Bovine TB in Deer?

jack

Well-Known Member
A mention on BBC R4 based on this study

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/pdf/deer-survey2008.pdf

There are some stalkers in Cotswold area, does anyone have detailed info of this?

A Defra study into bovine TB The studies took place in 2006-7 and published in 2008 in two locations. Three estates in Gloucestershire: West Cirencester, Chedworth and Barnsley Wold.
and all the areas of the public forest estate in the South-West Peninsula District (Somerset, Devon and Cornwall).

The results indicate that in the SW, results from the public forest estate,
suggest bTB is present at a very low level (less than 1%, except in one
area where it is present at 3.8%);

With a mean prevalence of 9.4% and a maximum of 26.2% (11 out of 42 shot and the gralloch inspected by scientists) on one of the Cotswold estates (Chedworth), fallow deer were by far the most commonly affected
species.
The CSL model identified fallow deer as the species with the highest
potential for transmission to cattle.

Conclusions
On their own, these data cannot predict the role that deer may play in the
current epidemic of bTB in cattle; however, it does provide essential,
previously missing data for use in ecological disease models for this purpose.
39. From this work, it appears that:
1. Higher levels of infection are present on two of the three estates in the
Cotswolds.
2. Low levels of infection are present generally on the public forest estate in the
South-West Peninsula.
3. Fallow deer are the most likely to be infected with M. bovis.
4. When a deer is found with lesions typical of M. bovis infection, it is highly
likely that that deer is infected; however, the opposite cannot be said for deer
with no lesions apparent. i.e. a deer with no lesions cannot be assumed to be
free of the disease.
 
I was involved in culling and testing of the deer in the Wold and its surrounding areas.
And we are continuing to cull fallow/roe and muntjac on a monthly basis, while I have not read the reports by the scientists our experience has been that the lesions seem to be more prominent in the rut than at any time of year..
This last month we have not come across any lesions or indicators of Tb in any of the deer that we have culled...

We did the initial testing on Fallow that led to the cull in that area.The initial testing we did for TB proved 100% positive yet the consequent colaborative cull of 34 deer of which we accounted for over 50% proved negative...
None of the 18 Fallow on the first cull showed ANY signs of TB, yet they ALL proved positive.
If I was a scientist I'm sure i would have a scientific answer for you.. ;)

regards
griff
 
Hi we shoot on some ground within spiting distance of the wold at barnsley can you tell me did any of the roe test positive??????????? eddie...
 
Apollo

No Roe were tested. Only the fallow as far as I am aware.

We have never seen clinical signs in any of the Roe or Muntjac we have shot and our ground borders the Wold.
 
Thanks jon we are only a few fields away from there but we only shoot around 8 fallow and the same of roe but have never seen any signs in either.

We have been through the wold wth the hunt and have seen the fallow in there and the numbers seem quite large but some of the fallow seem rather small, maybe its just me...
 
My interest was that this is not too far from me, 20 miles and I wanted to check the validity of the investigation, given that it could be an alarm story to generate further funds for more investigations.Along the lines of: "Results are indeterminate and warrant further study, and we offer to do it..."
But from what Griff writes it has credibility.

One of the conclusions was that culled deer with no signs of TB reported by the stalker did not necessarily mean that no TB was present, merely that the stalker did not find indications of TB, whereas scientist may have done with all their chemistry sets to hand.
 
THIS POST IS SHOWING A VIRUS ON MCafee, dont go there , I JUST GOT THE BIG RED ON THIS ONE .
 
I was involved in culling and testing of the deer in the Wold and its surrounding areas.
And we are continuing to cull fallow/roe and muntjac on a monthly basis, while I have not read the reports by the scientists our experience has been that the lesions seem to be more prominent in the rut than at any time of year..
This last month we have not come across any lesions or indicators of Tb in any of the deer that we have culled...

We did the initial testing on Fallow that led to the cull in that area.The initial testing we did for TB proved 100% positive yet the consequent colaborative cull of 34 deer of which we accounted for over 50% proved negative...
None of the 18 Fallow on the first cull showed ANY signs of TB, yet they ALL proved positive.
If I was a scientist I'm sure i would have a scientific answer for you.. ;)

regards
griff

Hi Griff

Just a quick question as I am a little confused here

You say that during your survey even though the deer you shot showed no visual signs of T.B and they only proved positive after scientific investigation.
If this is the case visual inspection isnt enough is it if carcases are entering the food chain, how can a trained hunter sign off a beast as fit if later tests prove otherwise.
Its more than a little worrying in my view.
Thanks
Stu
 
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