The Iowa D-N-R says a sample from a road-kill deer in Marshal County has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). D-N-R biometrician, Tyler Harms, says it’s the first detection there.
C-W-D is always fatal to deer, so Harms says they want to quickly determine if the C-W-D is widespread in a new county.
Harms says finding a case of C-W-D through roadkill is not unusual.
He says D-N-R staff spent a lot of time out and about in the field across the state, and take samples of deer when they can, especially if it’s in areas where the disease has already been detected. He says local citizens will also call in roadkills, the D-O-T, county conservation boards and county sheriff’s offices also will call them about roadkill animals as well. The next step for counties that have a new case of C-W-D are informational meetings.
They also talk about ways to manage this disease.
The D-N-R has scheduled two meetings to update the public on chronic wasting disease surveillance and management efforts in Jasper, Marshall, and Grundy counties. They are scheduled for 7 p-m on August 29th at the Baxter Public Library, and October 10th at 7 p-m at the Wellsburg Memorial Building.
