Pseudorabies found in Clark County

[CarolsCritterCare]

I am sharing this email in it's entirety because this is extremely important information that needs to get out there. Farms within a 5 mile radius of the infected farm are now under quarentine and all 4-h activity has been canceled.
Carol


CLARK COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Jennifer Lord Kouraichi, Director Ph: 715-743-5100 Clark County Courthouse Fax: 715-743-4350 517 Court Street, Room 306
Cellular Ph: 715-429-0669 Neillsville, WI 54456
E-mail: emergency.management@co.clark.wi.us

Pseudorabies Present in Clark County
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jennifer Lord-Kouraichi, 715-743-5100 or 715-429-0669 (C)

Neillsville, WI (April 16, 2007)— Clark County Emergency Management (CCEM) and other local government officials were briefed this morning regarding confirmed cases of pseudorabies in a county swine herd. Last week, a trace-back test from a slaughter house indicated that there was a case of pseudorabies, a swine disease that causes symptoms ranging from seizures to stillbirths, in a Clark County swine herd. The disease, completely eradicated from Wisconsin in 2001, could have been introduced to the Clark County from feral, or wild, pigs.

Earlier this morning, Assistant State Veterinarian Paul McGraw from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/ Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Area Emergency Coordinator Dr. Ty Vannieuwenhoven briefed 20 county officials in the Clark County Emergency Operations Center about the planned disease response. Dr. McGraw said that this disease is not spread from animals to people, so there is no danger to humans. However, the disease can be passed to other animals such as cats, dogs, cattle, sheep and goats, which quickly die from contracting the virus. McGraw said that DATCP and the USDA will also visit other locations within five miles of the quarantined Greenwood farm, and blood samples will be taken from hogs to determine if pseudorabies is present. This week, as a precaution, the farm, and other swine producers within a five-mile radius are being quarantined so no pigs move in or out of the area. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, is confirming state lab results this week. Should the test results from Iowa confirm the presence of pseudorabies, also known as Aujeszky’s disease, then the affected pigs will be slaughtered.

As a precaution, the Clark County UW-Extension Office has cancelled the 4-H and FFA Swine Weigh-Ins that were scheduled for April 21st in Thorp and Greenwood. They will be rescheduled at a later date as more information becomes available.

The Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be holding an informational session on Thursday, April 19th at 7 p.m. at the Greenwood High School Cafetorium, 306 W. Central Avenue, Greenwood, Wisconsin. All producers and the news media are welcome to attend. For more information please contact Jennifer Lord-Kouraichi (Core-ray-she) from Clark County Emergency Management at 715-743-5100, or the Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) at (608) 224-5005.

[pk]

What is Aujeszky’s disease, otherwise known as Pseudorabies? Is this a form of rabies? Is this close to where you live Carol?

pk

[pk]

The disease, completely eradicated from Wisconsin in 2001, could have been introduced to the Clark County from feral, or wild, pigs.

You can tell I'm a city girl at heart...I did not even know we had 'wild pigs' in the state of Wisconsin until just recently when I read an article about it. :roll:

[CarolsCritterCare]

The identification of Pseudorabies in commercial swine should be a heads up to us all that these dangerous diseases are still out there. If there are any suspicion that a pig or property is infected the authorities will now press for a elimination programme, destoying all infected and incontact pigs. The previous use of a vaccine and testing program is not likely to be employed. Pseudorabies will remain a threat to pigs in the continental US as the pathogen can be found in the wild pigs. Protecting all our friends from these conditions is our responsibility and can only be achieved by understanding and adopting biosecurity measures.
For more information on Pseudorabies (called Aujeszky's Disease in Europe) can be found at www.portec.com.au and look under notifiable diseases

[CarolsCritterCare]

Originally Posted by pk

What is Aujeszky’s disease, otherwise known as Pseudorabies? Is this a form of rabies? Is this close to where you live Carol?

pk

I can breath a sigh of relief that I am not near this. I am in Jefferson County. I feel for the farmers and pet pig owners in this 5 mile quarentine radius though. If testing shows even one positive result, be it a false positive or an actual positive, action will be taken to destroy the whole herd.
Lets say you are the neighbor and have just a few pet potbellied pigs. You are in danger of your pets being destroyed to stop this known disease.
A farmer will be ruined. His whole herd will be destroyed.
Carol

[CarolsCritterCare]

Originally Posted by pk

You can tell I'm a city girl at heart...I did not even know we had 'wild pigs' in the state of Wisconsin until just recently when I read an article about it. :roll:

Gays Mills WI has been dealing with wild boars now for a few years. It's been open season on them.

Locally, farmers have seen 30-acre fields uprooted and there's great concern about disease spreading to domestic stock.

Because the boars are nocturnal animals, experts said getting a good handle on numbers is next to impossible, but wild pigs are now popping up in many areas of Wisconsin. Crawford County seems to be the epicenter of the problem.

Here is an article about the problem.
http://www.channel3000.com/agreport/4495275/detail.html

Carol

[CarolsCritterCare]

There were at least 17 wild pigs that were shot in western Wisconsin this past deer hunting season. 5 of the pigs were brought into a deer registration in Gays Mills.

They took blood and tissue samples for testing to see if these pigs are carring any disease.

Wild pigs are an exotic wild animal and hunters are encouraged to shoot the pigs in an attempt to prevent them from increasing.

Once there's snow cover, the DNR plans to use an airplane with hopes of spotting where groups of wild pigs are concentrating.

[CarolsCritterCare]

Pig season open year-round

Feral pigs are considered a non-native nuisance species in Wisconsin, so the state has few restrictions on hunting them.

The free-roaming swine can be taken at any time during the year, with no bag limit. Only a small game license is required. Landowners don't even need that to kill a pig trespassing on their property.

Hunters do need permission, however, to pursue feral swine on private land.

[CarolsCritterCare]

Pseudorabies is a disease of swine that can also affect cattle, horses, dogs, cats, sheep, and goats. The disease is caused by pseudorabies virus (PRV), an extremely contagious herpesvirus that causes reproductive problems, including abortion, stillbirths, and even occasional death losses in breeding and finishing hogs.

PRV is primarily spread through direct animal-to-animal (or nose-to-nose) contact between an infected and shedding pig and a noninfected pig. If present on inanimate objects, such as boots, clothing, feed, trucks, and equipment, the virus can also spread from herd to herd and farm to farm.

Pseudorabies can be prevented primarily through good, tight biosecurity, a sound vaccination program, and thorough, meticulous management with disease control and prevention in mind


So there...........with all that said, that is why when you come to visit me on my property I make you disinfect your boots and pant legs.
I have ran a biosecurity list/forum now for 4 years and practice tight biosecurity protocal.

Carol

[predator1]

i already posted this in the hunting forum but im posting it here just in case everyone doesnt check the hunting forum, does anyone here have access to these wild hogs?? i have been searching for the past 2 weeks on where to go and hunt them but in the last couple of days i have been actually getting somewhere now that i have found this site, i was wondering if anyone here has seen any? or if you know someone who sees them or needs help getting rid of them then please either give them my information or give me theirs, i work 3rd shift so i usually spend the nite on the computer so i will check back monday night.

here is my info-Jesse Rechtzigel
Email-jesse_rechtzigel@hotmail.com
Phone-(715)556-1976

if you call please call in the a.m. before 1:00 pm as i will be sleeping ofter then, if you get my voicemail leave a message and i will call you back. thankyou and have a good morning!! :mrgreen:

[CarolsCritterCare]

Originally Posted by predator1

i already posted this in the hunting forum but im posting it here just in case everyone doesnt check the hunting forum, does anyone here have access to these wild hogs?? i have been searching for the past 2 weeks on where to go and hunt them but in the last couple of days i have been actually getting somewhere now that i have found this site, i was wondering if anyone here has seen any? or if you know someone who sees them or needs help getting rid of them then please either give them my information or give me theirs, i work 3rd shift so i usually spend the nite on the computer so i will check back monday night.

here is my info-Jesse Rechtzigel
Email-jesse_rechtzigel@hotmail.com
Phone-(715)556-1976

if you call please call in the a.m. before 1:00 pm as i will be sleeping ofter then, if you get my voicemail leave a message and i will call you back. thankyou and have a good morning!! :mrgreen:

I'll send your info to a friend of mine in Gays Mills....I know he's been having a huge problem with them and they have been chased up trees by them!
Carol

[pk]

Second Wisconsin Hog Farm Tests Positive for Pseudorabies


A second Clark County swine herd has tested positive for pseudorabies in Wisconsin. According to State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Ehlenfeldt, 11 animals on a Loyal farm tested positive for the disease last week by the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory. The herd, which only consists of 20 animals, was tested because it had been in contact with the original infected herd.

"This only tells us we have two infected herds," Ehlenfeldt said. "But we'll continue our investigation to see if we have other infected herds and try to find the source of the infection."

As in the case with the other infected hog farm, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture will work with the owner to develop a plan to destroy the animals and clean and disinfect the property. Because there is no human health risk, the animals can go to slaughter for food.

FULL STORY HERE: http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com...Id=918&yr=2007

[predator1]

thanks carol!!! where exactly is Gays Mills?? i can safely say that i have never been there....

[Huntress78]

Thanks for posting this....I've never heard of this disease and have learned a lot here.
If your friend wants to cut down on his wild boar problem contact me. I have a friend who live traps/removes them. Maybe our friends can work together.

Originally Posted by CarolsCritterCare

So there...........with all that said, that is why when you come to visit me on my property I make you disinfect your boots and pant legs.
I have ran a biosecurity list/forum now for 4 years and practice tight biosecurity protocal

Not only are you protecting your animals but helping your neighbors as well by not spreading disease.....a pat on the back for you!