Too late to close the barn door now

As I scan over the various emails and articles lately I just have to laugh. Has anyone ever heard of the phrase, "It is too late to close the barn door after the horse gets out."

Anyone who thinks that CWD isn't now and hasn't been in your state for many years already is completely fooling themselves. It is nice that some of the states haven't found it yet, but that is only because they haven't truly looked for it either. These big plans to "control" or prevent the "spread" of CWD is bogus. But I suppose some feel the need to play the game.

I am not trying to change anyone's mind or ruin anyone's day, but just figured I would spout off a little. It is just hilarious to me the way people react and over react to something so obvious.

You nailed it. The only areas that don't have CWD just simply haven't found it yet.

Well said roger. I get tired of all the posts and email blasts about cwd....now when anything is posted, I don't even open the thread. What happened to the days where the "antlers" thread had 10-20 pages of pictutes of bucks growing...

Indiana does not want find it, and have been told that personally. But the time will come eventually.

Absolutely! I was reading something posted by the Texas dept. of animal health about deciding how they were going to handle the CWD positive and I thought, they are just developing a plan now????? It should have been in place years ago! This shouldn't have been a surprise! Every deer farmer has to be prepared to have a positive. We are the only ones doing massive testing so duh!! The more testing the more positives!!! Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

Exactly Jane!!!! Those were my exact thoughts too. As Gary Olsen says we need to farm thru cwd. Slaughtering every animal is absurd and barbaric. Some research I did showed that a company in 2002 had a live test for CWD. Why was our industry not on top of this knocking down their doors?

It's like Texas thought they were immune to it. As long as you feed your animals, nobody is.

Yet this is our program? Folks in the deer industry seem to have the deer rancher version of Stockholm syndrome. These program standards are killing us. Our leadership should be telling us what we can do as farmers and ranchers to facilitate their path to the trash! It is sad that in this modern era an individual has to worry about who they are selling a healthy deer to because 4 years later a positive test on the same animal could mean depopulation of the sellers healthy herd by the current program standards.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_diseases/cwd/downloads/cwd_program_standards_2014.pdf

And now this thread will be cwd based..

Well, I know in Wisconsin when we had our first positive Gary was president of WOW and we were in the middle of getting moved from DNR to Ag. The number one concern was that we were able to continue in business. Next was that we found some middle ground with authorities on testing that we could handle and would allow us to continue. We had some of the first CWD testing rules in the country! It is sometimes difficult to walk the line because we don't want them saying fine, we will just eliminate you. BUT after all these years it seems as though things should get easier not harder!! We have been testing for 13 years!! When is it enough???


Without sitting in on the meetings, you don't know how far you can push.

Originally there was supposed to be relief for increased years of negative testing.... We were sold swamp land.


Jane, I haven't been there but my impression that no pushing occurs... Peace is trying to be made.... Not pushing for making a difference

I just want to know what happen to the 36 month incubation period. So since it is obvious that means nothing and CWD can't be "contained" then why kill deer under the guise of ridding CWD from the landscape.

I believe there has been a 6 month old fawn that tested positive and its DNA'd mother tested negative. Incubation period?

Was the mother resistant? Was another deer even the vector?

USDA has said that a deer will die within 33 months [+ or - 2 months] ,  then why do we need 5 years of tracebacks, if 36 months seems to be the magic number?


 


Texas is going to get a wake-up call when they go back 5 years on these herds and see that the animals they were looking for were released and no test was done.  This is a problem we complained about.  With no test to prove a "not detected", they will probably remain in quarantine the full 5 years.  Texas only has 63 Certified herds out of over 1380 total herds.  We will see down there if a "certified herd" means anything, and if they are treated any differently than the herds that are doing minimal testing.  What I find odd is they are developing a plan?  Really??  These people need to be moving bucks in around 5-6 weeks.  Does anyone really think they will have all the trace-outs done by then?  This would be a good place to start using the rectal biopsy.  It's 70% accurate which is a lot better than the old TB test.  A live test would solve most of our problems.

Hard ball should have been played with the government instead of footsies. No other industry would stand for this. Do you think the cattle industry would??? You can't be soft and have to ask for more than what you want.

Unfortunately we don't have the clout of the cattle industry and never will. I remember when TB testing started being required and some people were outraged, but unless we did it we would be out of business.


I agree with just developing a plan in Texas. Like I said earlier, it should have been in place years ago. Don't they need health certs to move deer?? Shouldn't be that hard to see who bought deer from the ranch in question.

I know I'v heard at one time we were a 3 Billion Dollar Industry and I never could understand "WHY" :blink: ...............We could not get the kind of recognition that we should.....With those kinda numbers?................Till I finally figured it out...............NOBODY in the powers that be........................Considers The Deer Industry ..............As an INDUSTRY?


We seen to be the "Rodney Dangerfield"............Of FARMING ??

Wayne,


you can't even rally the troops......and I do not understand it.  People in this industry sit on the sidelines and don't get behind those that are trying to make a difference.  Is it that they want to ride the fence? I cant figure it out.  Also, it's as if people that raise whitetails are in their own little world and the big picture doesn't matter.  Kind of resembles this country right now.  People need to wake up if they truly love this industry.  Not only do you have the enemy from the outside you have the enemy from within to contend with.  

G O Whitetails1035511436563952

USDA has said that a deer will die within 33 months [+ or - 2 months] ,  then why do we need 5 years of tracebacks, if 36 months seems to be the magic number?

 

Texas is going to get a wake-up call when they go back 5 years on these herds and see that the animals they were looking for were released and no test was done.  This is a problem we complained about.  With no test to prove a "not detected", they will probably remain in quarantine the full 5 years.  Texas only has 63 Certified herds out of over 1380 total herds.  We will see down there if a "certified herd" means anything, and if they are treated any differently than the herds that are doing minimal testing.  What I find odd is they are developing a plan?  Really??  These people need to be moving bucks in around 5-6 weeks.  Does anyone really think they will have all the trace-outs done by then?  This would be a good place to start using the rectal biopsy.  It's 70% accurate which is a lot better than the old TB test.  A live test would solve most of our problems.


63 herds out of 1380 are cert??? So your telling me only 63 herds even have to test everything that does? I am surprised they found one already then if that is the case. LOL boy those guys down there are in for a big surprise.

jerrilee cave1035611436581181


Wayne,

you can't even rally the troops......and I do not understand it.  People in this industry sit on the sidelines and don't get behind those that are trying to make a difference.  Is it that they want to ride the fence? I cant figure it out.  Also, it's as if people that raise whitetails are in their own little world and the big picture doesn't matter.  Kind of resembles this country right now.  People need to wake up if they truly love this industry.  Not only do you have the enemy from the outside you have the enemy from within to contend with.

Many farms are just simply too damn cheap to chip in to help their own industry. They rather sit and watch others spend and donate to keep the industry orgs solvent. And a lot of the people are afraid to comment or add to the discussions at meetings. They just sit and listen but don't contribute at all. But then later they bitch about the decisions others made for them. Whitetails of Wisconsin has their annual banquet each April. Most farms don't even bother to show up ever, much less each year. It is always held in a central area to make it easy for the majority of folks. The dates are known well in advance so scheduling should be easier. My work schedule has me out of the country for 17 days straight each month and yet most years I am able to be there. This past April I spent almost $9K at that banquet fund raiser. My fiancé and I had a great time and we purchased some really great items. Several straws of semen, lamp, glider rocker, a painting and more. Sure I paid more for some items than they are worth, but it is a FUNDRAISER for OUR state org. Heck a couple of years ago I donated something like 10 straws of semen from 10 different bucks. Sold playing cards for a chance to win your choice of straw. One guy (who I really wish I could give his name to call him out, but I won't) He bought a single card. Ok that's cool thank you. Then as the auction was nearing the end some cards were left to sell yet. So in order to raise money for the org they were auctioned off in one money high bid gets the group. This guy had the nerve to come to me and bitch me out because he felt those cards should not have been included in the drawing. He wanted a straw for little money despite the fact it was a FUNDRAISER!!! You simply can't fix stupid. Because of him I skipped a year of buying or donating anything, and then returned this year. I am not trying to blow my horn, I am simply saying yes, a few carry the water while the rest sit back and do squat. Sad, sad, sad. I thank everyone who helps in any way they can for their state, or another states org. This year I thanked all those who donated the items I obtained at the fundraiser right here on this site. I meant to send each one a personal card also but never got it done. My bad sorry.

IndependenceRanch1035661436585126



63 herds out of 1380 are cert??? So your telling me only 63 herds even have to test everything that does? I am surprised they found one already then if that is the case. LOL boy those guys down there are in for a big surprise.




We will see if money really talks i believe and in some small way what happens there may help the north somehow.  Cant see a few of them oil guys with deep pockets and big hats for those big heads sitting around for 5 years.  Could get interesting and wish them the best!