Vertical transmission of chronic wasting disease in free-ranging white-tailed deer populations
bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Jan 27:2025.01.24.634834. doi: 10.1101/2025.01.24.634834.
Vertical transmission of chronic wasting disease in free-ranging white-tailed deer populations
Overall, this study describes the dissemination of CWD prions throughout tissues and birthing fluids of the pregnancy microenvironment demonstrating that offspring are routinely exposed to the infectious prion in-utero prior to parturition. We report infectious prions in the reproductive and fetal tissue of naturally exposed free-ranging white-tailed deer suggesting that in utero maternal transmission is likely an underappreciated mode of CWD transmission. Our study shows that vertical transmission is indeed a viable route of infection within the southeastern U.S. and is another factor contributing to the relentless spread of chronic wasting disease.
Talk about big bucks: Deer semen donations are fueling South Texas campaign Each deer semen straw — from bucks with names like Gladiator Sunset, Sweet Dreams and Bandit — was assigned a $1,000 value, according to her campaign finance report.
Talk about big bucks: Deer semen donations are fueling South Texas campaign Each deer semen straw — from bucks with names like Gladiator Sunset, Sweet Dreams and Bandit — was assigned a $1,000 value, according to her campaign finance report.
AUSTIN — Donations of deer semen, one of Texas deer breeders’ most precious commodities, account for more than half of the contributions to a South Texan’s state House campaign.
Snip…
Each deer semen straw — from bucks with names like Gladiator Sunset, Sweet Dreams and Bandit — was assigned a $1,000 value, according to her campaign finance report.
A straw refers to the container of ejaculate that is stored for later use. Breeders market their deers’ antler size and shape as reasons to buy straws from their bucks. Uvalde deer breeder Fred Gonzalez said the donors’ straws went into a semen tank to be sold as one lot at a Texas Deer Association event last month and donated to her campaign.
Gonzalez, the treasurer of the Texas Deer Association, donated one straw to the lot. He said the deer breeding community often donates straws instead of money, although not usually directly to a political campaign.
“Semen is a very common way for us to donate,” he said. “One collection on a buck could lead to 60 straws sometimes. If you have a desirable animal, it’s a way to bring value without breaking the bank.”
The Texas Deer Association’s political action committee has received $976,025 in deer semen donations between 2006 and 2016. It has given $885,695 to campaigns and interest groups in the same span. According to expenditure reports between 2006 and 2016, the PAC has never given in-kind donations in the form of deer semen. Though the straws donated to Garza were sold at a Texas Deer Association event, the organization’s political action committee did not contribute to her campaign
Texas Deer Association contributions
The association’s political action committee has contributed $885,695 to campaigns and interest groups between 2006 and 2016. These are the top 10 candidates who have received money.
Candidate Amount
Rep. Ernest Bailes (R) $45,000
Rep. Lyle Larson (R) $26,611
Rep. Lance Gooden (R) $21,250
House Speaker Joe Straus (R) $21,000
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) $20,000
Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R) $16,000
Sen. Juan Hinojosa (D) $13,500
Rep. Todd Hunter (R) $13,000
Rep. Ryan Guillen (D) $12,750
Sen. Craig Estes (R) $12,500
SOURCE: Texas Ethics Commission
Deer semen donations among campaign contributions to South Texas candidate
Donations were made as part of an auction event
By Andrea Zelinski Published 1:26 pm CST, Wednesday, February 28, 2018
A South Texas candidate for the state House reported $51,000 worth of campaign contributions in deer semen, according to campaign finance reports.
AUSTIN — Many political candidates accept political gifts like food for events or legal advice for their campaigns, but one candidate from South Texas reported receiving thousands of dollars worth of deer semen.
Ana Lisa Garza, a district court judge in Starr County, reported accepting at least 40 semen straws, doses valued at $51,000. According to a report filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, several of the in-kind donations were made as part of a Feb. 10 auction event.
Although deer have been bred for over a century, interest has spiked in recent decades, in part due to interest in a buck named Patrick that was kept as a pet in the Midwest and grew large and unique antlers in the 1980s.
The practice has since grown into a budding industry in Texas. The deer, with their attractive racks, are now largely used for hunting, venison or further breeding.
In the filings, the straws are largely named after their sperm donors, including "Mabo Thicket" "Tack Hammer," "Strike Force." Other names of the straws include, "Bambi Chewy."
The economic impact of the deer breeding industry is $349.4 million annually in the state, according to a 2017 study by Texas A&M University. Combined with hunting, the study valued the industry's economic impact at $1.6 billion annually, according to the report.
The Texas Deer Association did not respond to requests for comment.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2025
CWD TSE Prion, Politics, Friendly Fire, Unforeseen Consequences, What If?
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2020
***> Jerking for Dollars, Are Texas Politicians and Legislators Masturbating Deer For Money, and likely spreading CWD TSE Prion?
Proposed Amendments to Disease Management and Response Regulations Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Singeltary Updated Submission October 20, 2023
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019
In Vitro detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) prions in semen and reproductive tissues of white tailed deer bucks (Odocoileus virginianus
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019
CWD, TSE, PRION, MATERNAL mother to offspring, testes, epididymis, seminal fluid, and blood
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019
In Vitro detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) prions in semen and reproductive tissues of white tailed deer bucks (Odocoileus virginianus
***> Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Poker and Politics, are you all in $$$
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017
TEXAS, Politicians, TAHC, TPWD, and the spread of CWD TSE Prion in Texas
SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2017
Texas 85th Legislative Session 2017 Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Cervid Captive Breeder Industry
SUNDAY, MAY 14, 2017
85th Legislative Session 2017 AND THE TEXAS TWO STEP Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion, and paying to play $$$
TUESDAY, AUGUST 02, 2016
TEXAS TPWD Sets Public Hearings on Deer Movement Rule Proposals in Areas with CWD Rule Terry S. Singeltary Sr. comment submission
SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2016
TEXAS CWD DEER BREEDERS PLEA TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT TO CIRCUMVENT TPWD SOUND SCIENCE TO LET DISEASE SPREAD
Wednesday, May 04, 2016
TPWD proposes the repeal of §§65.90 -65.94 and new §§65.90 -65.99 Concerning Chronic Wasting Disease - Movement of Deer Singeltary Comment Submission
SUNDAY, AUGUST 02, 2015
TEXAS CWD, Have you been ThunderStruck, deer semen, straw bred bucks, super ovulation, and the potential TSE Prion connection, what if?
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014
Texas 84th Legislature 2015 H.R. No. 2597 Kuempel Deer Breeding Industry TAHC TPWD CWD TSE PRION
Texas 84th Legislative Session Sunday, December 14, 2014
*** TEXAS 84th Legislature commencing this January, deer breeders are expected to advocate for bills that will seek to further deregulate their industry
***> TEXAS HISTORY OF CWD <***
Singeltary telling TAHC, that CWD was waltzing into Texas from WSMR around Trans Pecos region, starting around 2001, 2002, and every year, there after, until New Mexico finally shamed TAHC et al to test where i had been telling them to test for a decade. 2012 cwd was detected first right there where i had been trying to tell TAHC for 10 years.
***> Singeltary on Texas Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion History <***
PITUITARY EXTRACT This was used to help cows super ovulate. This tissue was considered to be of greatest risk of containing BSE and consequently transmitting the disease...
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious or superovulationcwdtsepriondocious ?
Superovulation and embryo recovery in Red deer (Cervus elaphus ) hinds.
Fennessy PF1, Fisher MW, Shackell GH, Mackintosh CG. Author information 1Invermay Agricultural Centre Private Bag Mosgiel New Zealand.
Abstract
In two experiments, Red deer hinds were synchronized with intravaginal progesterone and were given 4 d of treatment (3 d before progesterone withdrawal and 1 d after) with an ovine follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) preparation which had a claimed low level of luteinizing hormone (LH) contamination. In Experiment 1, 12 hinds received one of four FSH levels by osmotic minipump. Hinds were run with fertile stags, and laparotomy and embryo recovery were performed 9 d after progesterone withdrawal. The ovulation rates (mean of three hinds per dosage) were 1.0, 2.0, 4.3 and 15.3 (number of corpora lutea counted) for estimated daily dosages rates of 0.036, 0.071, 0.11 and 0.14 units FSH preparation/day; the response to the increasing dosage was exponential (P<0.01). The recovery rate of ova on flushing was 38% (24 63 ), with all recovered ova being fertilized and of transferable quality. In Experiment 2, performed later in the breeding season, eight hinds received 0.14 units FSH/day either by minipump or by intramuscular injection. The mean ovulation rates were 3.0 and 11.0 (a significant difference, P<0.01), respectively, with a recovery rate of 72% (34 47 ), and with only 18 34 ova considered to be of transferable quality. The recovery rate in Experiment 2 was significantly higher than that in Experiment 1 (P<0.001). Overall, the results were better than those previously recorded for red deer, perhaps a function of both the FSH preparation used and an improved progesterone profile in estrus synchronization.
>> ovine follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) F8174 Sigma Follicle Stimulating Hormone from sheep pituitary Synonym: FSH
Louping-ill vaccine sheep scrapie blunder Vaccine for issue had to be free from detectable, living virus and capable of protecting sheep against a test dose of virus applied subcutaneously. The 1935 vaccine conformed to these standards and was issued for inoculation in March as three separate batches labelled 1, 2, and 3. The tissues of 140 sheep were employed to make batch 1 of which 22,270 doses were used; 114 to make batch 2 of which 18,000 doses were used and 44 to make batch 3 of which 4,360 doses were used. All the sheep tissues incorporated in the vaccine were obtained from yearling sheep. During 1935 and 1936 the vaccine proved highly efficient in the prevention of loup-ill and no user observed an ill-effect in the inoculated animals. In September, 1937, two and a half years after vaccinating the sheep, two owners complained that scrapie, a disease which had not before been observed in the Blackface breed, was appearing in their stock of Blackface sheep and further that it was confined to animals vaccinated with louping-ill vaccine in 1935. At that stage it was difficult to conceive that the occurrence could be associated with the injection of the vaccine but in view of the implications, I visited most of the farms on which sheep had been vaccinated in 1935. It was at this point that the investigation reached its dramatic phase; I shall not forget the profound effect on my emotions when I visited these farms and was warmly welcomed because of the great benefits resulting from the application of louping-ill vaccine, wheras the chief purpose of my visit was to determine if scrapie was appearing in the inoculated sheep. The enquiry made the position clear. Scrapie was developing in the sheep vaccinated in 1935 and it was only in a few instances that the owner was associating the occurrence with louping-ill vaccination. The disease was affecting all breeds and it was confined to the animals vaccinated with batch 2. This was clearly demonstrated on a number of farms on which batch 1 had been used to inoculate the hoggs in 1935 and batch 2 to inoculate the ewes. None of the hoggs, which at this time were three- year-old ewes. At this time it was difficult to forecast whether all of the 18,000 sheep which had received batch 2 vaccine would develop scrapie. It was fortunate, however, that the majority of the sheep vaccinated with batch 2 were ewes and therfore all that were four years old and upwards at the time of vaccination had already been disposed of and there only remained the ewes which had been two to three years old at the time of vaccination, consequently no accurate assessment of the incidence of scrapie could be made. On a few farms, however, where vaccination was confined to hoggs, the incidence ranged from 1 percent, to 35 percent, with an average of about 5 percent. Since batch 2 vaccine had been incriminated as a probable source of scrapie infection, an attempt was made to trace the origin of the 112 sheep whose tissues had been included in the vaccine. It was found that they had been supplied by three owners and that all were of the Blackface or Greyface breed with the exception of eight which were Cheviot lambs born in 1935 from ewes which had been in contact with scrapie infection. Some of these contact ewes developed scrapie in 1936-37 and three surviving fellow lambs to the eight included in the batch 2 vaccine of 1935 developed scrapie, one in September, 1936, one in February, 1937, and one in November, 1937. There was, therefore, strong presumptive evidence that the eight Cheviot lambs included in the vaccine althought apparently healthy were, in fact, in the incubative stage of a scrapie infection and that in their tissues there was an infective agent which had contaminated the batch 2 vaccine, rendering it liable to set up scrapie. If that assumption was correct then the evidence indicated that:-
(1) the infective agent of scrapie was present in the brain, spinal cord and or spleen of infected sheep:
(2) it could withstand a concentration of formalin of 0-35 percent, which inactivated the virus of louping-ill:
(3) it could be transmitted by subcutaneous inoculation;
(4) it had an incubative period of two years and longer.
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/01/slides/3681s2_09.pdf
See archived link;
see part of old report I received;
see vaccines;
(It was noted with concern that hormone extracts could be manufactured by a veterinary surgeon for administration to animals under his care without any Medicines Act Control.) PITUITARY EXTRACT This was used to help cows super ovulate.
*** This tissue was considered to be of greatest risk of containing BSE and consequently transmitting the disease.
*** BEEF BRAIN AND BRAIN INFUSION BROTHS Considered to be of great risk.
THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2014
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious or superovulationcwdtsepriondocious ?
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2025
CWD TSE Prion, Politics, Friendly Fire, Unforeseen Consequences, What If?
Friday, February 21, 2025
LEGISLATING CWD TSE Prion, Bills to release Genetically Modified Cervid into the wild, what could go wrong?
Friday, February 21, 2025
CWD, BAITING, AND MINERAL LICKS, WHAT IF?
Friday, February 21, 2025
Deer don’t die from CWD, it’s the insurance companies, or it's a Government conspiracy?
Texas CWD Update May 2025
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
Texas CWD TSE Prion Cases Rises to 1099 Confirmed Cases To Date
Entries CWD Positives
Positive Number CWD Positive Confirmation Date Free Range Captive County Source Species Sex Age
1099 5/5/25 Breeder Deer Gillespie Facility #14 White-tailed Deer M 4.9 1098 4/24/25 Breeder Deer Zavala Facility #23 White-tailed Deer F 7.8 1097 4/24/25 Breeder Deer Zavala Facility #23 White-tailed Deer F 7.8 1096 4/17/25 Breeder Release Site Zavala N/A White-tailed Deer M 10.5 1095 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Kimble Facility #26 White-tailed Deer F 2.5 1094 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Kimble Facility #26 White-tailed Deer F 6.5 1093 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Kimble Facility #26 White-tailed Deer F 3.5 1092 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer F 1.7 1091 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer F 1.7 1090 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer F 3.7 1089 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer F 5.7 1088 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer F 5.7 1087 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer F 7.7 1086 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer F 3.7 1085 4/3/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer F 3.7 1084 3/19/25 Free Range El Paso N/A Mule Deer M 6.5 1083 3/14/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer M 1.7 1082 2/27/25 Breeder Deer Kaufman Facility #36 White-tailed Deer F 0.5 1081 2/27/25 Breeder Deer Kaufman Facility #36 White-tailed Deer M 1.5 1080 2/21/25 Breeder Deer Gillespie Facility #15 White-tailed Deer M 2.5 1079 2/19/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer M 1.4 1078 2/13/25 Breeder Release Site Medina Facility #3 Elk F 4 1077 1/14/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer F 2.5 1076 1/14/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer M 1.5 1075 1/14/25 Breeder Deer Frio Facility #24 White-tailed Deer M 1.5 1074 1/24/25 Breeder Deer Zavala Facility #23 White-tailed Deer F 1.5 1073 1/24/25 Breeder Deer Zavala Facility #23 White-tailed Deer F 4.5 1072 1/24/25 Breeder Deer Zavala Facility #23 White-tailed Deer M 2.5 1071 1/24/25 Breeder Deer Zavala Facility #23 White-tailed Deer M 2.5 1070 1/24/25 Breeder Deer Zavala Facility #23 White-tailed Deer M 3.5 1069 2/4/25 Breeder Release Site Brown N/A White-tailed Deer F 2.6 1068 1/23/25 Breeder Release Site Sutton N/A White-tailed Deer M 6.5 1067 1/23/25 Breeder Release Site Medina Facility #3 White-tailed Deer M 5.5 1066 1/24/25 Breeder Release Site Hunt N/A White-tailed Deer M 2.5 1065 1/14/25 Breeder Release Site Zavala N/A White-tailed Deer M 5.5 1064 1/14/25 Breeder Release Site Zavala N/A White-tailed Deer M 5.5 1063 1/16/25 Free Range Hudspeth N/A Mule Deer M 8.5 1062 1/7/25 Breeder Deer Real Facility #29 White-tailed Deer F 3.4 1061 12/26/24 Breeder Release Site Brown N/A White-tailed Deer F 3.5
Snip…see full list of CWD Positives;
December 2024
***> TEXAS CWD TSE PRION POSITIVE SAMPLES BY CALENDAR YEAR JANUARY 1 TO DECEMBER 31 2024 TOTAL TO DATE 1061 CASES CONFIRMED
Texas CWD total by calendar years
May 2024
Texas TAHC TPWD Confirm 132 More Cases of CWD TSE PrP
Jumps from 663 in March, to 795 Positive In May 2024, wow!
TPWD CWD Tracking
Counties where CWD Exposed Deer were Released
Number of CWD Exposed Deer Released by County
TRUCKING CWD
“CWD spreads among wild populations at a relatively slow rate, limited by the natural home range and dispersed nature of wild animals.”
NOW HOLD YOUR HORSES, Chronic Wasting Disease CWD of Cervid can spread rather swiftly, traveling around 50 MPH, from the back of truck and trailer, and Here in Texas, we call it ‘Trucking CWD’…
Preventive Veterinary Medicine Volume 234, January 2025, 106385
Use of biosecurity practices to prevent chronic wasting disease in Minnesota cervid herds
Vehicles or trailers that entered the farm were used to transport other live cervids, cervid carcasses, or cervid body parts in past 3 years in 64.3 % (95 % CI 46.3–82.3) of larger elk/reindeer herds compared to 13.6 % (95 % CI 4.7–22.4) of smaller deer herds.
Snip…
Identifying the exact pathway of initial CWD transmission to cervid herds is often not possible, in part due to many potential pathways of transmission for the infection, including both direct and indirect contact with infected farmed or wild cervids (Kincheloe et al., 2021). That study identified that transmissions from infected farmed cervids may occur from direct contact with the movement of cervids from one herd to another and from indirect contact with the sharing of equipment, vehicles, clothing, reproductive equipment, and potentially through semen or embryos.
***> Department records indicate that within the last five years (since January 1, 2020), 30 deer breeding facilities where CWD has been confirmed transferred a total of 8,799 deer to 249 additional deer breeding facilities and 487 release sites located in a total of 144 counties in Texas. <***
Texas Kimble County Farm Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Approximate Herd Prevalence 12%
SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE 407th COMMISSION MEETING Texas Animal Health Commission
September 22, 2020
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD):
A new CWD positive breeding herd was disclosed in February 2020 in Kimble County. This herd depopulation was completed in July 2020. Including the two index positive deer, an additional eight more positive deer were disclosed (approximate herd prevalence 12%). Since July 2015 and prior to this discovery, five positive captive breeder herds have been disclosed and four of those are in Medina County. One herd in Lavaca and three herds in Medina County were depopulated leaving one large herd in Medina County that is managed on a herd plan. A new zone was established in Val Verde County in December 2019 as a result of a positive free-ranging White-tailed Deer (WTD). A second positive WTD was also disclosed in February 2020 in the same area.
SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE 407th COMMISSION MEETING – 9/22/2020
Scrapie: The flock identified in April 2016 remains under quarantine in Hartley County.
Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas A Real Disease with Proven Impacts
Produced by a coalition of concerned hunters, landowners, & conservationists (last update 1/2025)
Aug 18, 2021
Oh, Deer
Heading Off a Wildlife Epidemic
CWD poses a significant threat to the future of hunting in Texas. Deer population declines of 45 and 50 percent have been documented in Colorado and Wyoming. A broad infection of Texas deer populations resulting in similar population impacts would inflict severe economic damage to rural communities and could negatively impact land markets. Specifically, those landowners seeking to establish a thriving herd of deer could avoid buying in areas with confirmed CWD infections. As they do with anthrax-susceptible properties, land brokers may find it advisable to inquire about the status of CWD infections on properties that they present for sale. Prospective buyers should also investigate the status of the wildlife on prospective properties. In addition, existing landowners should monitor developments as TPWD crafts management strategies to identify and contain this deadly disease.
Dr. Gilliland (c-gilliland@tamu.edu) is a research economist with the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University.
TEXAS BREEDER DEER ESCAPEE WITH CWD IN THE WILD, or so the genetics would show?
OH NO, please tell me i heard this wrong, a potential Texas captive escapee with cwd in the wild, in an area with positive captive cwd herd?
apparently, no ID though. tell me it ain't so please...
23:00 minute mark
''Free Ranging Deer, Dr. Deyoung looked at Genetics of this free ranging deer and what he found was, that the genetics on this deer were more similar to captive deer, than the free ranging population, but he did not see a significant connection to any one captive facility that he analyzed, so we believe, Ahhhhhh, this animal had some captive ahhh, whatnot.''
Commission Agenda Item No. 5 Exhibit B
DISEASE DETECTION AND RESPONSE RULES
PROPOSAL PREAMBLE
1. Introduction.
snip...
A third issue is the accuracy of mortality reporting. Department records indicate that for each of the last five years an average of 26 deer breeders have reported a shared total of 159 escapes. Department records for the same time period indicate an average of 31 breeding facilities reported a shared total of 825 missing deer (deer that department records indicate should be present in the facility, but cannot be located or verified).
On January 21, 2017 a tornado took down thousands of feet of fence for a 420-acre illegal deer enclosure in Lamar County that had been subject to federal and state investigation for illegally importing white-tailed deer into Mississippi from Texas (a CWD positive state). Native deer were free to move on and off the property before all of the deer were able to be tested for CWD. Testing will be made available for a period of three years for CWD on the property and will be available for deer killed within a 5-mile radius of the property on a voluntary basis.
“It is interesting to note that, in 2001, the State of Texas shifted its deer management strategies toward the same leanings that Kroll has suggested for Wisconsin. In Texas, the change was brought about via heavy lobbying from the high-fence deer ranching industry. This pressure helped convince the Texas Parks and Wildlife to change their regulations and allow private landowners to select the own deer biologists.”
Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas
A Real Disease with Proven Impacts
Produced by a coalition of concerned hunters, landowners, & conservationists (last update 08/2023)
Snip…
Since 2012, CWD has been detected in wild deer in just 7 counties in Texas and is only established in the western panhandle and far west Texas.
In that same period of time, captive deer breeders have exposed almost half of Texas counties to CWD.
Deer held in captive breeding facilities are confined to much tighter spaces, and have intimate contact with many more animals on a daily basis. By far the greatest factor in amplifying the spread of CWD is the artificial movement of these animals, shipped in livestock trailers hundreds of miles, far outside of their natural home range, and ultimately released to co-mingle with wild deer.
Each year, Texas captive deer breeders liberate 20,000-30,000 deer from their pens to the wild.
For every deer breeding facility where a CWD positive deer is discovered, an epidemiological investigation is conducted by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission to determine how many other deer may have been exposed to the disease and where they have been shipped. Because of the prolific artificial movement of captive deer, one deer with CWD can impact hundreds of other facilities and ranches across the state.
Unfortunately, released deer in Texas are not required to retain any kind of visible identification (an ear tag), and for this reason, the vast majority of released deer cannot be relocated for testing.
As of August 2023, 116 Texas counties have received possibly infected breeder deer that cannot be located, putting more than 140,000 landowners at risk of the disease.
Snip
The state of Texas has been testing for CWD since 2002. Since that time, more than 302,360 captive and free range deer have been tested.
From 2015-2022, more than 127,000 samples were collected from hunter-harvested and roadkill deer. This sampling rate and risk-based distribution provides scientists confidence that they would have detected the disease if it existed at a very low prevalence (<1%) in any given region at the time sampling began.
Snip…
We have learned from other states where CWD has been present the longest, that a constant increase in the prevalence of the disease may lead to a significant decline in the deer population. When disease prevalence exceeds 20%, deer populations have declined by up to 50%. In some areas of Colorado, where CWD has been present since 1985, mule deer abundance has declined by 45% since that time, despite adequate habitat and no hunting ( Miller et al. 2008 ). Similarly, the South Converse Game Unit in Wyoming has documented CWD prevalence exceeding 50% and has seen an approximate 50% decline in mule deer populations.
Snip…
Rural Economies
Deer hunting is the lifeblood of rural Texas. White-tailed deer hunting is by far the most impactful segment of the hunting economy, representing $4.3 billion, according to a recent Texas A&M Study. And while deer breeders represent a very small segment of that economy (less than 5%), they represent one of the greatest risks. ( Full Texas A&M Report )
Real Estate
Rural land prices are largely driven by recreational buyers with hunting as a top land amenity. Without deer hunting, many of these properties will be worth much less.
Conservation Funding
Deer hunters are the largest funders of wildlife conservation in Texas through excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and gear along with active membership supporting and funding conservation organizations. If deer hunting suffers due to CWD, all wildlife in Texas lose.
Culture & Health
Texas’ native deer herd has iconic value for all Texans. Deer hunting brings families together, creates camaraderie in communities, and serves to connect Texans to nature. There is no better protein than wild, locally harvested, non-GMO and totally organic venison. A healthy deer herd leads to healthy Texans and a healthy and prosperous Texas.
Snip…
This isn't a disease for our lifetime. It's a disease for our grandchildren's lifetime.
- Dr. Bob Dittmar, Former Texas State Wildlife Veterinarian
Snip…
See the full text with maps, graphs, much more, excellent data…
Since 2012, CWD has been detected in wild deer in just 7 counties in Texas and is only established in the western panhandle and far west Texas.
In that same period of time, captive deer breeders have exposed almost half of Texas counties to CWD.
As of August 2023, 116 Texas counties have received possibly infected breeder deer that cannot be located, putting more than 140,000 landowners at risk of the disease.
ECONOMIC VALUES OF WHITE-TAILED DEER IN TEXAS
2022 SURVEY: PART I
Don't mess Texas, or with Mother Nature in Texas, but, seems things went terribly wrong down here in Texas with CWD, be careful what you ask for;
TEXAS CWD STRAIN
“Wow,” he said. “Unlike anything we've seen before.”
The disease devastating deer herds may also threaten human health
Scientists are exploring the origins of chronic wasting disease before it becomes truly catastrophic.
Rae Ellen Bichell
Image credit: David Parsons/Istock
April 8, 2019
This story was published in collaboration with the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUER in Salt Lake City and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado.
SNIP...
One day in late February, in their laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado, Wagner and Zabel compared the prions from the brains of CWD-infected deer in Texas with those of elk in Colorado. They want to know if the proteins were all mangled in the same way, or not. “If they are different, this would suggest that we have different strain properties, which is evidence as we're building our case that we might have multiple strains of CWD circulating in the U.S.,” says Wagner.
Step one is to see if they’re equally easy to destroy using a chemical called guanidine. The shape of a prion dictates everything, including the way it interacts with an animal’s cells and the ease with which chemicals can unfold it.
“Moment of truth,” said Wagner, as she and Zabel huddled around a computer, waiting for results to come through. When they did, Zabel was surprised.
“Wow,” he said. “Unlike anything we've seen before.”
The prions from the Texas deer were a lot harder to destroy than the ones from the Colorado elk. In fact, the guanidine barely damaged them at all. “We’ve never seen that before in any prion strain, which means that it has a completely different structure than we've ever seen before,” says Zabel. And that suggests that it might be a very different kind of chronic wasting disease. The researchers ran the same test on another Texas deer, with the same results.
Now, these are only the preliminary results from a few animals. Wagner and Zabel have a lot more experiments to do. But if future tests come to the same conclusion, it would support their hypothesis that there are multiple strains of chronic wasting disease out there, all with different origins. That, in turn, could mean that this disease will become even trickier to manage than it already is.
And, Zabel adds, there’s something else. “If it's still evolving, it may still evolve into a form that could potentially, eventually affect humans,” he says.
Zabel is not the only one worried about that possibility.
OSTERHOLM, THE EPIDEMIOLOGIST from Minnesota, is also concerned. He directs the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, and is serving a one-year stint as a “Science Envoy for Health Security” with the U.S. State Department. In February, he told Minnesota lawmakers that when it comes to chronic wasting disease, we are playing with fire. “You are going to hear from people that this is not going to be a problem other than a game farm issue. You're going to hear from people that it's not going to transmit to people, and I hope they're right, but I wouldn't bet on it,” he said. “And if we lose this one and haven’t done all we can do, we will pay a price.”
If that wasn’t warning enough, he added: “Just remember what happened in England.”
He was talking about mad cow disease. Decades ago, Osterholm got involved in studying the potential for the newly emerging condition — bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE for short — to be transmitted to humans.
At that point, researchers had yet to document a prion disease in animals that could infect people. They did, however, have a few pieces of the puzzle. For one, work in Papua New Guinea had shown that people could transmit prion diseases to each other if they practiced cannibalism, especially of the brain-eating variety. They also knew that BSE was spreading quickly between cattle. Osterholm says he and others worried that the more widespread it became, the more chances it might have to change into something that could sicken people.
“A lot of people thought that it was an overreaction,” says Osterholm. “Then, of course, in 1996, 10 years later, we recognized that in fact transmission had occurred.” Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, as the illness is called when it appears in human beings, has infected about 230 people worldwide. Osterholm says he feels like he’s having déjà vu, except that instead of mad cow, now it’s chronic wasting disease that’s spreading in animals, with the potential to cross the species barrier to infect humans.
SNIP...SEE FULL TEXT;
TEXAS CWD STRAIN
77. Assessing chronic wasting disease strain differences in free-ranging cervids across the United States
Kaitlyn M. Wagnera, Caitlin Ott-Connb, Kelly Strakab, Bob Dittmarc, Jasmine Battend, Robyn Piercea, Mercedes Hennessya, Elizabeth Gordona, Brett Israela, Jenn Ballarde and Mark D Zabela
aPrion Research Center at Colorado State University; bMichigan Department of Natural Resources; cTexas Parks and Wildlife Department; dMissouri Department of Conservation, 5. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission CONTACT Kaitlyn M. Wagner miedkait@rams.colostate.edu
ABSTRACT
Background/Introduction: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an invariably fatal prion disease affecting captive and free-ranging cervids, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose, elk, and reindeer. Since the initial description of the disease in the 1960’s, CWD has spread to 23 states, 3 Canadian Provinces, South Korea, Norway and, most recently, Finland. While some outbreaks of CWD were caused by transport of infected animals from endemic regions, the origin of CWD in other epizootics is unclear and has not been characterized. Previous studies have shown that there are two distinct strains of CWD. However, the continuous spread and the unclear origin of several outbreaks warrant continued surveillance and further characterization of strain diversity.
Materials and Methods: To address these knowledge gaps, we used biochemical tests to assess strain differences between CWD outbreaks in Michigan, Texas, Missouri, and Colorado, USA. Brain or lymph node samples were homogenized and digested in 50 µg/mL proteinase K (PK). These samples were then run on a Western blot to assess glycoform ratio and electrophoretic mobility. Texas samples were digested in 100 µg/mL PK. To assess conformational stability, brain or lymph node homogenates were incubated in increasing concentrations of guanidine hydrochloride from 0 M to 4 M in 0.5 M increments. Samples were then precipitated in methanol overnight, washed and PK digested in 50 µg/mL PK before slot blotting.
Results: Our results have found significant differences in glycoform ratio between CWD from Michigan and Colorado, but no differences were observed in conformational stability assays. Interestingly, when testing our CWD isolates from Texas to analyse electrophoretic mobility and glycoform ratio, we found that these samples did not exhibit the characteristic band shift when treated with PK, but PK resistant material remained. Additionally, results from our conformational stability assay demonstrate a unique profile of these Texas isolates. Testing of samples from Missouri is currently underway.
Conclusions: Thus far, our data indicate that there are strain differences between CWD circulating in Michigan and CWD in Colorado and provide important insight into CWD strain differences between two non-contiguous outbreaks. We have also identified a unique strain of CWD in Texas with biochemical strain properties not seen in any of our other CWD isolates. These results highlight the importance of continued surveillance to better understand this devastating disease. These results have important implications for CWD emergence, evolution and our understanding of prion strain heterogeneity on the landscape.
Texas Game Wardens Bust Illegal Deer Operations Across the State Feb. 27, 2025
Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030
AUSTIN – A recent investigation by Texas Game Wardens resulted in approximately 1,200 pending charges and 22 suspects from across the state involved in the deer breeding industry and black-market wildlife trade.
The suspects and charges are associated with three deer breeding facilities, ten release sites, one deer management pen and three illegal facilities not registered in the Texas Wildlife Information Management Services (TWIMS) database, meaning they were operating or receiving deer in violation of registration requirements and disease monitoring protocols…see full text;
Texas Game Wardens Uncover Illegal White-Tailed Deer Smuggling Operation
Feb. 6, 2025
Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030 News
AUSTIN – Texas Game Wardens have concluded an investigation that led to the arrest and conviction of two individuals involved in illegally moving captive white-tailed deer.
A South Texas deer breeder and his business partner were caught attempting to smuggle seven deer from a licensed deer breeding facility in East Texas through Montgomery County to Brazoria and Duval counties, where they intended to illegally release the deer into the wild on private property.
The case unfolded when a Montgomery County Game Warden conducted a traffic stop and discovered the illegally possessed deer being transported without required documentation or identification. Further investigation uncovered significant violations of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) statutes and regulations, as well as criminal and traffic violations. Both individuals were arrested and booked into Montgomery County Jail.
The deer breeder faced 41 total charges: one traffic code violation, 11 penal code violations and 29 deer breeder violations under the Texas Administrative Code and Parks and Wildlife Code. He pleaded guilty to three penal code violations and 29 deer breeder violations. His business partner was charged with two penal code violations and 28 deer breeder violations, of which he was convicted.
Both men were convicted on multiple counts of violations committed with the intent to circumvent disease monitoring and testing requirements. Violations included failure to conduct ante-mortem chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing, failure to obtain valid transfer permits, removal of breeder deer without required identification and illegal possession of live game animals. Combined, they were convicted of a total of 57 deer breeder violations, one alcohol and two dangerous drug violations. They received a total $12,060 in fines.
This case underscores the commitment of TPWD and Texas Game Wardens to protecting the state’s natural resources and upholding wildlife regulations. The possession and movement of deer are regulated, among other reasons, to mitigate the spread of diseases like CWD and to ensure the health of both captive and free-ranging wildlife populations. Anytime a white-tailed deer leaves a breeding facility, it must be uniquely and permanently identified, no matter its age. Breeder deer that have not been properly identified or have had their identification hidden or illegally changed or removed are commonly referred to as “ghost deer.”
“Flagrant violations, such as intentionally transferring deer without identifiers, hinder Texas’ ability to identify the source of a deer in the event of a disease detection,” said Col. Ronald VanderRoest, TPWD Law Enforcement Director. “This creates the potential for negative impacts to the health of both captive and free ranging deer populations, the deer breeder industry, landowners, hunters and Texas’ outdoor and rural based economies, where white-tailed deer hunting has a $9.6 billion annual economic contribution.”
"This case perfectly illustrates the dedication and hard work of Texas Game Wardens by not only uncovering the defendant’s illegal operation but also highlighting the importance of protecting our state’s natural resources," said Ann Kuykendall, Montgomery County assistant district attorney. "This prosecution sends a clear message: those who knowingly violate these laws will be held accountable.”
With no available site for return, their unknown disease status and the unacceptable risks associated with their release into the wild, the “ghost deer” in this case were euthanized in accordance with protocols related to disease testing. The type of activity the suspects were participating in led TPWD to believe a heightened risk of disease exposure existed. Fortunately, the epidemiological investigation revealed no detection of CWD.
About Texas Game Wardens
Texas Game Wardens, within the Law Enforcement Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, are responsible for enforcing laws related to the conservation and management of natural resources and public safety through community-based law enforcement. Their mission is to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Additionally, they play a crucial role in search and rescue operations during natural disasters, exemplifying their commitment to protecting both the environment and the people of Texas.
Texas Wardens Uncover Black-Market Whitetail Breeding Ring that Smuggled ‘Ghost Deer’
Texas Game Wardens Bust Illegal Deer Operations Across the State Feb. 27, 2025
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025
TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION 423rd Commission Meeting CWD Update February 25, 2025
SUNDAY, MAY 04, 2025
Texas Senate Bill 2649 creation of a statewide Chronic Wasting Disease plan
SUNDAY, MAY 04, 2025
Texas Senate Bill 2651 establishment of a pilot program to breed deer resistant to CWD TSE Prion, what could go wrong?
Texas S.B. 2843 Directs TPWD to conduct a comprehensive study of current measures to control chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer
Trying to legislate CWD is what got Texas in this CWD mess to begin with, how did that work out$$$ Legislators and Politicians need to stay away and let TPWD and TAHC et try and contain this mess that Legislators and Politicians got us in, called CWD TSE Prion…terry
CWD Status Captive Herds
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
Texas CWD TSE Prion Cases Rises to 1099 Confirmed Cases To Date
THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2025
***> US Captive CWD Positive Herds Update April 2025
Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
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