Wildlife Risk Mitigation ProjectUpdate

Dr. Richard W. SmithAssistant State Veterinarian over Ruminant

ProgramsBovine TB Program Coordinator

Wildlife Risk Mitigation Project Goal

• To work with approximately 1,000 farms in Michigan’s TB zones to develop individual biosecurity plans for each farm.

• Why do farms in the TB zones need a biosecurity plan?

Wildlife Risk Mitigation Project’s Objectives

• Protect stored feed from wildlife intrusions

• Provide water that has not been contaminated by wildlife intrusions

• Feed cattle safelyWhere cattle pasture How & where fed feeds are fed to

cattle

Results• Project began in August 2008• 2009-340 participating farms-340 farms verified• 2010-349 participating farms-348 farms verified• 2011-186 participating farms-186 farms verified• 2012-83 participating farms-80 farms verified• 2013-69 participating farms-48 farms verified• Totals: 1,027 farms participated 1,002 farms verified (98%)

How Many Farms Are Still Unmitigated?

MAAZ• Antrim - 18/118 15% 1 herd with 20+ cattle• Charlevoix - 14/98 14% 0 herds with 20+• Cheboygan - 39/134 29% 0 herds with 20+• Crawford - 100% mitigated• Emmet - 18/131 14% 0 herds with 20+• Otsego - 11/70 16% 0 herds with 20+• Presque Isle – 34/125 27% 4 herds with 20+

How Many Farms Are Still Unmitigated?

MAZ• Alcona - 28/89 31% 3 herds with

20+ cattle• Alpena - 54/219 25% 9 herds with

20+• Montmorency - 15/88 17% 2 herds

with 20+• Oscoda - 27/69 39% 2 herds with

20+

Has WRM Helped Prevent TB Infections?

• Program benchmark: 2 winter inspections

Since 2009 • Three bovine TB infected farms that

had been winter verified twiceoAll of these farms were located in DMU

452oTwo of these farms were previously

infected

Has WRM Helped Prevent TB Infections?

• Two farms that had entered the program for a short while (one a few months, the other a few days), but were found infected prior to ever being winter inspected even once

• Since 2009 there have been five bovine TB infected farms associated with wildlife intrusions that were not verified as Wildlife Risk Mitigated

Conclusion From Results• Farms in core area (DMU 452) may

require additional attention to details of farms’ biosecurity plan.

• Because of increased risk of TB infected WTD grazing pastures in core area there is likely a increased risk to cattle.o Research has demonstrated it takes 20-30 hours

of sunlight to kill the bacteria (M. bovis) deposited on grass in infected saliva.

WRM Project’s ResponseAs a result of finding two farms in 2012 the WRM Project field staff reached out in 2012-2013 to producers in DMU 452 to:• provide info on where TB has occurred within

5 mile radius of their farm• look for any chinks in farm’s plano Emily Sewell-Alpena Conservation District Office o Wildlife Services field staff-Gaylord WS Office

• About 50% of farms in DMU 452 requested a biologist to visit their farm.

WRM Project’s ResponseAsked MSU for assistance in researching:

• the safety of wet wrapping hay - Dr. Grooms will present the findings this afternoon at 1:30

• the safety in presenting salt in areas where it can be accessed by wildlife - I will present the findings this afternoon at 1:50

WRM Project’s Response• 2013 survey of producers in DMU

452 regarding:oHow they viewed the possibility of a

State sponsored herd buyout program similar to what Texas did in the El Paso watershed 25% favorable (13/51)

oHow they viewed a State sponsored cost-share program to fence pastures 57% favorable (36/63)

Benefits of WRM Project

• Practical - keeping cattle from being infected by bovine TBo39% (20/51) of infected farms in TB

zone no longer have cattle

Benefits of WRM ProjectMAAZ

• Has helped TB Program to move MAAZ counties to higher status

• If mitigated no need to do pre-movement testIf not mitigated must do pre-movement test

at own expense• If mitigated no need for cattle to have

post-movement testIf not mitigated purchaser must do post-

movement test

Benefits of WRM ProjectMAZ

• Cost-share program (2009-2013)o $1,136,952.97 provided in

MDARD funded cost-share grants

o 74 cost shared hoop barnso 4 cost-shared feed storage

fences• MDARD sought out Federal

funding (2011)o $1,500,000 provided

through NRCS’ EQIP Program

Questions?