September 2006 Archives

Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) is a virus that affects many species of deer throughout the world. Here in North America we primarily find it in the white-tailed deer population where mortality rates are usually high. We most commonly see outbreaks in late summer and early fall. Once the weather starts to turn cold, we usually stop seeing the number of cases. This disease is an important one because it has the potential to have serious consequences on the wild deer populations. Just because though we primarily see deaths in the white-tail population does not mean that it does not infect other species of deer. Other deer, including mule deer and pronghorn antelope will show symptoms but at a lesser extent. Numerous other deer will be seropositive upon testing. Cattle are rarely reported of being infected with EHD, but if they do occur, it is usually seen during high outbreaks in the white-tailed deer populations. Sheep have been infected experimentally but they do not show any clinical symptoms. Humans and goats on the other hand do not seem to be susceptible to infection.....

Short grass is commonly thought of causing wormy cattle by the cattle grazing down where the worms are, but that thought is a misunderstanding. The reason that producers think that way is because the cows look wormy, when actually the cows' poor body and hair coat conditions are related to malnutrition from low intake of roughages on short grass pastures. When short grass is caused from dry conditions due to lack of rain and from overgrazing the slow growth of grass, the worms are not down there in the soil; the larvae have died from the dryness, and also from the heat in the summer.