Whitetail deer in central Wisconsin (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)
State officials say a white-tailed deer on a breeding farm in Eau Claire County has tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
Lab tests confirm that a seven-year-old doe on the farm died from CWD, marking the first time the disease has been found in the area. Raechelle Cline with the state Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection’s Animal Health Division says the animal was one of 167 deer on the premises.
The property has been placed under quarantine, which prevents the movement of animals from the farm, except to take them to slaughter. What will happen to the remaining deer will depend on the outcome of an investigation.
CWD was first found in the state in 2002. It has primarily been found in central and southern Wisconsin counties, along with four counties in northwestern Wisconsin. Cline says it’s unclear at this time how it spread to the Eau Claire County farm.