86 infected with CWD in 2014.

[dmcbride]

Seems to be getting worse.

http://www.afga.org/pdf/CWD-2014-summary.pdf

[Stinky Buffalo]

Hmmm. Not good.

[greylynx]

Any one here up to date on the CWD problem in Saskatchewan?

[mds694]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Any one here up to date on the CWD problem in Saskatchewan?

In what sense? It's a problem that's here to stay. They are no longer doing any testing, unless you pay to have it tested yourself I suppose. No control programs are currently in place either as it is not a disease we can control using the methods currently available. Research is ongoing into the disease itself and how it spreads and effects different populations in different areas.

[albertabighorn]

I see the percentage for 2015 but dont see the other years. Has the testing increased which results in more positives?

[dmcbride]

Originally Posted by albertabighorn

I see the percentage for 2015 but dont see the other years. Has the testing increased which results in more positives?

They started testing more WMU's. What concerns me is there seems to be an increase in all WMU's that have had mandatory testing.

[dshaw]

Originally Posted by mds694

In what sense? It's a problem that's here to stay. They are no longer doing any testing, unless you pay to have it tested yourself I suppose. No control programs are currently in place either as it is not a disease we can control using the methods currently available. Research is ongoing into the disease itself and how it spreads and effects different populations in different areas.

x2, the disease has been here for years before we ever knew about it and will continue to be here and go in cycles like it always has. The difference then and now is we just didn't know about it.

[LCCFisherman]

Its a waste of money... you see a sick deer don't eat it.. leave it for the wolves.

Put all those wasted funds into officers salaries.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Any one here up to date on the CWD problem in Saskatchewan?

Well over 50% infection rate in some areas.... Several new cases in the last year where game farms tested positive.... Sask gov under pressure of lawsuits from game farmers and the shear magnitude of the problem has decided to end surveillance and become a "control" jurisdiction for research on what happens when no CWD suppression efforts are made.

The Feds nearly got away with delisting CWD as a reportable disease last Oct. Agricultural interests were lobbying for the delisting. Health organizations were successful in keeping CWD listed.

Some agriculture interests are now promoting that the only way to maintain CWD free areas is to eliminate the wildlife, and they are willing to be the sole source of your deer and elk.

New research that CWD prions can be absorbed by agricultural plants has put a whole new spin on this issue. Agriculture is trying to suppress the information, international bodies are questioning the future of importing crops from CWD infected areas. It's a whole new ball game now....


For the trophy hunters. 6% infection rate for tested male mule deer.
At this rate, CWD is killing a significant portion of bucks before they have a chance to mature....

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Well over 50% infection rate in some areas.... Several new cases in the last year where game farms tested positive.... Sask gov under pressure of lawsuits from game farmers and the shear magnitude of the problem has decided to end surveillance and become a "control" jurisdiction for research on what happens when no CWD suppression efforts are made.

The Feds nearly got away with delisting CWD as a reportable disease last Oct. Agricultural interests were lobbying for the delisting. Health organizations were successful in keeping CWD listed.

Some agriculture interests are now promoting that the only way to maintain CWD free areas is to eliminate the wildlife, and they are willing to be the sole source of your deer and elk.

New research that CWD prions can be absorbed by agricultural plants has put a whole new spin on this issue. Agriculture is trying to suppress the information, international bodies are questioning the future of importing crops from CWD infected areas. It's a whole new ball game now....


For the trophy hunters. 6% infection rate for tested male mule deer.
At this rate, CWD is killing a significant portion of bucks before they have a chance to mature....

Thank you WB.

Prions in plants. OMG.

The ramifications of such a finding could be potentially devastating to farming in western Canada.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Prions in plants. OMG.

The ramifications of such a finding could be potentially devastating to farming in western Canada.

Without precedence. Absolutely systemic altering ramifications throughout the global food chain and economic structure. The North American breadbasket would disappear.

[Ticdoc]

Originally Posted by dshaw

x2, the disease has been here for years before we ever knew about it and will continue to be here and go in cycles like it always has. The difference then and now is we just didn't know about it.

There are good well validated data for Alberta that show this is new disease. And where have cycles of CWD been documented.

ticdoc

[dgl1948]

Well over 50% infection rate in some areas

If you are going to quote these numbers please provide your source. I am calling BS on this.

[purgatory.sv]

I accept what you say, but do not understand the bs?


I do not support game farms.

They do not benefit me and or the whole?


I understand the desire to profit.

[mds694]

Originally Posted by dgl1948

If you are going to quote these numbers please provide your source. I am calling BS on this.

That number, while true, is taken slightly out of context. In one of the research areas in the S. Sask river valley testing showed prevelence that high. That is not to suggest that all of the province has infection rates of 50%. I'm not sure that research has been published yet but it's part of a larger project with the CWHC and U of S I believe.

And while there is some evidence that it can attach to the roots of plants, they have been unable to detect any prions being transported up into the stems or leaves. So while interesting I dont think it needs to be blown too far out of proportion at this point.

[dgl1948]

Originally Posted by purgatory.sv

I accept what you say, but do not understand the bs?


I do not support game farms.

They do not benefit me and or the whole?


I understand the desire to profit.

If Walking Buffalo was refering to game farms in Sask having an infection rate of 50% I would agree with him. He did not. If there was an infection rate of 50% in wild animals in areas we would be finding hundreds of them dead and that is not the case.
In 2014 there were 4 more game farms in Sask that came down with CWD. Game farming in Sask has been a disaster. It has introduced CWD to the province and Wild Boar are now gaining a strong foothold and are nothing but a problem that is out of control.
The disire for profit by a few individuals is something we and wildlife will be paying for for generations.

[purgatory.sv]

Good response.

And I agree with your post.

I believe the intent of this thread is awareness.

After that I will have no influence.

I have already said I do not support controlled environments.

[dgl1948]

Originally Posted by mds694

That number, while true, is taken slightly out of context. In one of the research areas in the S. Sask river valley testing showed prevelence that high. That is not to suggest that all of the province has infection rates of 50%. I'm not sure that research has been published yet but it's part of a larger project with the CWHC and U of S I believe.

And while there is some evidence that it can attach to the roots of plants, they have been unable to detect any prions being transported up into the stems or leaves. So while interesting I dont think it needs to be blown too far out of proportion at this point.

The Government stopped the testing of wild deer harvested by hunters after 2012. There were no areas at that time that showed an infection rate of 50%. It is not possable to test a live animal for the disease. The only way to come up with this number would to gather up dead animals in the field and test them. Again, there are not hundreds of dead animals laying around.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by mds694

That number, while true, is taken slightly out of context. In one of the research areas in the S. Sask river valley testing showed prevelence that high. That is not to suggest that all of the province has infection rates of 50%. I'm not sure that research has been published yet but it's part of a larger project with the CWHC and U of S I believe.

And while there is some evidence that it can attach to the roots of plants, they have been unable to detect any prions being transported up into the stems or leaves. So while interesting I dont think it needs to be blown too far out of proportion at this point.

It is my understanding as well that Trent Bollinger's research with the high (50%) infection rate has yet to be published.

The research into prion uptake by plants has now shown positive results from all parts of the plant,( leaves, flowers, seeds, pollen). This research as well has yet to be published.


I do not share the opinion that previous comments were blowing anything out of proportion. They are insights into possible outcomes that have governments and businesses considering their course of action. Trillions of dollars make for a grand chess game.

[super7mag]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

It is my understanding as well that Trent Bollinger's research with the high (50%) infection rate has yet to be published.

The research into prion uptake by plants has now shown positive results from all parts of the plant,( leaves, flowers, seeds, pollen). This research as well has yet to be published.


I do not share the opinion that previous comments were blowing anything out of proportion. They are insights into possible outcomes that have governments and businesses considering their course of action. Trillions of dollars make for a grand chess game.

WB -- what research ?? You mean the mad scientist approach where there are physically putting the prions into everything and anything to see what will happen... So when it finally does mutate they can sit back and say I told you so..
That's not research, physically putting a prion into an alpha alpha seed in a lab and making it grow is So far off of how things would react when left in the wild..

The same with Cwd cross jumping to cattle goats or humans. The only way they can do it is to physically do it in a lab ( so far) and IMO is not good science cause they will mess around till the screw up.

This shoots alot of holes in the Kill them all theory , our border populations are at an all time low , yet the diasese is still quite prevelant ... Hmmmm .
If a cull and 2 bad winters hasn't slowed infection rates what makes these fools believe even lower herd density will help... It obviously doesn't work that way.

As for spreading do to prions in Ag crops , real research , would let a deer die naturally from cwd. Leave it for the coyotes and crows, GPS the spot .
Come back when next years crop is seeded and test a ten foot radius. Do this several times thru out the season and maybe 3-4 crops .. Now answer honestly what do you believe the results of that research would be?? I'd bet dollars to donuts it's quite different then the Lab injected seed results!

[dgl1948]

The first CWD cases were in Colorado in the early 1960's. From Dr.Trent Bollinger's presentation the "overall prevalance in endemic ares of Colorado and Wyoming is 4.9% in mule deer,2.1 % in whitetail deer,and .5% in elk."

To say that there are ares with a 50% would seem very unlikly when compared to these states where it is believed the disease originated.

Another thing that must be pointed out is when an animal in one of these game farms has been tested posative for CWD the rest of the animals are sloughtered and tested. They have not had a 50% infection rate.

[NIKON]

Originally Posted by dmcbride

Seems to be getting worse.

http://www.afga.org/pdf/CWD-2014-summary.pdf

CWD continues to be a major concern of AFGA as it increases in prevalence and presence. In prevalence, it has increased from 0.04 in 2005 when testing first started to 0.40 in 2010 and for 2014 the prevalence has increased to 2.10. As far as CWD’s presence, there have been positives found in WMU’s 144 and 142 for the first time as this disease spreads further west from CFB Suffield towards the Brooks

What a crock of Cacca. It should State that it appears to be spreading West as they test 1 zone west at a time. You can make anything appear spreading as you add zones west. Test the entire province.
So misleading. Tired of these reports and the wording.
Nikon

[dmcbride]

Originally Posted by NIKON

CWD continues to be a major concern of AFGA as it increases in prevalence and presence. In prevalence, it has increased from 0.04 in 2005 when testing first started to 0.40 in 2010 and for 2014 the prevalence has increased to 2.10. As far as CWD’s presence, there have been positives found in WMU’s 144 and 142 for the first time as this disease spreads further west from CFB Suffield towards the Brooks

What a crock of Cacca. It should State that it appears to be spreading West as they test 1 zone west at a time. You can make anything appear spreading as you add zones west. Test the entire province.
So misleading. Tired of these reports and the wording.
Nikon

The zones that they have tested for years are getting worse.

[NIKON]

Originally Posted by dmcbride

The zones that they have tested for years are getting worse.

They maybe. My point is how Margo words that cwd is spreading West.
You can not say it's spreading West when all she continues to do is add zones west. If you don't test it doesn't exist out west. Lol Test the entire province. CWD was found in game farms around Edmonton. Why did they not have mandatory head submissions in these zones? They tested a few hundred heads and deemed this zone CWD free. Yet along the border it took thousands of head submissions to find a few CWD positives.

They need a province wide snap shot of this disease. Instead they continue to point the finger at the border and at our Saskatchewan neighbours.
It would appear our Alberta government and its elk farming don't want the finger pointed at them.

[270WIN]

[QUOTE=walking buffalo;2810431

Some agriculture interests are now promoting that the only way to maintain CWD free areas is to eliminate the wildlife, and they are willing to be the sole source of your deer and elk.

....[/QUOTE]

I hadn't heard that one before but it wouldn't surprise me if it were true. Nor would it surprise me if the political geniuses we elect to govern us were to approve such a strategy. It was, after all, the politicians who were responsible for the introduction of CWD into Western Canada in the first place.

[Luxor]

27 posts and over 1100 readers

Just wondering if anyone on here has submitted any heads for testing in the past?

If you did.....did you get back any positive results?

[bigbuck]

Originally Posted by Luxor

27 posts and over 1100 readers

Just wondering if anyone on here has submitted any heads for testing in the past?

If you did.....did you get back any positive results?

Our group has submitted a few over the years. All negative results

[The Spruce]

I submitted heads from CW in 2012, all 3 were negative. My hunting partner was not so lucky, 2 submitted, 1 positive.

Spruce

[mds694]

I believe live testing can and is being done in that particular research project via tonsilar biopsy. It has nothing to do with hunter submissions which imo is a poor way to quantify prevelance.

I do agree that much of the studies regarding prion transmission are not particularly realistic. Short of watering plants with mashed brains or injecting prions into monkey skulls, humans and plants are not at any risk at this point. Scrapie is much more contagious yet we don't seem to be concerned about any crops from those endemic areas.

[ydouask]

Like your thinking super7mag !