Federal officials have discovered that 10 more Saskatchewan elk farms are infected with chronic wasting disease.
There are now 37 confirmed cases on 17 farms, all in Saskatchewan.
Until last week, only seven farms with 16 sick animals were known to have the disease.
But even though tests have been completed on animals shipped off only one of the original seven farms, federal officials believe they’ve shut down the main avenue of infection.
“Our feeling is that for this particular outbreak … we’ve pretty much dealt with it,” said Luterbach.
Read Also
Stock dogs show off herding skills at Ag in Motion
Stock dogs draw a crowd at Ag in Motion. Border collies and other herding breeds are well known for the work they do on the farm.
The 21 newly discovered infected animals came from what federal authorities have decided is the source of all the infection on Saskatchewan game farms. The Lloydminster farm was probably infected in 1989 by an imported South Dakota elk, but the infection was not realized until this year. Many animals from this herd were sold to other herds.
“All to this date seems to be focused around this one farm and the extension from that,” said Luterbach.
The other six infected farms known of before last week all bought animals from the source herd. That’s how they became infected, he said.
Only two of the newly discovered animals showed signs of having the disease. The other 19 showed no signs while alive, but the cells in their brains were riddled with the signature holes left by CWD.
Luterbach said finding the 19 vindicates the CFIA’s approach.
“Using the policy as it’s designed actually removed 19 animals before they came down with the clinical disease,” said Luterbach.
Any elk that has been in contact with the 21 new cases will be destroyed, Luterbach said.
He did not know how many animals will have to be killed, since the farms may also contain animals that have never come in contact with the diseased animals.
Saskatchewan’s first case of CWD occurred in 1996. There was another case in 1998. Then in 2000, seven farms discovered animals with CWD.
Producers receive compensation for animals destroyed because of CWD worries. The maximum amount of compensation is $4,000 for a bull. Cows generate slightly more.
Most owners have received the maximum for most of their animals, Luterbach said.
The next set of animal autopsies will reveal whether animals sold out of the six other infected herds had the disease.
The final set will examine all the remaining animals from the six herds that have been exterminated.
Luterbach said the remaining necropsies are from animals much less likely to be carrying CWD.
