This video provides an illustration of introduction of CWD to a cervid farm through direct contact with infected wild cervids using a scenario involving a fencing breach.
Video transcript
Jack (Voiceover):
Welcome to Jack’s White Tail Deer Preserve. For the past 13 years, my family and I have raised white-tails. What started as a family hobby now thrives as a bustling business. We raise trophy bucks, that hunters from all over the country come to pursue.
We have three main pens. This one is for my favorite deer. They are like pets to me, and I would never let them be hunted. Over there is the breeding pen, where we nurture our future trophy bucks. And the largest area, our hunting preserve, offers a genuine hunting experience.
Our pens cover about 200 acres, surrounded by a single 8-foot fence. We test a portion of the deer hunted within the preserve each year, following state regulations and our biosecurity plan.
One morning, I noticed a doe acting strangely—her head was low, she was drooling, and she seemed unresponsive. Concerned, I immediately called my vet. Unfortunately, before she could arrive, the doe passed away. When my vet arrived, she suggested we send samples for CWD testing.
A few weeks later, the state vet calls. The doe tested positive for CWD. My family and I feel crushed. Our hard work, our beloved deer, all at risk.
The state animal health department conducted an evaluation but couldn't determine how CWD entered our herd. They found evidence of wild animals around the deer feeders inside our fences and also near our fenced-in compost pile.
Narrator (Voiceover):
CWD prions persist in the environment, posing a risk to farmed deer. Scavenging wild animals, including birds, can transport these prions from one place to another, spreading them through their feces. These animals may not appear sick from CWD, but they can carry the prions across fence lines, which can then infect deer when they come into contact with contaminated material.
To help minimize the risk to your herd, options include: placing feeders and waterers away from perimeter fences to reduce wildlife attraction, storing feed in locations where wildlife cannot access it, and disposing of carcasses properly. Regularly clearing debris and brush around the fence to limit access points for wild animals. Farm dogs may also help by deterring wildlife and protecting your herd.
See video 8 in this series to identify areas of potential exposure on your farm!
Credits
This video was developed through collaboration between the Pennsylvania Dept of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, and produced for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture under USDA APHIS Cooperative Agreement AP22VSSPRS00C157 “CWD Training, Outreach, and Producer Education Program.”