Chronic wasting disease (CWD) Found in Three Colorado Game Farms 

Sept. 22, 2001 DENVER –AP

   About 1,000 elk in three private Colorado herds were found to be infected with chronic wasting disease and will be destroyed. One herd is in south central Colorado, raising concerns the disease could spread to free roaming elk and deer herds in the area. The other two other herds are located in northern Colorado where CWD has been present for decades.
   Chronic wasting disease is a degenerative disorder that attacks the brains of deer and elk, causing unsteadiness, excessive slobbering, confusion and death. There are no documented cases of the disease infecting humans. But it is closely related to mad cow disease.

   “All 1,000 elk will be slaughtered and tested for the disease”, said Dr. Wayne Cunningham, a state veterinarian. State wildlife officials say the transport of elk between ranches has spread the disease as far away as Saskatchewan, Montana and South Dakota.

  Elk ranchers say their animals were infected by wild deer and blame the wildlife agency for not eradicating deer between Fort Collins and Cheyenne, Wyo., where the outbreak is believed to have started. Elk are raised for meat and their velvety spring antlers, which can fetch as much as $70 per pound as a nutritional supplement.