- SuperValu won't be cutting and processing venison this
winter because of concerns about Chronic Wasting Disease.
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- According to Crookston SuperValu's Wayne Melbye the decision
not to handle venison until safety concerns are met was mandated from the
SuperValu head office even though no animal in northwestern Minnesota has
ever been found with the disease.
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- "It's just for the common good," Melbye said.
"SuperValu didn't want any deer taken in. Rather than take chances,
we're just not going to handle it at all."
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- Melbye said he felt bad about not offering the service
since the store has developed a clientele over the last few years.
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- He said the SuperValu would sell home processing goods
for making venison sausage and cutting wrapping and smoking meat, as well
as offering advice to anyone who would like to take on the job at home.
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- Melbye said he would also make house calls, cutting venison
at people's homes if they'd prefer.
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- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and hunters
are expected to take part in a new program to test deer for CWD harvested
this fall.
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- More than 150 veterinarians at 98 clinics around the
state have agreed to collect brain stem samples that will then be sent
to the University of Minnesota's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in St.
Paul for testing. Hunters will be notified of the results through the mail.
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- The DNR plans to test between 5 and 6 thousand animals
harvested this fall in its own study. The deer will be a sample of animals
harvested from all areas of the state.
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- No deer with CWD have been found in Minnesota, but if
the U of M diagnostic laboratory finds any of the samples with the disease
it will notify the DNR so they can investigate and respond. Information
about deer that test negative will also be available to the DNR on an electronic
database.
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- No brain stem samples sent by individual hunters will
be tested. Anyone who wants to find out if a harvested deer carries CWD
must send samples through a designated veterinary clinic.
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- Hunters are asked to watch for deer that show signs of
starvation, dehydration, excessive salivation, stumbling, weakness, tremors,
loss of coordination, drooping head, excessively rough coat or loss of
fear of humans.
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- Rather than shoot such animals hunters should report
the sighting to the local DNR office.
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