4 ms·

Hopefully there is some method of tracking the deer through the system so that meat from animals with Chronic Wasting Disease, a prion disease, doesn't make it

Hopefully there is some method of tracking the deer through the system so that meat from animals with Chronic Wasting Disease, a prion disease, doesn't make it into the food supply. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has some guidelines [0] here, I wonder how closely they are followed when meat is donated by the hunters to a program like this. [0] https://cpw.state.co.us/hunting/chronic-wasting-disease https://cpw.state.co.us/hunting/chronic-wasting-disease Seems like they are setting up for an outbreak of human CWD if there is no testing to limit the opportunity for this infected meat to make it into the human food chain. To date though, CWD is not confirmed to be spread from deer, elk, moose to humans.

PaulHoule 2y ago
I think those diseases are more problematic in agriculture where you are processing larger numbers of animals, packing them closer in space, and intensifying everything.
- janice1999 2y ago
  It wasn't animal density that led to the spread of prions previously (vCJD, "mad cow disease"), it was feeding contaminated meat and bone meal to cattle.
avs733 2y ago
The Colorado Department of Public Health (who by the way are AWESOME) have a sub page on specifically this: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/animal-related-diseases/prion-diseases https://cdphe.colorado.gov/animal-related-diseases/prion-dis... (it links to the page you provided) As noted on the webpage you linked, there is a very clear set of rules and processes related to testing hunting-harvested animals in known areas of concern as well as testing of road kill to manage surveillance: "In 2024, CPW will require mandatory submission of CWD test samples (heads) from all deer harvested during rifle seasons from specific hunt codes to better evaluate the prevalence of CWD in herds. Hunting is the single most effective tool wildlife managers have to monitor and manage the spread of the disease. By submitting harvested animals for CWD sampling, Colorado’s hunters provide critical information about where and how the disease is impacting deer, elk, and moose herds in the state."

PaulHoule 2y ago

I think those diseases are more problematic in agriculture where you are processing larger numbers of animals, packing them closer in space, and intensifying everything.

janice1999 2y ago
It wasn't animal density that led to the spread of prions previously (vCJD, "mad cow disease"), it was feeding contaminated meat and bone meal to cattle.

avs733 2y ago

The Colorado Department of Public Health (who by the way are AWESOME) have a sub page on specifically this: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/animal-related-diseases/prion-diseases https://cdphe.colorado.gov/animal-related-diseases/prion-dis... (it links to the page you provided) As noted on the webpage you linked, there is a very clear set of rules and processes related to testing hunting-harvested animals in known areas of concern as well as testing of road kill to manage surveillance: "In 2024, CPW will require mandatory submission of CWD test samples (heads) from all deer harvested during rifle seasons from specific hunt codes to better evaluate the prevalence of CWD in herds. Hunting is the single most effective tool wildlife managers have to monitor and manage the spread of the disease. By submitting harvested animals for CWD sampling, Colorado’s hunters provide critical information about where and how the disease is impacting deer, elk, and moose herds in the state."