Winston Hoof Rot

[Curly]

If animals affected with hoof rot are showing mineral deficiencies, then I wonder if it would help to set out mineral blocks?

[Bob33]

Research to date points to the cause being a bacterial infection. Once the specific bacterium is confirmed as being the cause, the challenge will be finding a way to identify and then treat the infected animals.

[Mudman]

I hope this almost over.  Its just speculation now.  Of course if it was bacterial then feeding stations with food/antibiotic would work quite well.  Identifying which animals is a mute point, all of them will be treated.  I wonder how much money has been spent by wdfw putting out that powdered mineral they tried?  I have my doubts this is a bacterial disease but if it is great!  Easily treatable.

[Bob33]

I hope this almost over. 

On that we are in total agreement.

[Royal47]

Wow...that video pretty much sums up the problem! Sad to see...maybe 2 possible shooters in the whole herd! 

[headshot5]

Wow...that video pretty much sums up the problem! Sad to see...maybe 2 possible shooters in the whole herd! 

You mean eaters. 

[Bob33]

It may not do much, if anything at all, but it never hurts to (politely) tell the Fish and Game Commission about your concerns with a subject like hoof rot. They have to balance lots of conflicting priorities, but when enough people address a specific topic with them it can change their priorities.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/

[Mudman]

Bob33 can you tell me if you were in charge you would have figured this out?

Honestly, I don' t know but I doubt it. I believe a reasonable effort is being put forth. If WDFW had unlimited resources perhaps the answer would be known by now. They don't.

Since you don't want to wager, at least contact RMEF and get the information from them. They have provided WDFW with funding to study hoof rot.

  Well Bob I did that.  I am not allowed to copy the email sent to me from RMEF based on confidential law.  You are wrong.  They tried to fund and set up a workshop with experts in June.  WDFW cancelled it.  RMEF is in constant contact with WDFW and Tom is meeting Jerry next week again.  They have been trying to help since 2009.  He states if it is bacterial little can be done except slaughter based on results from livestock with antibiotics.

[Bob33]

Bob33 can you tell me if you were in charge you would have figured this out?

Honestly, I don' t know but I doubt it. I believe a reasonable effort is being put forth. If WDFW had unlimited resources perhaps the answer would be known by now. They don't.

Since you don't want to wager, at least contact RMEF and get the information from them. They have provided WDFW with funding to study hoof rot.

  Well Bob I did that.  I am not allowed to copy the email sent to me from RMEF based on confidential law.  You are wrong.  They tried to fund and set up a workshop with experts in June.  WDFW cancelled it.  RMEF is in constant contact with WDFW and Tom is meeting Jerry next week again.  They have been trying to help since 2009.  He states if it is bacterial little can be done except slaughter based on results from livestock with antibiotics.

RMEF sent you something that you can't disclose? What confidential law prohibits that? Why would they disclose it to you but not allow it to be disclosed to others?

Your information differs from the information I have, so someone is not telling the truth.

[Mudman]

Your right I misread it.  I dont know how to copy and paste it on here?

[Rainier10]

Open the email, left click and drag through the whole email highlighting everything release the left click, everything should still be highlighted, then right click on it and it will give you options to copy, click on that.  Then come over here to post reply and when the reply box opens right click in the text box and options will come up again, click on paste and the email that you copied should appear, then hit post reply below the text box.

[Mudman]

RE: Hoof rot in Wa.














Inbox


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Tom Toman <TOM@rmef.org>



2:02 PM (1 hour ago)
 













to me










Thanks for your note!  We have been tracking hoof rot since I first became aware of it in elk in Washington in 2009.  It is one of the most frustrating situations as there are more than 40 types of hoof rot and the causal agent has not been identified.  The first part of the frustration is that we don't know why it got so much worse at about that time since it was found infrequently prior to that but has been known for some time.  The second part of the frustration is there is apparently little if nothing that can be done about it.  In cattle, antibiotics are only partially successful while test and slaughter is about the only effective.  I have been in regular communication with WA DFW since that time and this past spring, they decided that they wanted to host a workshop for their biologists and invite two or three of the world's foremost experts to come to the workshop to discuss and train and use the opportunity to come up with a game plan to get a better handle.  One of the experts is in Australia and two others are teaching at Colorado State University.  We were pretty excited about the possibilities of this event.  RMEF pledged $10,000 on June 25, 2012 to help with the workshop.  It was originally scheduled for later in 2012.  I followed up with Jerry Nelson during the fall and he advised that they had discovered some folks with a great deal of expertise at Washington State University who would also collaborate with other experts around the world.  The workshop was put on hold until they had a chance to get those folks together to determine a good course of action.
 While I was disappointed the workshop was cancelled, I am pleased that they have some expertise from outside their agency helping them with this challenge.  I have a meeting with Jerry Nelson and Dave Brittell next week in Selah to look at new projects to be funded in WA.  I will once again broach the subject of progress and hope to have something to report when I return.  I will email you with any info I gather.  Thanks for your concern!
 Best regards!
 



Tom Toman | Director of Conservation
 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
 406-523-3443 phone | 406-370-6443 cell
 tom@rmef.org | www.rmef.org
 

[Bob33]

Thanks for posting. What do you think of their efforts?

[Rainier10]

Good to see how quickly they responded to your email.  I wonder if they have seen the video that Curly posted.

[Mudman]

I am happy with their efforts.  Glad to be a member.  I am not happy with WDFW.  I know it sounds paranoid but I believe WDFW has known it is a non-treatable bacteria and have kept it under wraps.  If cattle are sick we are not supposed to allow them in the food chain.  If the elk are sick with same affliction can they ethically sell us tags?  Would hunters still buy all the special permits and tags to hunt St. Helens elk if we knew?  Weyco screams for herd reduction, hmmm.  Wolves running around Helens now, hmmm.  Huge numbers of cow tags at Helens herd now, hmmm.  WDFW not feeding elk in harsh winter months like they should over last several years, hmmm.  Not allowing help to solve problem from RMEF, hmmm.  I maintain this herd is doomed and they wont tell us.   I cant help but wonder?  Hope this isnt true.