Paige Truitt Essays - Mammaliaformes, , Term Papers

Paige Truitt Eng. 190 Prof. Barron 9 November, 2017 Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Missouri Deer Chronic Wasting Disease is a deadly illness in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, known as cervids. CWD is a neurological disease that deteriorates the brain tissue, causing emaciation, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions, and death. It belongs to a group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE's) This group of diseases includes scrapie that affects sheep, mad cow disease (BSE) affecting cattle, and transmittable mink encephalopathy in farmed mink. Several rare human diseases are TSEs, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which naturally occurs in one of one million people worldwide per year. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has been associated with the large-scale outbreak of BSE in cattle herds in Great Britain (CWD Info) The first case of CWD in Missouri was found on Heartland Ranch, a deer farm in Ethyl, Missouri, February 25, 2010. The farm has since shut down operations, and sold the property to a group from Louisiana, who still sell wildlife hunts that include red stag, whitetail, exotic and domestic turkey spring hunts, under the new name of Winter Quarters Wildlife Ranch (Durkee). The outbreak affected my family farm, and other local farms. The deer herd was severely altered. It is estimated that the disease affects 1 in 10, 10 percent, of free range wild deer and elk (MDC). Due to how contagious Chronic Wasting Disease is, hunters were given new rules to follow. Salt and Mineral blocks were banned in many counties (Morse), including Linn, which is where my family farm is. It was a very common occurrence in the years 2011-2015 to find dead deer in ponds or creeks that had died because of CWD. When an animal is sick, it tries to find water, this includes deer. The disease withers their body into skin and bones.It's not hard to distinguish a dead deer with the disease. This was my own personal experience. In the past few years, we have seen the deer number rise back to previous years, like before the outbreak. While the numbers of infected deer in Linn County are decreasing, other counties like Knox, Adair, and Macon are still heavily affected. In 2016, there were 42 confirmed cases of Cwd in Missouri, including ten cases in Adair county, 23 cases in Macon county, and 7 cases in Knox county (MDC). Many find that the introduction of the disease was preventable. It brings to light many issues with deer farming; bringing animals across state lines, exposing new diseases, and bringing animals where they are not naturally from. It brings up questions on the morality of the establishment. Deer farms usually consist of 8-10 foot tall fences, enclosing monstrous deer that have been shot full of growth hormones, minerals, and vitamins to make the rack grow way larger than wild deer. The antlers get so heavy that it can cause neck and spine issues for the deer who bares them. The purpose of farming deer like this, is to sell the deer to hunters who want to shoot the biggest buck, for a large chunk of cash (Sabblow). The process is harming the deer, for the thrill of the hunter, which I find unethical. The conservation department has set up mandatory CWD testing stations in Missouri, for opening weekend of Missouri Rifle Season. Sampling locations are open from 7:30 a.m. until at least 8 p.m. The deer must be presented by the hunter who harvested the animal. Hunters will be asked to identify the location within the county the deer was harvested. The deer may be field dressed before being taken to a sampling station. Hunters have the option of presenting just the deer head with about six inches of neck attached. For bucks bound to a taxidermist, the cape may be removed prior to being taken to a sampling station as long as about six inches of the neck is left attached (MDC). This hunting season, I was lucky to harvest an antlered buck that fell into the category of deer bound for the taxidermist. When we showed up to the check station, a Missouri Conservation Agent asked if we were taking this deer to