ALPENA COUNTY, Mich. – A field study is being conducted in Alpena County to see if an oral bovine tuberculosis (bTB) vaccine can help protect wild deer.
The study is a collaboration between the Michigan DNR, Michigan State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Wildlife Services (USDA-WS). They’re working together to develop a new tool to manage bTB.
Bovine tuberculosis is an infectious disease that can affect both humans and animals. It’s slow-growing and is usually spread through respiratory secretions when infected animals expose uninfected animals by nose-to-nose contact or through shared feed and water.
Michigan’s bTB area includes Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties. The disease is established in the deer population there and can be transmitted between deer and cattle. Michigan has been working to combat bTB for 30 years. The level of disease in wild deer is low, but has remained steady which indicates to researchers that they need to use new tools.
“We are very excited to explore a potential new tool that can facilitate efforts towards the long-term goal of bTB eradication in Michigan,” said Melinda Cosgrove, Laboratory Scientist Manager with the DNR.
When did the study begin?
In 2016, researchers began to look at how wild deer could be vaccinated against bTB.
In 2020, a multipart study began to investigate a way to deliver an effective oral bTB vaccine to deer.
The first part of the study, included spatial modeling to examine factors influencing disease spread and to improve understanding of how tools, such as harvest and vaccination, can aid in reducing or eliminating bTB in wild deer. The second part of the study penned deer trials that demonstrated orally vaccinating deer is feasible.
“The amount of partner work involved in this project is impressive. It is exciting to be in Part 3. We are hopeful this pilot can lead to an effective tool to further reduce the presence of bTB in Michigan,” said Mitch Marcus, DNR Wildlife Health Section supervisor.
How is the study being conducted?
Part three of the study involved putting out vaccine delivery units
The USDA-WS is putting out vaccine delivery units (VDUs) in Alpena County to evaluate the ability to vaccinate wild deer. This runs from late February through April 2024.
Around 15 locations are being used for the field trial. They are focused on the area of Green West, Green East, Wilson West, Wilson East and Ossineke West townships. The VDUs are placed in crop fields where deer are known to spend time.
The VDUs are left out for up to two days. Anything left not eaten is recovered. Sites are monitored with cameras and by USDA and MSU personnel. The VDUs are made of cubes of shredded alfalfa and molasses that house an edible sphere, encapsulating the liquid vaccine.
Several weeks after the VDUs are used, the USDA-WS will harvest deer from the trial sites and collect samples. The samples will be analyzed by the state and the USDA.
“At MDARD, we are constantly looking for innovative new tools to integrate within our current programs to better protect Michigan’s cattle from bovine tuberculosis and other harmful diseases,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM. “We are supportive of this research and look forward to learning more about how this vaccine can be used to address this disease and keep cattle and other animals, including deer, safe from bTB.”
The DNR will evaluate the study before considering any more field trials.
More information about the field trial can be found at Michigan.gov/BovineTV.