State agriculture officials say they’ve euthanized an entire herd of whitetail deer in southwest Wisconsin because of chronic wasting disease.
The La Crosse Tribune reports that more than 100 deer in Iowa County were euthanized last month after about 20 tested positive for the disease. Veterinarians and animal health technicians from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sedated the animals before euthanizing them.
The deer had been quarantined since October. Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disorder found in deer, elk and moose. It’s caused by an infectious protein that affects the animal’s brain.
Stay informed on the latest news
Sign up for WPR’s email newsletter.
State and federal indemnity programs will compensate the deer farm, though an amount has yet to be determined.
© Copyright 2024 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
