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USE OF LEG-MOUNTED MONITORS TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS Of TREPONEME-ASSOCIATED HOOF DISEASE ON ELK (CERVUS CANADENSIS) ACTIVITY
Thesis

USE OF LEG-MOUNTED MONITORS TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS Of TREPONEME-ASSOCIATED HOOF DISEASE ON ELK (CERVUS CANADENSIS) ACTIVITY

Trent O. Hill
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
07/2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000007951
pdf
Hill Thesis Final820.89 kB
Embargoed Access, Embargo ends: 10/07/2026

Abstract

Activity Monitor Elk Treponeme-associated hoof disease
Treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) is an emerging infectious disease of free-ranging elk (Cervus canadensis) in the northwestern United States. Affected elk exhibit lameness, debilitation, and an apparent increase in mortality, but the onset of lameness and associated change in activity are not fully understood. We assessed the use of leg-mounted triaxial accelerometer monitors (Advanced Telemetry Systems) to quantify activity changes in captive elk challenged with TAHD. These monitors were programmed to classify activity as moving, standing, or bedded based on changes in movement and leg orientation. We hypothesized that activity monitors would accurately reflect elk activity and that changes in activity would correspond with daily visual locomotion observations and increase with severity of TAHD lesions. To validate monitor accuracy, we compared activity classifications by monitors with direct visual focal observations at 1-minute intervals using a confusion matrix. Monitors achieved 85% overall accuracy, with highest agreement between visual observation and monitor output for standing and bedded activities. Following an experimental TAHD challenge, we determined the proportion of each activity recorded at 1-minute interval across each day. Five elk were assigned to the treatment group and two to control. Treatment elk developed minor TAHD lesions (grades I–II), whereas control elk showed no signs of disease. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to assess associations between activity levels recorded by monitors and locomotion score, lesion grade, and time since treatment. A decrease in activity, as measured by increased time spent bedded, was associated with higher locomotion scores (i.e., more severe lameness). No change of activity was observed during the 7-week treatment period in either treatment group; however, treatment elk spent more time bedded than control elk, likely due to minor TAHD lesions. We did not find a relationship between elk activity and TAHD lesion grade, perhaps in part because lesions were minor and protected by foot wraps. These findings suggest that leg-mounted activity monitors can detect subtle changes in elk activity, specifically increases in time spent bedded after inoculation with TAHD, and may serve as a useful tool for future wildlife disease monitoring efforts.

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