A white-tailed deer at a Walworth County hobby farm has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection stated in a news alert issued Wednesday, May 18.
Samples were confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.
The release did not indicate where the farm was located in Walworth County.
Chronic waste disease is a fatal, neurological disease of deer, elk and moose caused by an infectious protein called a prion that affects the animal's brain, and testing for CWD is typically only performed after the animal’s death. The department of agriculture regulates deer farms for registration, recordkeeping, disease testing, movement and permit requirements.
The farm and its herd are under quarantine while an epidemiological investigation is conducted by the state department of agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarians and staff.