Purpose - the purpose of this agreement is to provide monitoring and survey activities to prevent the spread of brucellosis among wildlife and domestic animals

This $102,391 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care Federal Grant Program (CFDA 10.025) aims to prevent the spread of brucellosis among wildlife and domestic animals in Wyoming.

Key activities include: 1) Providing hunter-harvested elk surveillance through the fabrication of at least 8,000 blood collection kits, with a focus on the Bighorn Mountains region; 2) Distributing and monitoring 20 elk GPS collars; 3) Increasing surveillance in the Lander region by providing temporary personnel to assist the brucellosis program; and 4) Providing fencing for 9 new areas to protect ranchers' stored feed and enhance damage mitigation efforts. The expected outcomes include improved elk surveillance for brucellosis and reduced transmission to cattle, promoting a healthy and secure food supply for livestock producers and consumers.

Activities to be performed - 1. Provide hunter harvested ELK surveillance with the fabrication of at least 8000 blood collection kits: priority surveillance areas include the eastern and western slope of the bighorn mountains and outside the border of the designated surveillance area. 2. Distribution and surveillance of ELK utilizing GPS collars (20 collars). 3. Continue to increase surveillance activities in the lander region by providing temporary personnel to assist with brucellosis program development while continuing to collaborate with the wind river indian reservation by increasing hunter-harvested sample submission. 4. Provide fencing for ranchers stored feed 9 new areas and increase work on damage mitigation efforts. Deliverables and expected outcomes - 1. Improved ELK surveillance for brucellosis. 2. Reduced brucellosis transmission to cattle for promoting a healthy and secure food supply. Beneficiaries - livestock producers and consumers. Subrecipient activities - none.