicated to the promotion of deer farming and ranching as an agricultural pursuit and serves its members through its educational programs and publications and by providing leadership in setting and maintaining quality standards. NADeFA represents the deer farming industry at all levels of government, and works closely with livestock producers and other organizations to promote ethical standards of conduct and husbandry in deer farming and to actively market standards for deer and deer products. NADeFA representatives are also available to media for expert testimony and information about deer farming and animal health issues, such as Chronic Wasting Disease, EHD and other topics. For more information about NADeFA and membership, call 330.454.3944 or visit www.NADeFA.org.
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– s r e h t o r B e n o t s Whet SHED REFRE D N A D E D N A R B E R
By: Gail Veley
Lifetime dairy farmer David Whetstone would have been happy just continuing his dairy farm business on his 120-acre parcel of land in peaceful Nappanee, Indiana. But three of his sons, John, Marlin and Lonnie, kept suggesting they try something new. Deer farming. After perhaps hoping this was just a phase they were going through, David soon realized they were serious. Now, he’s very glad they were. With the help of his oldest son John and youngest sons Marlin and Lonnie, they opened Whetstone Brothers Premiere Whitetails in 2008. Today the farm, refreshed and rebranded as Whetstone Brothers, is a reputable sought-after place. After initially establishing their deer farm on six of their 120 acres, they built pens and each acquired their own separate herds. However, none of them could foresee the reason they would join together as an LLC just four years later. An epidemic of EHD swept through the herd, taking with it 30 adult does, 18 adult bucks and six fawns. When the dust settled they were left with just two adult does, four adult bucks and 15 fawns. If it weren’t for the generous deer industry, the community and strong family ties they all share, starting over would have never happened. David, 58, is grateful for his entire hard-working family including his wife of 36 years, Ruth, 60. Together they raised five children, four boys and one girl. Their first child, John, 35, has been married to Elaine, 31, for nine years. They have three children, Miranda Kate, 6, Trenton Jon, 3, and Adrian Jace, nine months. They keep John busy when he isn’t working for a high-end aluminum trailer company, a job he has held for the past 17 years. John is also a shareholder with the whitetail industry’s newly-acquired business, Whitetail Syndications formed in April 2018. He also served on the IDEFA board for six
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years as secretary/treasurer and is currently a NADeFA board member. David and Ruth’s daughter, Sarah, 33, is married to Jerry Schwartz, 32. Together they have two sons and two daughters and also operate their own deer farm, Country Side Whitetails. Their third child Kevin, 32, is married to Leslie, 30, and holds a job outside of deer farming and the family business. But David and Ruth’s fourth child Marlin, 30, married six years to Carolyn, 30, is part of the family farm. Marlin and Carolyn have three children, Serena Rose, 5, Seth Eugene, 3, and one on the way. After working for a local RV assembly plant for nine years, Marlin is now working full-time as a deer farmer while also owning and operating two poultry facilities, known as Sandy Ridge Farms. He is also a shareholder with Whitetail Syndications. Lonnie, 28, has been married to Marita, 25, for eight months. He worked as a full-time farmer until age 21, when he then began to work for a local RV assembly plant. Now he has his sights set on being a fulltime farmer once again by April of 2019. Together he and Marlin own and operate Sandy Ridge Farms. Through the years the Whetstones have raised deer, they have worked hard to find success. In 2016, with the combined efforts of David, John, Lonnie and Marlin, they expanded to 12 acres, doubled the size of their pens and now care for close to 200
head of deer. They have also taken on specific farm duties as well as titles and now have one main farm number: 574-737-4155, with four extensions, depending on which service or need you may have. Extension 1: John Whetstone, Administration and Billing. John lives eight miles from the farm. In addition to overseeing all the necessary administration and billing, he also coordinates travelling to trade shows and auctions and coordinates fundraising lots as well as auction lots. Extension 2: Marlin Whetstone, Sales and Customer Service. Marlin lives on the farm full time and takes care of every intricate farm detail including giving tours and handling private sales. Extension 3: Lonnie Whetstone, Animal Records and Transport. Lonnie has been at the forefront of animal records and transport since 2008. He gathers all necessary shipping papers and records required by the Board of Animal Health (BOAH) whenever necessary. Extension 4: David Whetstone, Animal Health and Nutrition. A lifetime farmer, David walks the deer pens every day and is responsible for all feed sampling and soil sampling, as well as the maintaining of nutritional balance within the deer herd. He has managed a dairy farm his entire life and has extensive knowledge and great instincts for animal husbandry.
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“We have a lot to be thankful for and the blessings have been astounding,” John said, in reference for how far they have come as a family and deer farm. “We have been ready for this next step for some time now.” As they further envision what the future holds for their farm, the Whetstone’s focus remains two-fold: maintaining a topnotch high-quality breeding herd and raising big clean typicals. As 2019 approaches, customers can look forward to a refreshed website which will include updated pictures featuring both the farm and bucks growing throughout the summer. The website will also highlight short pedigrees of each deer as well as a full pedigree in PDF form. As the Whetstones look to 2019, they stand ready to fulfill their newly-developed mission statement: Producing “Classic Woodland Trophies” with Family Oriented Service, as well as their new business motto: “Classic Woodland Trophies.” Special Thanks – The Whetstone Family
The Whetstones
574-737-4155
An Acid Found in Soil May Make CWD Less Infectious
An acid found in rich humus soil breaks down the misfolded brain proteins — called prions — that cause chronic wasting disease. When concentrations of humic acid similar to those found in soils were applied to diseased elk brain tissue, chemical signatures of the infectious prions were nearly erased, researchers report online November 29 in PLOS Pathogens. That suggests that the acid somehow degrades the warped protein, making it less infectious, says Judd Aiken, a prion disease researcher at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Chronic wasting disease, an incurable neurodegenerative disease, has devastated populations of deer, elk and moose across parts of North America, South Korea, Sweden and Norway. We know “that environmental sources of infectivity play a role in transmission of these diseases,” Aiken says. The twisted proteins lurk in the rotting carcasses, feces or saliva of infected animals, and eventually seep into soils. The infection spreads when deer graze in prion-contaminated areas. Previous studies have shown that soil mineralogy can influence the spread of prions, says Bryan Richards, a wildlife biologist with the U.S.
Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wis., who was not involved in the study. For example, prions easily bind to microscopic minerals such as quartz, kaolinite and montmorillonite, and can — as lab tests have revealed — stay locked in soil for years. Prions are a malformed version of proteins that cause nearby normal proteins of the same kind to take on this complex shape that is harmful to nerve cells. Infected animals become listless, disoriented and unable to chew their food or drink water for months until death. Unlike mad cow disease, another fatal prionrelated disorder, there is currently no evidence that chronic wasting disease can transfer to humans. Still, little is known about the transmission barrier between species, and scientists aren’t ruling out the possibility. If chronic wasting disease continues to ravage deer and elk populations, more humans may come into contact with the tainted animals through hunting and farming.
produced humic acid, and let it incubate overnight. In tissue samples with higher concentrations of humic acid, chemical signatures left by the infectious prions decreased by as much as 95 percent, signaling that the prions had likely broken down. The team also tested humic acid extracted from soil samples collected throughout western Canada and noted a similar decrease in prion signatures. Next, researchers injected some mice with a mixture of humic acid and infected elk brain tissue. Others were given a noninfected mixture. The team then monitored the mice during a roughly yearlong incubation period. Higher doses of humic acid correlated to weaker prion signals in the infected mice. In roughly half the cases, the mice injected with the infected brain tissue and humic acid mixture didn’t show any symptoms at all after a 280-day incubation period. The results suggest that humic acid could be used in efforts to limit the disease’s spread — possibly as a soil decontaminant to disinfect farmland. Previously, high levels of a mineral called birnessite were also found to degrade prions, therefore limiting transmission of the disease.
But the discovery of how humic acid affects prions may provide a way to track or even prevent the disease from taking hold.
Alternatively, scientists could use this information to map which geographic areas elevate or inhibit prion transmission based on the levels of humic acid in the soil, says Shannon Bartelt-Hunt, an environmental engineer at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln who was not involved in the research. The next step, Bartelt-Hunt says, might be to test the effects of humic acid on prioncontaminated soil samples to see if prions can be eradicated in the environment.
Since levels of humic acid vary in nature, scientists exposed infected elk brain tissue to one, 2.5 and 25 grams per liter of commercially
SOURCE LINK: https://www.sciencenews.org/ article/acid-found-soil-may-make-disease-killingdeer-less-infectious
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Mycoplasma What is it?
• Mycoplasmas are a group of very small bacteria which have unusual characteristics making them different from most other bacteria. • Mycoplasma bacteria have special defense mechanisms that make it challenging to diagnose and treat. • It lacks a cell wall so that certain widely used antibiotics are not effective because most antibiotics attack the cell wall. • It also has the ability to hide away from the immune system so that infections are difficult to fight. • Mycoplasma has the ability to create conditions that allow evasion from antibiotic treatment. • Mycoplasma is a bacterium that can cause pneumonia, arthritis, reproductive problems and middle/inner ear infections.
What symptoms are typically seen in Cervid?
• Mycoplasma bovis does not cause disease in humans. Studies have mostly been on cattle but in a study in 2003 in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases a farmed cervid facility found mycoplasma bovis in fawns with severe respiratory disease resulting in death. • This bacterium has been more prevalent in the deer industry recently.
How is it spread?
• Mycoplasma is spread from one deer to another (or from cattle to deer) through repeated contact over short distances. • The agent can also shed from infected animals through eyes, nose, vagina, rectum, semen and milk. • Animals do not need to be showing signs of sickness for it to spread. • Mycoplasma bovis has been found to survive up to 6 months at 40 degrees Fahrenheit in laboratory conditions, 20 days in straw and over 2 weeks in water. Even in cold water the organism can survive 1 to 2 weeks on bedding and in water.
Signs and Symptoms • • • •
Pneumonia, especially pneumonia that is resistant to treatment Slight clear nasal discharge Puffing out of cheeks when breathing Dry cough with neck extended down and out from the body
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Mycloplasma continued
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• Elevated body temp. • Ear Infections Mycoplasma • Ear drop on one side or the other • Head tilt and possible facial paralysis What is it? • Joint Infections • Mycoplasmas are a group of very small bacteria which have unusu• Lameness al characteristics making them different from most other bacteria. • Often a sign of mycoplasma is pneumonia accompanied by lameness, unresponsive to antibiotics • Mycoplasma bacteria have special defense mechanisms that make it
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challenging to diagnose and treat. • It lacks a cell wall so that certain widely used antibiotics are Do not keep cattle and deer together, mycoplasma is verybecause common in cattle and can be spread not effective most antibiotics attack the cellfrom wall. cattle to deer • It also has the ability to hide away from the immune system so Don’t feed poor quality hay or feed. Animalsthat with poor nutrition are known to be more susceptible to infections are difficult to fight. disease. • Mycoplasma has the ability to create conditions that allow Minimize stress on your deer or elk. evasion from antibiotic treatment. Quarantine new animals for 30 days•before introducing to your herd before transferring Mycoplasma is a bacterium thatand canvaccinate cause pneumonia, arthritis, them in. reproductive problems and middle/inner ear infections. Introduce and maintain a vaccination protocol.
Disease Management • • • • •
Points to Remember • • • • •
What symptoms are typically seen in Cervid?
• Mycoplasma bovis does not cause disease in humans. Studies have Mycoplasma bacteria lack a cell wall and therefore arecattle not easily mostly been on but intreated a studybyinantibiotics 2003 in the Journal of WildIn Cervid, Mycoplasma mostly cause Pneumonia life Diseases a farmed cervid facility found mycoplasma bovis in Mycoplasma can survive varying temperatures andsevere longerrespiratory periods of disease time in resulting the environment fawns with in death. This bacteria is spread from animal • to This animal bacterium has been more prevalent in the deer industry Vaccination is your best defense to Mycoplasma, recently. Pneu-Vac 2 covers the Mycoplasma bacterin
How is it spread?
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Meet the Team
Meet The People and Energy Behind Your Quarterly Magazine ensures each magazine is aligned properly, hydraulically-cut and bound correctly and from a creative standpoint, looks as good as it possibly can. “I watch closely that this process happens as flawlessly as possible,” Ellen said. “We want to feel proud of the finished product.” Printed magazines are then sent off to be packaged and mailed by Bruce who has been waiting to drop each magazine into clear plastic, affix a mailing label and get it on it’s way to every association member. A 30-year employee of the mail industry, Bruce knows a few secrets and “little backdoors” when it comes to expediting mail. He uses every one of them to move magazines from his place to your place as quickly as possible. “I’ve never mailed anything as unique as deer farming magazines,” Bruce said. “I really like doing it because of the wide variety of magazines.”
December 16th was the day the team and driving force behind each quarterly deer farming magazine, got together to celebrate a productive year. The creative team, including Editor Kathy, Journalist Gail, Graphic Design Artist Sara, Pre-press and Printing: Mark, Jan & Ellen, and Shipping and Handling: Bruce & Kay, among others, joined together for a Christmas party, shared a meal and even sang karaoke at The Anasazi Steak House in St. George, Utah. It was a welcome celebration in appreciation of the hard work of making sure a quality magazine finds its way to every association member’s mailbox throughout the year. However, the hard work is also very gratifying to all involved. “The most important thing is the fact that (these magazines) are high-quality materials distributed nationwide, and we really reach a lot of markets that we could have never considered before,” said Mark, “We have so much pride in the fact that we do it locally here in St. George, Utah. Because each magazine is a “print-on-demand” endeavor, the moment one is ready to go Mark and his team make it a top priority to get it done quickly. “It goes like clockwork,” Mark said. “Everything is so well-organized.” Special, magazine-quality paper is always ready and waiting. The whole magazine-creating process first begins with magazine Editor Kathy Geisen,
who initiates feature farm articles, front cover photos, advertising and content. Afterwards, in steps her journalist Gail Veley who interviews pertinent figures for specific articles, and then creates a story. “I really enjoy my job working for D&K Design” Gail said. “I look forward to doing interviews. I have such a good time talking to deer farmers and bringing them to life through how I write their own individual story. The stories are so much more than just the name of your farm, where you are or how many deer you have. I want people to get to know you, my interview subject, up-close and personal. I’m always looking for “a hook” or something unique about everyone or their farm.” After stories are written and approved by all involved, the magazine continues it’s formation. Graphic Design Artist Sara combines articles and advertisements with interesting graphics, switching to new color schemes for the season athand or deleting outdated content and replacing it with new material. “I always feel very satisfied once it’s all done and looks good,” Sara said. Sara then sends files to pre-press and printing, where Kathy and team member Ellen do one final proof before it hits the presses. Ellen, a former high school science teacher, feels the process of printing the magazine is where science and art come together. Her acute attention to detail
For more information: Kathy Giesen • 435-817-0150 • advertising4@mac.com
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Each magazine has it’s own unique look and feel to it, something D&K Design strives hard to do each quarterly cycle. “We want people to sit down, enjoy it and read it.” Kathy said. “This is ultimately what makes it so fun for me, as well as the rest of the team.” The quarterly magazines are produced at no cost to the associations. “We would like to thank all of the addvertisers that support these publications to make it possible to get the news out to all members of the 15 state associtaions we publish for” Kathy said. Spring is when most advertising contracts are started or renewed. If you are interested in participating this year, you can contact Kathy Giesen or go to the website and download the advertising contract: deersites.com. D&K Design Team
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CWD: The Paper Tiger for Deer? inadvertently by hunters moving carcasses between states. But the data shows the worries about CWD are overblown.
Much ink has been spilled about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which affects deer. CWD has slowly spread over the last few decades, and some hunters are worried it will decimate deer populations and a favorite outdoor pastime. Some have even questioned whether it is the end of hunting. Yet there’s good news: A look at states that have had CWD for decades shows that the sky has not fallen at all. In fact, hunting opportunities are plentiful. CWD worries hunters because it is tough to eradicate and there is no easy way to know if it’s in a given area. CWD is of the same family as mad cow disease, but it only affects deer, elk, and moose. There are no cases of CWD ever affecting people, and this type of disease typically does not cross the species barrier. (Humans have never gotten scrapie from sheep, despite raising them as livestock for centuries.) In the 1960s, CWD was first found in the state at a university research facility in Colorado. It was then first detected in a free-ranging deer in the 1980s. And it has slowly spread around since— some by free-ranging deer and elk, and some
In Colorado, a representative from the state wildlife agency recently noted that “deer, elk and moose are stable.” Research has found that mule deer populations in the state have constantly fluctuated through history, with the severity of winter and the amount of summer precipitation being the most important influences on the animals. The agency is focused on having good habitat for deer and keeping predators in check. In South Dakota, CWD was detected in a freeranging deer in 2001. It doesn’t appear to have harmed hunting at all. State harvest data show that the deer harvest last year was essentially the same as 2001, and deer numbers are increasing. The story is the same in Nebraska, where CWD was found in a free-ranging elk in 2001. The deer population went on to reach record numbers in 2010. In fact, it was too much deer for the land. Today, the numbers are down slightly, but the quality is good. “The hunters are satisfied. The buck quality is high,” said a program manager for Nebraska Game and Parks. (Ironically, a disease that does not get much press attention—EHD, or epizootic hemorrhagic disease—was what killed off a chunk of the state deer population in 2012.) Wisconsin, meanwhile, has seen the biggest political fight over CWD since it was found in 2002. Some activists are trying to shut down the state’s deer farms, which is an overreaction—
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farms are closed environments that test and control for CWD, but are innocent bystanders when the disease is spread to them by wildlife. And the free-ranging population is thriving despite CWD. According to DNR numbers, in the four most highly CWD-infected counties in Wisconsin the herd has almost doubled or has doubled in size since 2002. Further, new data shows that hunting is on the uptick. Preliminary data shows the deer harvest is up 7 percent this year. The biggest increase is in the southern part of the state—where CWD was first detected. Despite the doomsday predictions, deer hunting is still going strong. 100 years ago, whitetail deer populations were much less than they are today in the United States due to overhunting. Smart management has helped boost their numbers incredibly since. But factors such as increases in predators (wolves, mountain lions, coyotes), drought, harsh winters, and human development play much more of a role—even if they don’t make headlines. In the end, there is not much anyone can do about CWD any more than they can control how bad the winter will be. But given smart management policies that focus on providing good habitat for animals and keeping predators in check, hunting should continue to be plentiful for the foreseeable future. AUTHOR: Charly Seale, American Cervid Alliance SOURCE LINK: https://tdn.com/opinion/editorial/ cwd-the-paper-tiger-for-deer/article_20ebb180052a-59f4-9b21-23692b90bb98.html
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ACA: Another Successful USAHA Conference After five days of committee and board meetings at the United States Animal Health Association conference (USAHA), industry leaders believe it was a successful meeting for the cervid industry. This conference is an opportunity to build relationships with state and national health officials as well as those representing the wildlife community. This conference marked the second meeting of the Committee on Diseases of Farmed Cervidae. The adoption of three important resolutions for the industry were also achieved. Two of the resolutions pertained to Chronic Wasting Disease. The first resolution requests the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Services (ARS) to evaluate the potential diversity of CWD strains. This is not currently being performed in the United States, but is being performed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The second resolution encourages USDA , Agricultural Research Services (ARS) to fund research efforts to identify CWD susceptibility in different genotypes and the role they have on transmission of disease.
The third resolution related to TB policy urges USDA, ARS evaluate the Dual Path Platform (TB Blood test) to be used as an individual animal test in farmed cervidae for interstate commerce. As a reminder, last year USAHA passed a resolution requesting APHIS to consider TB herd certification testing intervals be extended from three to five years. Both requests will be considered while USDA APHIS develops a new federal TB rule.
well as wildlife representatives. This is one of the most important events for the industry. The American Cervid Alliance strongly encourages its member associations to select a representative to join USAHA and attend next year’s conference. All the industry leaders that attend this conference know first hand how important this convention is to the our industry. Next year’s conference will be held in late October in Providence, Rhode Island.
The attendance at this conference by the cervid industry is essential in building strong relationships with state and federal health officials as
SOURCE: American Cervid Alliance
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