Hoof rot found in Yakima herd

[Special T]

I would not be surprised to learn that IF spraying was the culprit it is not the direct cause but more of an unintended consequence. Would it be that large of a mental jump to assume that the reduced variety and quality of forage made elk more susceptible to hoof rot because of some Kind of mineral deficiency? Unlike the old days of burning slash and the abundance of feed afterwards for several years they now are almost devoid of the grasses elk love.  When I have hunted the SW I was amazed at how clean the clear cuts and reprod was. they were easy to walk through in comparison to the ones up here in the NW corner of the state.

[HntnFsh]

...but it’s the timber companies and their chemicals!


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Their summer range can overlap, and some west side elk could migrate to the East in the summer, or late fall carrying the hoof rot with them.

False. There are multiple locations with hoof rot in WA and OR where the elk never come close to overlapping. How do you explain the Blue Mountains having confirmed cases of hoof rot?

A buddy of mine that is more involved in this research than anyone else I know, feels like it’s due to elk interacting with bovines. And the mutation of bacteria spread from cattle to elk. As you should know, elk are basically cows (their closest living relative). Elk are much closer to the biology of a bovine than a deer for example.


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I find it unlikely that, that scenario is anything more than just a small part of the equation. Maybe it does come from cattle or goats. But the elk in western Washington have mingled with farm animals for over a 100 years. Why did it just start popping up 20 or so years ago. About the time timber companies started nuking clear cuts with pesticides and herbicides. Those may just be a part of the equation directly and indirectly too. The chemicals cant be good and they kill the browse that elk need to get their copper and selenium to keep their immune system strong. Personally I think the spraying is the largest factor. For multiple reasons.

[slim9300]

...but it’s the timber companies and their chemicals!


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Their summer range can overlap, and some west side elk could migrate to the East in the summer, or late fall carrying the hoof rot with them.

False. There are multiple locations with hoof rot in WA and OR where the elk never come close to overlapping. How do you explain the Blue Mountains having confirmed cases of hoof rot?

A buddy of mine that is more involved in this research than anyone else I know, feels like it’s due to elk interacting with bovines. And the mutation of bacteria spread from cattle to elk. As you should know, elk are basically cows (their closest living relative). Elk are much closer to the biology of a bovine than a deer for example.


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I find it unlikely that, that scenario is anything more than just a small part of the equation. Maybe it does come from cattle or goats. But the elk in western Washington have mingled with farm animals for over a 100 years. Why did it just start popping up 20 or so years ago. About the time timber companies started nuking clear cuts with pesticides and herbicides. Those may just be a part of the equation directly and indirectly too. The chemicals cant be good and they kill the browse that elk need to get their copper and selenium to keep their immune system strong. Personally I think the spraying is the largest factor. For multiple reasons.

Again. How does this explain hoof rot spreading to locations that do not spray, such as Eastern OR and Idaho?


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[slim9300]

I would not be surprised to learn that IF spraying was the culprit it is not the direct cause but more of an unintended consequence. Would it be that large of a mental jump to assume that the reduced variety and quality of forage made elk more susceptible to hoof rot because of some Kind of mineral deficiency? Unlike the old days of burning slash and the abundance of feed afterwards for several years they now are almost devoid of the grasses elk love.  When I have hunted the SW I was amazed at how clean the clear cuts and reprod was. they were easy to walk through in comparison to the ones up here in the NW corner of the state.

Again. How does this explain hoof rot spreading to locations that do not spray, such as Eastern OR and Idaho?


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[Special T]

I would not be surprised to learn that IF spraying was the culprit it is not the direct cause but more of an unintended consequence. Would it be that large of a mental jump to assume that the reduced variety and quality of forage made elk more susceptible to hoof rot because of some Kind of mineral deficiency? Unlike the old days of burning slash and the abundance of feed afterwards for several years they now are almost devoid of the grasses elk love.  When I have hunted the SW I was amazed at how clean the clear cuts and reprod was. they were easy to walk through in comparison to the ones up here in the NW corner of the state.

Again. How does this explain hoof rot spreading to locations that do not spray, such as Eastern OR and Idaho?


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Well spraying  isnt the main cause in my hypothesis, it's some kind of deficiency.

Since I am unaware as to where in these other places the elk were found limping I cant really say. It is odd that they are showing up in areas the 1 have a drier climate, and 2 dont spray.  It is possible that because the conditions are different that it wont spread as far or fast because of the localized conditions, but we dont know.

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