Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – At some point during the pandemic, Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spread from humans to white-tailed deer in North America. In 2021, scientists revealed that 40 per cent of white-tailed deer sampled in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New York state in the U.S. had antibodies for the virus. Surveillance of these […] Read more
COVID-19 isn’t over for white-tailed deer
The virus mutates rapidly in white-tailed deer, but here’s why we don’t need to worry – for now
Hunt is on for a vaccine to halt fast-spreading chronic wasting disease
About 15 per cent of mule deer are infected and it’s feared the disease could jump to livestock
Reading Time: 2 minutes Five Alberta researchers have been awarded $2 million “to tackle the growing threat” of chronic wasting disease in the province. Two of the projects focus on developing vaccines, including one to prevent the potential spread of CWD to caribou. Three other projects are on transmissibility: The threat of cervids (such as deer and elk) transmitting […] Read more
U.S. reports world’s first deer with COVID-19
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. government said Friday it had confirmed the world’s first cases of COVID-19 in deer, expanding the list of animals known to have tested positive for the disease. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported infections of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in wild white-tailed deer in the state of […] Read more
Ontario to limit imports, transport of live elk, deer
Moves meant to keep out chronic wasting disease
Moving live captive cervids such as elk, deer, moose and caribou into or within Ontario is set to be banned under new provincial regulations to keep out chronic wasting disease (CWD). The province said Thursday it has amended regulations under its Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act that will ban anyone from importing live, captive cervids […] Read more
Deer heads required from Kootenay region for CWD tests
The discovery of chronic wasting disease in deer in northwestern Montana has officials in CWD-free British Columbia tightening their testing net. The province on Wednesday announced a mandatory sampling program, in which hunters must submit heads from mule deer and white-tailed deer harvested in wildlife management units 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6 and 4-7 […] Read more
Tired of providing a hay lunch for the neighbourhood?
Hay yards are magnets for elk and deer, but 3D fencing can be a lower-cost way to keep them out
Reading Time: 2 minutes A long winter coupled with a late and dry start to spring has stretched feed supplies across Alberta. Which means any loss of hay to wildlife last winter was especially painful. To avoid that grief — or at least lessen it — many producers on the Prairies have turned to three-dimensional fencing. Unlike typical fencing, […] Read more
B.C. to block hunting attractants from out-of-province
Anyone planning to hunt in British Columbia may soon be blocked from bringing in urine and other materials from other provinces’ farmed elk and cervids, in a bid to keep chronic wasting disease (CWD) in check. The provincial government recently opened a public comment period, running until Jan. 19, on a list of changes it […] Read more
Calling Alberta deer hunters
Reading Time: < 1 minute The University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine is looking for help from deer hunters. Researchers at the faculty are conducting a study on gastrointestinal parasite diversity in deer. For that, they need fresh feces samples. Hunters who see deer defecate are asked to collect samples and send by courier to the department. Samples can […] Read more
Federal response tightened for chronic wasting disease
Canadian ranchers raising cervids such as elk, deer and moose will soon have to get in on certification programs before they can be eligible for any federal help in the event of a chronic wasting disease (CWD) outbreak. One of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) family of nervous system diseases, such as BSE in cattle […] Read more
South African ranchers are ‘game’ for raising wildlife
The country’s 12,000 wildlife ranches cover 20 million hectares and the sector is growing by leaps and bounds
Reading Time: 3 minutes You may think it is strange to go to an auction to pick up a wildebeest or a zebra, but ranching wildlife is just an innovative way of making money for South African farmers. It’s similar to Canadian bison, deer, or elk ranching and can add a lot of value for producers. “In South Africa, […] Read more
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