PRV Diagnosed in Feral Swine in Colorado

December 1, 2008 — 

Pseudorabies virus has been diagnosed in 14 of 16 feral hogs seized by Colorado state wildlife and agriculture officials on November 17. According to Colorado officials, there was no exposure to commercial swine in the state.

The hogs were seized, along with 20 exotic sheep, in a trailer bound for Little Creek Ranch in Mesa County, CO. The animals were diverted to a location with no access to wildlife or domestic swine and the ranch has now been quarantined. Inspection of the ranch found numerous holes in the perimeter fencing and other "regulatory deficiencies." Mesa County is located in western Colorado along the Utah-Colorado state line and the ranch is situated in the north-central part of the county.

The Little Creek Ranch, which has a wild-boar-hunting operation, is licensed by the state as a commercial wildlife park. The ranch existed prior to state regulations banning the importation or possession of wild boar and feral hogs, and it was "grandfathered in" to allow it to have a limited number of wild boar on the poperty.

Source:
The Denver Post, November 28, 2008