# TB prevalence rate drops



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

For first time since TB discovered in deer herd, prevalence rate drops

LANSING -- For the first time since significant tuberculosis was documented in Michigan's deer herd in the mid 1990s, the Department of Natural Resources has good news: 
"We're winning the war," said DNR veterinarian Steve Schmitt. 
The prevalence rate of infection in the core area of the northeastern Lower Peninsula for deer of all ages was 1.7 percent after the 2003 deer season, the first time it's been below 2 percent since it was discovered, Schmitt said. 

http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/statewide/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1078398719215430.xml


----------



## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

The prevalence rate of TB infection (deer) has dropped below 2%for 2003- "we're winning the war" "good stuff"
"We're affecting the transmission rate due to our strategies--the feeding ban and bringing deer numbers down"
The 2003 Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Activities Report shows positive proof of the reduction in deer numbers in the 5 county area, Alcona, Alpena, Oscoda, Montmorency and Presque Isle
On p. 19 of the 2003 Activities Report, MDNR's Brent Rudolph and Rod Clute estimate the 2002 deer population of these 5 counties to be 95,000. Divide this by 3000, the sq./mi. in this 5 county area, = 31+ deer sq./mi. In fact the table on p. 19 shows the est. for 1999 to be 97,000, 2000/105,000, 2001/99,000. These estimates are the populations preceeding the fall hunting seasons(The 1995 est. was 161,000, or 64 deer/sq. mi.)
On p. 5 of the Activities Report, as of Nov. 30,2002, we have the est. deer kill for these 5 counties-- 57,000 bucks and 47,000 does 104,000 - 32/sq. mi. This may/may not include muzzle loading and late antlerless seasons ??
Subtract 32 from 31 and/or 104,000 from 95,000 definitely demonstrates a reduction in deer numbers which could well be the reason for the drop in the prevalence rate.
Assuming the kill numbers for 1999, 2000, and 2001 were anywhere near 100,000 each year one must conclude that vast numbers of deer are migrating into these 5 counties from adjoining counties that have a lower prevalence rate ????


----------



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

No surprise whatever that there's still 30+ deer per square mile in that area. 

It's been shown, over and over over again, my friends, that the productivity of a deer herd (measured in birthing and recruitment rates) INCREASES as the size of the herd decreases. Recent studies in PA have confirmed it. Because of this, further reductions in herd density are going to be difficult to accomplish.

The reduction in the incidence of TB is good news. But we must keep on the pressure, and continue to aggressively harvest does in the TB zone. We've known from the beginning that it would take years to win this battle, and it is heartening to see progress made.


----------



## twodogsphil (Apr 16, 2002)

While it may be going down for deer, its apparantly going up for elk. Two (2) positive elk out of 101 tested last year yields about a 2 % prevalence rate as compared to a 0% prevalence rate in elk several years ago. Perhaps its time to start issuing unlimited elk tags to bring the population down. From my observations the elk is a much more social animal than a deer. Several family groups oftern travel together in much larger herds than deer, thus enhancing the opportunity for passing TB between each other. Clearly, its time for MDNR to act and put in place a program to eliminate TB in our elk herd before the Farm Bureau gets involved.


----------



## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

TB in the UK - BLAME IT ON THE BADGER - here in Michigan we consider carnivores and omnivores "dead end" hosts
http://icwales.incnetwork.co.uk/printable-version.cfm?objectid=14030513&siteid=50082

Conflicting data on CWD-- http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN-21-2657928,00.html


----------



## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

The TB incidence rate has fluctuated up and down each year but those changes have been statistically insignificant. If the DNR had mandatory registration and checked every deer harvested for TB in DMU 452, then the statistics would be much more meaningful. Unfortunately, with such a small sampling, the stats are just not that meaningful. When the incidence rate rises again, and it will, will the DNR proclaim that their TB eradication efforts are not working? The DNR has recently admitted that its TB eradication efforts will not likely reduce the incidence rate much more, thus the study being conducted to capture deer, test them for TB and then destroy just the infected animals. The DNR needs to focus its resources more on projects like that or a possible cure to ultimately overcome the TB problem that plagues our wild whitetails. Anything less is just smoke and mirrors.


----------



## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

Alpena News- 3/20/2004
DNR AIMS TO ENFORCE FEEDING BAN, CATCH THOSE ILLEGALLY FEEDING DEER !!!
We must compliment the DNR on their plans, and especially on their timing. They demonstrate concern for our deer by not enforcing the ban during January and Feburary (months when deer need supplemental feed) , but wait till late March when all the deer are feeding on the farm fields, as spring is coming, the snow is melting, and there are bare patches where the deer can nibble. Here in the "club country" deer numbers are down, where we used to see several hundred deer on the fields this time of year there are maybe only half or a third as many.


----------



## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

2/28/2004-- Federal and State officials are currently investigating a preliminary case of bovine TB in a bull from a small beef herd in Barry county, though the strain is known to NOT be from Michigan, today announced MDA Director Dan Wyant and State Veterinarian Joan Arnoldi
Michigan has been combatting TB in both livestock and wildlife for the past few years, Wyant said, but noted that ALL LIVESTOCK cases have been from the area of the Northeastern Lower Peninsula. He added that nearly every cattle, bison, goat and privately owned deer herd in the entire state has been tested at least once for TB with NO DISEASE FOUND OUTSIDE THIS KNOWN AFFECTED AREA !
(The bull came from Ontario, Canada. A lesion found on slaughter cultured TB positive at Ames, and oddly enough a TB positive sample from a steer from Utah was found to be the same strain as the Canada bull ! Was the steer of Mexican origin ? We import up to a million feeder cattle a year from Mexico )
"Since the TB Eradication effort began in Michigan, MDA HAS TESTED NEARLY ALL OF IT'S 1 MILLION LIVESTOCK AND CERVID HERDS, WITH 32 HERDS TESTING POSITIVE FOR THE DISEASE, AGAIN ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN LOCATED IN THE NORTHEASTERN LOWER PENINSULA"- quoting press release
We have DNR Math-- has MDA NO SENSE OF DIRECTION ??


----------



## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

"SINCE THE TB ERADICATION EFFORT BEGAN IN MICHIGAN, MDA HAS TESTED NEARLY ALL OF ITS NEARLY 1 MILLION LIVESTOCK AND CERVID HERDS "


----------



## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

"SINCE THE TB ERADICATION EFFORT BEGAN IN MICHIGAN, MDA HAS TESTED NEARLY ALL OF ITS NEARLY 1 MILLION LIVESTOCK AND CERVID HERDS "-- GLORY BE !! MDA HAS BEEN INFECTED W/THE DNR MATH !!!-- There are only some 15,500 cattle and 900+ cervid herds in Michigan

Can't them people in Lansing get anything right ??


----------



## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

"*Farmlegend quote "It's been shown, over and over over again, my friends, that the productivity of a deer herd (measured in birthing and recruitment rates) INCREASES as the size of the herd decreases."* 

I continue to be amazed by the ability of the whitetail deer to survive heavy hunting pressure. In 2003 Kalkaska county had unlimited doe permits and harvested so many deer that in 2004 the private property doe license were so restricted that they sold out in the first 15 minutes.

Last early evening my wife and I took a short drive and counted over 40 deer in fields within a mile of where we live. They were seeing them mainly in farm fields. I know this is not a scientific analyst, but we are confident that given a reasonable fawn crop this spring that we will not have to worry about having plenty of deer to hunt in the coming years.


----------



## marty (Jan 17, 2000)

I continue to be amazed by the ability of the whitetail deer to survive heavy hunting pressure. In 2003 Kalkaska county had unlimited doe permits and harvested so many deer that in 2004 the private property doe license were so restricted that they sold out in the first 15 minutes.


Just one year??? We have had about 6-7 years of basically unlimted doe permits. Also don't forget rifle seasons in oct and dec. Try that and see where your deer herd is at......marty


----------



## Bob S (Mar 8, 2000)

> _Originally posted by marty _
> *Also don't forget rifle seasons in oct and dec. Try that and see where your deer herd is at *


I would love to give that a try in my area. It might get deer numbers down to a point where the habitat would start to rebound.


----------

