Wisconsin Has Two New Cases of Chronic Wasting Disease

State officials quarantined two Wisconsin deer farms after animals tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD).

A two-year-old female elk at a Crawford County farm and a three-year-old buck at a Portage County farm both tested positive for the disease.

The quarantines will remain in place while veterinarians and staff from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conduct epidemiological investigations.

CWD is a fatal neurological disease affecting deer, elk, and moose. An infectious protein called a prion causes the disease by attacking the animal’s nervous system. DATCP regulates Wisconsin deer farms by overseeing registration, recordkeeping, disease testing, movement, and permit requirements.

More Information

• About CWD

• About DATCP’s farm-raised deer program