# 2002 TB Surveillance Summary on bovinetb.com



## Fierkej (Dec 21, 2001)

Hi,
I just posted the TB surveillance summary on bovinetb.com at this address.
http://www.bovinetb.com/SubPage.asp?sec=3

There are 47 final positive and 4 pending suspects. The Otsego deer is one of those that's still pending.

We are expecting another truckload of samples from the NE tomorrow.

Jean


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## Bob S (Mar 8, 2000)

Jean, weren`t there two cattle herds with positive tests recently? I thought I heard that on the radio Saturday morning.


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## Fierkej (Dec 21, 2001)

Hi,
Yes, 
Bridget Patrick has just posted information about them, under updates on bovinetb.com, at this address:

http://www.bovinetb.com/SubPage.asp?sec=14

Here's most of what's on bovinetb.com:

On December 7, 2002, MDA announced that a dairy herd in Alcona County was under quarantine until further testing could be conducted to determine if the TB positive animal, detected through routine TB testing, was exposed to the Michigan strain of TB.

Officials also indicated that a small beef herd in Alcona County recently tested positive for bovine TB. This brings the total number of herds (including one privately owned cervid herd) to 28 (from Alcona, Alpena, Emmet, Oscoda and Presque Isle Counties)since testing began in 1995. 

Jean


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## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

51 preliminary- truckload of NE deer to yet be tested
Most positives from core area (452). Incidence so far about 3%
Core area roughly 700 sq. mi. times 30 deer/sq. mi. = 21000 deer in core area, 3% incidence = 630 TB inf. deer
600% increase in inf. cattle herds since fy2000
Looks like we have a long way to go !


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## DaYoop (Oct 26, 2000)

30 deer per square mile??????


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## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

33 deer per sq. mi. in the TBIZ was the 2001 fall population estimate reported by the Wildlife Division's Public Relations person, Brent Rudolph, in the Autumn 2002 Bovine TB Update.
John Urbain, DNR biologist ( Lansing)(former spokesperson)
2002 deer forecast- 2001 kill down statewide due to warm opener
100,000 MORE DEER STATEWIDE FOR 2002.
Therefore the est. 2002 TBIZ fall deer pop. would be at least 30
My estimate would be closer to 20 per sq. mi. 14,000 deer, 420 inf. deer still out there, there has been no decline in infected deer numbers for the last 4 years, however here in Presque Isle county we rarely see a deer, probably closer to 10 per sq. mi.


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## east bay ed (Dec 18, 2002)

sadocf1,
if your calculations are correct maybe in the next 50 or 60 years we will get a hold on this problem. by then most small businesses in ne mi. will file for bankrupcy and the people who hunt here will be so fed up with this thing they will all stop hunting here. i know we have seen a steady decline in the numbers of hunters in our area of ne mi. with every year that passes. this past fall we did 28% of the weekend business that we did in 1998.
maybe it's time to look at another alternative to fighting tb. listening to land owners i don't see hunters in this area bringing the deer herd down anymore than it already is. 
i don't see our current brain trust doing anything positive to remove tb from the deer herd.


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## marty (Jan 17, 2000)

Jean those samples are they hunter killed deer or captive deer? Thanks.....marty Good post Ed..


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

Figures using less deer per square mile will increase the percentage. Either way, not good.


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## Eastern Yooper (Nov 12, 2000)

SAD and marty:

All you two ever do is complain over and over and over.....

I have *yet* to see either one of you offer a _solution_ to solving TB. We're all well-versed with your 'estimates' of low deer-densities per mile, poor hunting in 452, life during the Great Depression, etc. etc. etc.

Obviously the problem isn't going away.... but according to your posts, it seems as though we should simply ignore the whole thing. 

So howz about it: What, then, are your answers to solve/combat TB? What could/should be done that isn't being done now?


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

I'm going to show everyone just how much I DONT know about this subject - but - is erradication of the heard the only way?

Is there a study underway to determine if the heard can be vacanated? Is there such a med? Could it be deployed via the food chain? Abosorbed through the hide? (spraying) 

Obviously I'm grasping as straws here - and I admit that I have not educated myself very deeply WRT Bovine TB - but as the owner of a farm in DMU001 - I think its time that I do -  and I intend to do just that.

ferg...


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## marty (Jan 17, 2000)

Ey did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed. All I asked were these hunter killed deer. My suggestion would be this. Make farmers cover all round bales in their fields or remove them totally. Failure to do this can just as easy spread TB as a bait pile. Maybe even easier as deer tend to eat from one spot on the bale. 

Another thing is one of the cattle herds tested postive after being cleaned up a couple years ago. WHY IS THAT?????? Is the fellow getting infected cattle from another area/state or is he doing something wrong as maybe not totally cleaning equipment or did he get hay bales from another infected farm which kept their bales in the field?. 


Seems like cattle herds are being more and more coming up positive. Instead of blaming the deer why not find out how these cattle are getting TB and stop blaming the deer.

So there's a couple solutions "almighty" EY.........marty


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## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

A bit of Michigan history can be interesting to native Michiganders
History is the basis for what we know now, it can indicate what works and what doesn't.
Mycobacterium bovis, the organism that causes Bovine TB, can infect all warm blooded animals. We still have to kill the cow or the deer to positively diagnose Bovine TB. The Bovine TB Eradication Program in Michigan started in 1917, a year before this old Lake county violator was born, 12 years before the Great Depression, when us natives of Lake and surrounding counties were able to make venison an important part of our diets. That is history. The history of Bovine TB Eradication indicates that no country in the world has successfully eradicated the disease from domestic livestock or wildlife, we have no vaccine to prevent it nor do we have a test that will positively identify it in a live animal
Research is the only way we can develop an effective vaccine and better diagnostic tests and research in these areas is finally being done. The wheels in government programs grind exceedingly slow. There are an estimated 1/3 of the worlds human population infected w/TB, 2 BILLION people, 2% of which are diseased. Millions die every year.


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## east bay ed (Dec 18, 2002)

eastern yooper,
i have every right to complain about the current state of the tb eradication project.
this effects my ability to live my life and pay my bills like every other small business owner in me mi. while farmers are paid for their cattle that become infected we as small business do not get any goverment money to help offset the lack of deer hunters and deer hunters dollars.
the facts are the nimber of deer and deer hunters have declined dramatically in the tb zone. for the people who paid good money for the property they hunt and for us businesses that are here this make a big difference in our lives. we deserve the best the state can give us to fight this problem and i for one do not belive we are getting it.


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## Eastern Yooper (Nov 12, 2000)

Ed, I'm not questioning your right to complain, and I sympathize with the effect low deer numbers has had on both hunting and businesses. My point was merely that we can vent our frustrations by typing on the internet...... or we can try to become proactive. Jean, the moderator here, works for the MDNR and this provides the membership with a unique opportunity to make suggestions.

Marty, covering round bales may have some merit.... although my understanding is that TB has an extrememly low life-expectancy when exposed to direct sunlight. And correct me if I'm wrong, but all cattle in the TB zone are required to be tested. 

SAD, all we got from you was another history lesson. Nothing else constructive.... as usual.

The bottom line is that TB is in our wild deer. Maybe we can't stomp it out completely, but we damn sure should continue to try.


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## marty (Jan 17, 2000)

Ey yes from what the experts say exposure to sunlight kills TB but I guess you've never seen a deer eat from a round bale. The deer make holes in the side to dig in to get the good stuff. I've seen deer stick their entire heads inside a bale where it's dark and moist. A perfect breeding ground for TB. Then what happens if that bale is sold to another farm and cattle eat off it?? You go back to square one. Yes I talked about it but was told it was a dept of AG deal. AG has never given me an answer.

Yes cattle are required to be tested in the TB zone but here's the story as I get it. A fellow has his herd depopulated due to having TB a couple years back. Then he gets cattle from Wisconsin which since it's certified TB free no test was needed. As soon as the " experts" tested his herd again it comes up positive. That doesn't sound right. Something is wrong here. So either the cattle came positive from WI or the fellow didn't properly clean his equipment or TB can't be killed off.

I along with a lot of farmers feel that if the powers to be tested for TB as hard as the do in the TB zone elsewher they could find it anywhere. Look at texas for example. The got more cattle than Michigan does and feed/bait like crazy. Why don't they test as hard as we do?? HMMMM.......marty


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## east bay ed (Dec 18, 2002)

ey,
thanks for the sympathy but i would rarther have the business i've lost back.
my greatest beef with the tb eradication is the whole bait thing. bait has taken a bad rap simply because the powers that be wanted to do away with it in the first place. i remember going to meetings to outlaw bait long before tb was ever found in ne mi. then once tb was found obviously bait was the cause. no science no real research just people who had the power to do away with it and now a reason to do it. 
ames has studied bait and weather or not it can spread the tb bacteria and came up pretty much empty. why has the dnr refused to report this information.
why was the original report about nose to nose contact at a feeding station altered before it went to the state senate.
this is by far the most serious problem the dnr has ever faced. instead of getting down to the actual truth we play polotics between the mi ag dept. and the dnr.
we deserve honest research and results. 
i don't want to get into weather baiting is good or bad and i don't care at this time who let the horse out of the barn.
we need the best the state has and i for one do not think we are getting it. personal agendas and politics have taken over a large part of this project, gov't money has a way of doing that i suppose.
i think if the hunters and farmers in ne mi really thought the gov't was looking out for their best interest they would be willing to work with them but now they trust no one and i doubt they ever will trust the gov't again when it comes to tb.


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## Fierkej (Dec 21, 2001)

Hi,
This study was done in 2000 at Ames, Iowa, by Diana L. Whipple & Mitchell V. Palmer, USDA-ARS Researchers.
It was reported at the Bovine TB Conference in 2000 and 2001, Lansing, Michigan.

Survival of Mycobacterium bovis on feeds

Free-ranging white-tailed deer in northeast Michigan are recognized as a wildlife reservoir of tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis. Generally, animals become infected with M. bovis by inhalation of aerosolized organisms or by ingestion of organisms that are present in feed and water. Mycobacterium bovis has been isolated from saliva, nasal secretions, and tonsilar swab samples of experimentally infected white-tailed deer. Therefore, it is possible for infected deer to shed organisms in oral secretions and contaminate food and water, which would then serve as a source of infection for other animals. Baiting of deer, which is allowed in Michigan, creates a situation where several deer eat from the same pile of feed and may contribute to transmission of tuberculosis.
The purpose of this study was to determine how long M. bovis survives on various feeds when stored at different temperatures. The feeds examined were alfalfa hay, shelled corn, sugar beets, apples, carrots, and potatoes. Feeds were held at 75 degrees F, 46 degrees F and 0 degrees F for 2 hours, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 7 days, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks. 
Mycobacterium bovis survives on all feeds stored at all temperatures for 7 days.
It survives on all feeds except carrots at 46 degrees F for at least 12 weeks.
And it survives on all feeds at 0 degrees F for at least 12 weeks. 

Jean


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

Jean - I have about a 3/4 acre pond on my farm - during the spring run off there is in and out flow - however, during most of the summer/fall it is still - and in the winter frozen - I guess my question is - during the warmer weather is there a possbility that the water would become contaminated? and - if it is freezing each winter - would that destroy any BTB? - 

ferg...


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## Fierkej (Dec 21, 2001)

Hi Ferg,
The information we have seems to suggest that it would be difficult to catch the disease from drinking water containing the bacteria. 
Here's what I know about the bacteria and freezing and in water.
In the experimental conditions I posted above, the bacteria survived frozen on all feeds (at 0 degrees F) for at least 12 weeks. The "at least" part must mean that some survived to the 16 weeks. And we've gotten in frozen deer heads that have tested positive (we were able to grow the bacteria from these heads).
But I remember Mitch Palmer being asked at the conference whether they tested the drinking water in another experiment involving live infected deer. He replied that they did test the drinking water, and could never isolate the bacteria from it. 
If your pond is exposed to sunlight, UV rays will kill the bacteria.
And the digestive tract is quite hostile to the bacteria, as opposed to acquiring the disease by breathing it in via aerosol. 
Heres another journal reference from USDA, on tests done in NE Michigan:
Methods:
Environmental samples, including hay and pelleted feed from 13-16 feeding sites, soil around feeding sites, and water from 2 natural ponds used as watering sites, were collected in March and November 1998 for bacteriologic culture. 
Discussion:
Lack of isolation of M. bovis from environmental samples, including feed and water, may have been a result of low numbers of mycobacteria in a large volume of sample, too few samples collected, or lack of ability of M. bovis to survive in the environment. Survivability of M. bovis in the environment is highly variable and dependent on temperature, humidity, and exposure to direct sunlight. Depending on the conditions, M. bovis may survive in soil from 18 to 332 days. 
(taken from: Naturally occurring tuberculosis in white-tailed deer; Palmer, M., et al; JAVMA, Vol. 216, No. 12, June 15, 2000)


Heres a reply from Dr. Dan OBrien:
If there is TB in inflow water to the pond, those bacteria could end up in the pond. Freezing will not destroy the bacteria, and it actually prolongs its survival.
TB bacteria are extremely difficult to isolate from environmental samples. That could be because the bacteria isnt there, isnt viable, or the analytical tests arent sensitive enough to isolate it. Dr. Amanda Fine at Michigan State University is currently doing research to try to improve the sensitivity of tests used to detect TB in the environment.


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

Great info Jean - thanks for posting - I appreciate it.

ferg...


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## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

Lets not ignore the fact that the primary mode of TB infection in wild deer is between close relatives. If the old doe has TB, her fawns, her daughters and their fawns make up the family group.
Multiple exposure over a period of time is more apt to cause infection than contaminated feed. Banning baiting and feeding cant prevent maternal transmission. We cant fool Mother Nature.


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## Bob S (Mar 8, 2000)

Banning baiting will greatly reduce the chance of TB spreading between different family groups. More than one family group would most likely use the same bait pile.


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## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

Michigan carnivores and omnivores- coyotes,fox, possum, ****- are infected w/M.bovis. are considered to be "dead end hosts''
incapable of infecting cattle and deer.
In the UK badgers w/TB are considered to be responsible for the failure of their Bovine TB Eradication Program 
In New Zeeland the bushy tailed possum is thought to be the critter that re-infects their cattle w/TB
We blame the deer- ???


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## Benelli (Nov 8, 2001)

WE blame deer? I blame bovines for the disease. Bovine herds are being eradicated and cervid numbers are being reduced in and effort to reduce the spread. Much work to be done.

I can see the connection on how a dead end host can infect a population of penned cattle. I think it would be a stretch to assume carnivore hosts contribute significantly, if at all, to the spread of the disease in whitetails. But, on the other hand, raccoons frequent grain / corn feed site so I can see that potential cross  host route of transmission. Food for thought!


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## Fierkej (Dec 21, 2001)

Good morning, 
Michigan carnivores/omnivores have not had the big gaping, draining abscesses that are seen in the European badgers and the New Zealand (marsupial) possoms. In New Zealand, it is said that the abscesses in the possoms can be so large that a possom carcass containing one is like a big puff-ball of bacteria. Many of the infected E. badgers and N.Z. possums also have large draining abscesses on the outside of the body. 
Infected Michigan carnivores/omnivores have rarely had abscesses visible to the naked eye, and even then they were very small. Most of the carnivores/omnivores that have tested positive have not had any abscesses at all, not even microscopic abscesses. We have seen no carnivore/omnivore carcasses with acute, disseminated abscesses like we have in the deer.
Jean


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## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

Nowhere does the scientific literature I have examined describe TB lesions of this type

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/2626/981024br-3.htm Bovine TB in Cattle and Badgers (UK )- EXCERP
"SINCE THE MID 70'S BADGERS HAVE BEEN CULLED BECAUSE THEY ARE SEEN AS A HEALTH RISK TO CATTLE. THIS IS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE IS ONLY CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE AND THERE IS NO DIRECT EVIDENCE THAT BADGERS TRANSMIT TB TO CATTLE UNDER NORMAL FIELD CONDITIONS. Over the past 23 years, 20,000 badgers have been killed by MAFF (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries ). Despite badger culling, the disease has been neither reduced nor eradicated. Nevertheless,badger culling has been MAFF's only strategy to attempt to control TB in cattle.''

SOUND FAMILIAR ??


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## east bay ed (Dec 18, 2002)

fierkej,
the baiting study that you mentioned, was this done indoors or outdoors. the reason i ask is i heard that two studies were done one indoors with results similar to what you mentioned and one outdoors with very different results. if this is the case i would think the more acurate study would be the one done in the outdoors as that is where most bait would be. 
i hate to sound like i'm saying this because i am pro bait actually i don't bait at all anymore and have not baited for over 10 years.
i have been told that ultra violet rays kill tb bacteria almost instantly, is this true and if it is then the study you posted is not 100% true, in real life.

this is my point. if this is true we are not getting all the info.
i know for a fact that the nose to nose study was altered from its original findings to prove the point the powers that be wanted this should not be happening. we deserve the truth and not someones political agenda.
unfortunately the feeling around here is give me some bait to heck with shooting all the deer and what happens, happens and i don't see any change in attitude coming any time soon.


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## twodogsphil (Apr 16, 2002)

This has always been the criticism of the baiting feeds study. The fact that the TB bacteria survived on feeds stored in dark, temperature controlled environments for long periods of time should not surprise anyone. A real world scenario should have been employed to yield a more credible study of TB bacteria survivability on bait feeds -- a more realistic approach would have involved storing the temperature controlled feed samples in artificial sunlight conditions and reporting the survivability of the TB bacteria from that perspective.


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## east bay ed (Dec 18, 2002)

two dogs,
that is my point here. why wasn't this done. would the rusults give information that the dnr biologist and higher ups don't want us to hear.
i looks as though i will not get a answer to my question of the possible two studies answered. or maybe that is the answer?

either way political agendas are getting in the way of real scientific effort to stop the spread of tb.

in the mean time those of us who live, hunt or do business in ne michigan pay the price. 

that's my view from here anyways.


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## Fierkej (Dec 21, 2001)

Hi,

Here are a few article references. The "puff ball" description was from Graham Nugent, a scientist from New Zealand at the TB Conference in Michigan. 

European Badgers in Ireland
Review of Badger (Meles meles) Research Licences in 1998, OBoyle, I; in Tuberculosis Investigation Unit, University College Dublin, Selected Papers, Eradication of Animal Disease Board, p. 10-14.
Table 6. Distribution of lesions in badgers showing numbers of multiple site (of lesions).
Lesion Location/Number of Animals
Prescapular lymph node/40
Popliteal lymph node/40
Pharyngeal, Parotid or Submandibular lymph node/66
Kidney/19
Hepatic lymph node/11
Mesenteric lymph node/5
Liver/4
Lung tissue/66
Mediastinal or bronchial lymph node/90
Skin/32
Spleen/2


Australian brush-tailed possum in New Zeeland
A longitudinal study of bovine tuberculosis in possums and cattle, Pfeiffer, DU and Morris, RS. In Proceedings of a Symposium on Tuberculosis, Publication No. 132, Veterinary Continuing Education, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand, p. 17-39, 1991.
378 possum were captured and 5 were found dead.
Of these 42 were confirmed infected.
Of these 42, 22 had palpable lesions, and 11 had open lesions.


A cross-sectional study of Mycobacterium bovis infection in possums in the Hauhungaroa Ranges, New Zealand, Pfeiffer, DU. In Proceedings of a Symposium on Tuberculosis, Publication No. 132, Veterinary Continuing Education, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.1991.
Fifty-five % (N=42) of tuberculous possums had open lesions. 36.8% had disseminated lesions.


North American Raccoons
Susceptibility of Raccoon to Infection with Mycobacterium bovis; Palmer, MV and Whipple, DL. JWD 2002 April. 38(2):266-274
12 raccoon were orally infected with a M. bovis isolate from Michigan deer. Only 1 tested positive. No gross or microscopic lesions were seen in any of the raccoons. 

Jean


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## Fierkej (Dec 21, 2001)

Hi,
I'll look up the conditions of the baiting study as soon as I can.
Jean


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## east bay ed (Dec 18, 2002)

jean,
thank you in advannce for looking into the second study(?). the only hope this thing actually has of suceeding is from people like yourself who seem to be working for the benifit of everyone concerned.
thank you


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## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

Ian O'Boyle- Ireland Dept of Agriculture- Bovine TB in Badgers-
no mention of "big, gaping, draining absesses''
He does mention, however, that feral deer show an incidence of TB infection as high as 5%. Farmed deer have heavier infection rates, but their contribution to the TB problem, while unknown, is thought to be low.
The good Dr. Nugent from New Zealand presented a paper- The role of Wildlife in maintaining Bovine TB in New Zealand- no mention of "big, gaping, draining absesses'' in possum infected w/Bovine TB. He did mention that wild deer infected w/M.bovis appear to be unlikely to be true maintainance hosts at the densities at which they occur in New Zealand ( incidence of infection as high as 40% in areas w/tb possums) they are not targeted for control.

The Merck Veterinary Manual describes to a T the big gaping absesses and various lymph nodes involved that are palpable, absessed, rupture externally, and discharge viscid, creamy pus-
in the description of caseous lymphadenitis- pseudotuberculosis-
a corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection common to New Zealand and many European countries.
Different Strokes for Different Folks ??
Different Strokes for Different Folks


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## Fierkej (Dec 21, 2001)

In their scientific literature, the word they use is "open". The "big, gaping, draining abscesses and puffball possums" descriptions were from casual conversation at the TB Conference. Big and gaping is subjective, I'm sure, but at the least it means visual on the outside of the body. 
By the way, are the deer in Nugent's article that you are referring to their red deer which are actually elk?


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## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

The good Doctor referred to them as deer 25 times.
Webster defines deer as "any of a family of hoofed, cud chewing
animals, including moose, reindeer, caribou, etc, the males of which usually bear antlers that are shed annually.''
There are several different species of the deer family in New Zealand, all were introduced, became so plentiful that after WW2
market hunters sent refridgerator ship loads of venison to European markets.
The brushy tailed possum was also introduced, there are now 70,000,000 of the little rascals spreading TB to the cattle and deer, and are destroying the nations forests.


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