City-Times Staff

Chronic Wasting Disease has been found in Marathon County.

State Veterinarian Dr. Paul McGraw announced this week a 5 year-old buck, culled in early November, tested positive for the disease. The buck came from a game farm on a preserve near Eland, which has since been quarantined, with about 370 animals.

McGraw also quarantined three nearby farms owned by the same entity, but did not disclose the identity of farm’s owners. The quarantine stops movement of live deer off the property, though hunting will be allowed to continue provided deer are handled safely.

It’s the first new case of CWD on a Wisconsin game farm in 5 years.

Officials from the Division of Animal Health say they are tracking the buck’s history to help determine if other animals could be infected and if so, additional culling might be necessary.

Chronic Wasting Disease was discovered in Wisconsin in 2002, though its source was never officially determined. One theory is that diseased deer migrated to Wisconsin from the western U.S., where CWD has long been present.

Portage County is home to the biggest deer farm outbreak in 2006, where 82 deer tested positive for the disease. About 30 deer escaped through a hole in a fence on the property before the herd could be killed.