A white-tailed buck
Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons/Scott Bauer
November 02, 2014 - 10:34 AM
VICTORIA – So far there isn’t any evidence bovine tuberculosis has made its way from livestock into the deer population, but the federal and provincial governments have set up a study to keep an eye on things.
Seven cases of the disease were found in local livestock in 2011. Since then there has been rigorous monitoring in place, and there have been no reported cases since then.
The study — undertaken by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Ministries of Natural Resources and Agriculture — it to make sure the highly contagious disease hasn’t been transferred to deer in the area.
Bovine tuberculosis can kill deer, moose, elk and cattle. The bacteria are transmitted through close contact between animals.
Humans can get the disease as well, but it’s extremely rare. The province advised hunters to thoroughly cook meat and wash their hand routinely and wear gloves when field dressing game.
Deer hunters in the Cherryville area are being asked to drop off the heads of any white –tailed or mule deer at collection freezers set up at Frank’s General Store at Highway 6 and Sugar Lake Road or at RT Ranch Sausage and Custom Cutting at 39 Byers Rd. off Highway 6 between Lumby and Cherryville.
Hunters can also make arrangements to drop them off in Lumby by calling Susan Latimer at 250 547-9207. Antlers are to be removed because they take up too much freezer space.
For more information about bovine tuberculosis you can visit this provincial government website or download a brochure with more information at this website.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander at halexander@infonews.ca or call 250-491-0331. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014