Disease decimates Kansas buffalo

[Jeanette in FL]

Disease decimates Kansas buffalo
BY BECCY TANNER AND PHYLLIS JACOBS GRIEKSPOOR
The Wichita Eagle
Posted on Tue, Nov. 28, 2006

Nearly one-fourth of the buffalo have died at the state-owned Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, home to one of the oldest surviving wild buffalo herds.

A new disease is decimating buffalo herds across the state and has prompted the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to cancel its annual buffalo auction, typically held in mid-November.

The animals are infected with Mycoplasma bovis, a bacterium that causes pneumonia, mastitis and arthritis in cattle. It was first detected in some U.S. cattle in the 1960s.

<snip>

Peterson said he was aware of two other infected buffalo herds in Kansas. Half of one herd and a third of the other have died.
Reach P.J. Griekspoor at 316-268-6660 or [e-mail].

<snip>
________________________________________
Reach Beccy Tanner at 316-268-6336 or [e-mail].

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/business/industries/agriculture/16113148.htm


Came across this quite by accident and found it very interesting. Haven’t read about this in any national publication, but it seems to me to be an important story. Not knowing how they got this disease and how it is spreading amongst the herds in the state. Anyone from Kansas here know anything more on this?

[MuseRider]

1. Not heard of it at all

but I am North of there. It seems strange that this would not be bigger news but I may have simply missed it.

It is spread by droplets so keeping the herds separated should stop the spread. I am glad they found this before the sale.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. I've only heard of it affecting cattle

but it's a nasty one. Highly contageous and usually fatal unless you have a good vet close by. (just because when the cattle are ranging, it's easy to miss early symptoms)

[phantom power]

3. This is an example of a major pitfall of the "preserve" mentality.

you end up with some small number of isolated populations of various animals, living in preserved areas. Everything is good until something hits that population. A disease, a natural disaster, poachers, soon enough climate change (for example the Great Barrier Reef). The population is then in immediate danger of being wiped out.

Not that I have any solution, but we can expect to see more and more of this now.

[Ian David]

4. I have a solution

We need to get as many people as possible, all over the country, to keep small herds of buffalo in their homes.

Homes where the buffalo roam, no less!

[Scout1071]

5. Too bad. I love buffalo and have been eating lots of it lately in lieu of beef.

I hope it won't affect pricing this year.....buffalo is already a bit pricey.

[snooper2]

6. I'm going to wait and see...

how long it takes someone to blame it on a feral cat :evilgrin:

[Tellurian]

7. Me, I was thinking, the organic spinach ...

there are hefty plotters out there manipulating the placement of tainted broccoli and brussel sprouts.

Shouldn't there be a vaccine protecting the buffalo for this if they are to be introduced into other herds and/or the food supply?

[Porcupine]

8. This is why we need to reintroduce wolfs to the Lower 48

In these areas where the buffalo have a bacterial disease or the deer have a wasting disease the wolves would quickly sort this out. The diseased individuals would be singled out and eaten improving the health of the herd.

It's very difficult to run part of an ecology seperate from the whole.