Researchers in Madison, Wisconsin are developing a vaccine that’s been shown to protect prairie dogs from the plague. South Dakota Stockgrowers Association President Bill Kluck says prairie dogs cause a great deal of damage to ranching operations, so developing a vaccine to save the rodents is nonsense.

He says populations of prairie dogs in South Dakota have been growing and creating a big problem for cattle producers.

Kluck has spent several thousand dollars to control prairie dogs on his operation in the past and the problem just keeps resurfacing.

He says however the prairie dogs came back and now this year he may have to spend between $3000 and $4000 to get eradicate the pests again.