Kansas EHD cases on the upswing

[Turkey Creek]

I was talking to my go to guy at KS Fish and Game today. He said he has collected more tissue samples this year for verification of EHD than any other time in his 11 years on the job. They can collect samples if the dead deer is relatively fresh. I would have to verify, but he said the worst is yet to come, likely in the next few years if the environmental conditions that are conductive to EHD persist. He said that EHD outbreaks tend to run in 10-12 year cycles. Those that survive EHD infection pass on some of their immunity to their offspring, but the immunity levels decrease with each subsequent generation, until wide spread infections run through the herd again. Bummer.........

 

[hillrunner]

It's so frustrating. Years of hard work and self control can be wiped out just like that. Suddenly you're back at square one.

 

[West_Fork]

10-12 year cycles? Makes me think it's driven by weather and wet/dry periods?

 

[Turkey Creek]

10-12 year cycles? Makes me think it's driven by weather and wet/dry periods?

Oh weather definitely plays a roll in it. I did a little more research last night and the last major outbreak in KS was 2012. I didn't check on the weather records for that year, but it would not surprise me if it was a dry and warm year. I think the 12 year cycle comes into play a bit more on the does and their female offspring. If you figure most does could hypothetically live 6 years. The mother contracts EHD but survives to be 6 years old, if she has twin fawns in year 6 before dying from "X" those fawns have some level of natural immunity. If those fawns live 6 years then you have covered your 12 year cycle. Seems that natural immunity is pretty much only given from the initially infected doe to her immediate offspring. Those offspring do not pass on immunity to their offspring to be considered immune.

 

[buckdeer1]

Kansas doesn't know how many deer they have or how many are killed,it would surprise me if they knew how many died during off season.You hear about the states that have EHD outbreaks when they are finding dead deer by the dozens not a few.I hope they are wrong.I wonder if sandy ground produces less midges than black dirt?