BOISE, Idaho — A second case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been identified in a deceased cow elk from a domestic herd reports the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA).
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The cow elk in question died in captivity in Jefferson County. The ranch on which the elk died was under enhanced CWD protocols before the disease emerged in the herd. According to the ISDA, this death is not connected to the captive bull elk with CWD in Madison County. By law, all domestic elk facilities must report any disease-related deaths to the ISDA each year.
The ISDA has since ordered a quarantine of the remaining elk on the property to halt further spread. The first case of CWD in Idaho was in 2021 when they found the disease in a deer. The disease was discovered in a wild elk the following year.
CWD is almost always deadly however, it's never been identified in humans. The USDA recommends against eating any meat previously affected by the disease.
