As Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) has riddled deer herds across portions of the country in recent years, biologists, herd managers, landowners and hunters are looking for options to keep the deadly pestilence at bay.
This whitetail doe was found dead in early September 2015 in Indiana. With no signs of trauma, due to the time of year and the near-water location, the deer was almost certainly killed by EHD. (Jason Suman photo)
A positive step in that direction may have occurred thanks to news of positive university trial test result of ingredients found in Real World Wildlife Products' (RWWP) Expect Healthy Deer Technology products.
With the testing overseen by one of the country's top virologists, a news release from the company indicates researchers found the EHD virus killed within two hours by two of the active ingredients contained in Expect Healthy Deer Technology products.
The trial at the University of Minnesota supports other testing that has taken place on captive deer herds in several states where RWWP are in use. Additional testing is underway in other captive deer herds, with a special emphasis by the company to search out and find herds that have shown past problems with the EHD virus.
That isn't hard to do in recent years after several big EHD outbreaks have caused large die-offs of deer in a variety of places including Montana, Iowa and other states. With the EHD virus spread by way of a small biting midge-gnat, a deer infected by a bite from these insects usually dies as a result.
While the problem has been common in southern states in years past, the EHD virus has spread northward in recent years, particularly during hot and dry summers.
With outbreaks as far north as Michigan, EHD outbreaks have become more commonplace in the Midwest where several die-offs have occurred. The outbreaks will end when the first killing frost ends the midge-gnat problem.
While this news of potential EHD help by way of RWWP technology may not be a silver bullet kind of answer, company officials are hopeful to end the EHD issues of recent years, it could be a solid tool in the toolbox for biologists and wildlife managers.
While helping solve the EHD virus problem is a major component of RWWP's Expect Healthy Deer Technology, there are other benefits from the product line according to company officials.
Among those year-round benefits are such things as enhancement of a whitetail's immune system, optimizing digestion, enhancing antler growth, lessening the effects of heat related stress, promoting feed intake and improving reproductive performance.
