1. Wildlife Risk Mitigation Project Update Dr. Richard W. Smith Assistant State Veterinarian over Ruminant Programs Bovine TB Program Coordinator

2. Wildlife Risk Mitigation Project Goal To work with approximately 1,000 farms in Michigan’s TB zones to develop individual biosecurity plans for each farm. Why do farms in the TB zones need a biosecurity plan?

5. Wildlife Risk Mitigation Project’s Objectives Protect stored feed from wildlife intrusions Provide water that has not been contaminated by wildlife intrusions Feed cattle safely  Where cattle pasture  How & where fed feeds are fed to cattle

6. Results Project began in August 2008 2009-340 participating farms-340 farms verified 2010-349 participating farms-348 farms verified 2011-186 participating farms-186 farms verified 2012-83 participating farms-80 farms verified 2013-69 participating farms-48 farms verified Totals: 1,027 farms participated 1,002 farms verified (98%)

7. How Many Farms Are Still Unmitigated? MAAZ Antrim - 18/118 15% 1 herd with 20+ cattle Charlevoix - 14/98 14% 0 herds with 20+ Cheboygan - 39/134 29% 0 herds with 20+ Crawford - 100% mitigated Emmet - 18/131 14% 0 herds with 20+ Otsego - 11/70 16% 0 herds with 20+ Presque Isle – 34/125 27% 4 herds with 20+

8. How Many Farms Are Still Unmitigated? MAZ Alcona - 28/89 31% 3 herds with 20+ cattle Alpena - 54/219 25% 9 herds with 20+ Montmorency - 15/88 17% 2 herds with 20+ Oscoda - 27/69 39% 2 herds with 20+

9. Has WRM Helped Prevent TB Infections? Program benchmark: 2 winter inspections Since 2009 Three bovine TB infected farms that had been winter verified twice o All of these farms were located in DMU 452 o Two of these farms were previously infected

10. Has WRM Helped Prevent TB Infections? Two farms that had entered the program for a short while (one a few months, the other a few days), but were found infected prior to ever being winter inspected even once Since 2009 there have been five bovine TB infected farms associated with wildlife intrusions that were not verified as Wildlife Risk Mitigated

11. Conclusion From Results Farms in core area (DMU 452) may require additional attention to details of farms’ biosecurity plan. Because of increased risk of TB infected WTD grazing pastures in core area there is likely a increased risk to cattle. o Research has demonstrated it takes 20-30 hours of sunlight to kill the bacteria ( M. bovis ) deposited on grass in infected saliva.

12. WRM Project’s Response As a result of finding two farms in 2012 the WRM Project field staff reached out in 2012- 2013 to producers in DMU 452 to: provide info on where TB has occurred within 5 mile radius of their farm look for any chinks in farm’s plan o Emily Sewell-Alpena Conservation District Office o Wildlife Services field staff-Gaylord WS Office About 50% of farms in DMU 452 requested a biologist to visit their farm.

13. WRM Project’s Response Asked MSU for assistance in researching: the safety of wet wrapping hay - Dr. Grooms will present the findings this afternoon at 1:30 the safety in presenting salt in areas where it can be accessed by wildlife - I will present the findings this afternoon at 1:50

14. WRM Project’s Response 2013 survey of producers in DMU 452 regarding: o How they viewed the possibility of a State sponsored herd buyout program similar to what Texas did in the El Paso watershed  25% favorable (13/51) o How they viewed a State sponsored cost- share program to fence pastures  57% favorable (36/63)

15. Benefits of WRM Project Practical - keeping cattle from being infected by bovine TB o 39% (20/51) of infected farms in TB zone no longer have cattle

16. Benefits of WRM Project MAAZ Has helped TB Program to move MAAZ counties to higher status If mitigated no need to do pre-movement test  If not mitigated must do pre-movement test at own expense If mitigated no need for cattle to have post- movement test  If not mitigated purchaser must do post- movement test

17. Benefits of WRM Project MAZ Cost-share program (2009- 2013) o $1,136,952.97 provided in MDARD funded cost-share grants o 74 cost shared hoop barns o 4 cost-shared feed storage fences MDARD sought out Federal funding (2011) o $1,500,000 provided through NRCS’ EQIP Program

18. Questions?