Researchers caught and euthanized 46 coyotes 

 from 1 deer-infected county and performed 

 necropsies on the animals. Nearly 160 carcasses 

 remain to be sampled over the next 18 months. 

 To date, seven coyotes have been found positive 

 for bTB. Preliminary results from one county in 

 Michigan show that bTB prevalence has not changed 

 in the past 2 years and remains near 30 percent. 



Evaluating Risk Factors Associated With 

 Transmission of bTB From White-Tailed Deer 

 to Cattle— In 2007, NWRC researchers began a 

 study to evaluate risk factors associated v\/ith the 

 transmission of bTB from white-tailed deer to cattle. 



Eighteen adult deer were trapped and collared 

 in bTB outbreak areas in the northeastern lower 

 peninsula of Michigan from January through 

 March 2007 with traps provided by Minnesota and 

 Michigan departments of natural resources. Deer 

 movements in relation to farming practices, feeding 

 areas, barns, outbuildings, feed storage areas, water 

 sources, etc., are currently being monitored. 



Data from this study will aid in the development 

 of new methods to decrease potential interaction 

 between cattle and wild deer. Such measures may 



include moderate changes to livestock management 

 and/or feeding practices and increased exclusionary 

 techniques, such as additional fencing. Reducing 

 the interaction between wild deer and domestic 

 cattle via shared feed and other resources may be 

 a key component in eliminating the transmission of 

 bTB from deer to cattle. 



TITLE: Evaluation and Management of Chronic 

 Wasting Disease (CWD) Transmission 



GOAL: Assess the potential for CWD transmission 

 at the interface between wild and domestic 

 cervids and develop methods to reduce 

 transmission and spread. 



The spread of CWD in wild and captive cervids is 

 of great concern for the health of these species. 

 While CWD infects elk, white-tailed deer, mule 

 deer, and moose, it is not known to infect other 

 species of wildlife naturally (including predators 

 and scavengers). Nor does it infect livestock or 

 humans. There is no treatment for CWD, and it is 

 typically fatal in cervids. Realized and perceived 

 threats of CWD have immense implications for 

 Federal and State wildlife-management agencies, 

 domestic cervid farmers, hunters, and businesses 

 and economies reliant on deer and elk. As a 

 consequence, more and better tools and techniques 

 are needed to reduce the transmission, prevalence, 

 and persistence of CWD in wild and captive cervids. 



Scientists are studying risk factors associated with the 

 transmission of bTB from white-tailed deer to cattle. 



Automated Species Recognition System for 

 Controlling Animal Access to Resources — 



Automated, species-specific access by animals 

 to resources could be a powerful tool in wildlife 

 disease management. Efficiency of delivering 

 vaccines, pharmaceuticals, contraceptives, or toxins 

 could be enhanced if target species were allowed 

 access to treated baits but nontarget species were 

 excluded. Researchers at the National Centre 

 for Engineering in Agriculture at the University 

 of Southern Queensland, the School of Animal 

 Studies at the University of Queensland, and RPM 

 Livestock in Australia have developed a prototype 

 of a computerized video monitoring system to 

 control gated access to resources enclosed within 

 fenced areas automatically. NWRC researchers 



20 Developing Methods 



