USAHA 128th Annual Meeting October 2024 CWD, TSE, Prion Update
USAHA 128th Annual Meeting October 2024 CWD, TSE, Prion Update
PROCEEDINGS ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING of the UNITED STATES ANIMAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION
Gaylord Opryland Hotel Nashville, Tennessee
October 10-16, 2024
Presentations and Reports
Cervid Section Summary USDA-APHIS-VS Cervid Health Program Tracy Nichols, USDA-APHIS, Veterinary Services (VS) FY2024 Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Detections in Farmed Cervids:
There were 26 new CWD positive farmed cervid herds in FY2024 (20 white-tailed deer, 5 elk, 1 mixed species herds). Sixteen of the herds were not participants in the Federal Herd Certification Program (HCP), three were enrolled, but not certified in the HCP, and seven were certified in the HCP.
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FARMED CERVIDAE
Fifteen of the 26 newly identified herds were in areas where CWD has been found within 20 miles in wild cervid populations.
CWD Cooperative Agreements:
APHIS-VS funded 30 CWD Cooperative agreements in 2024, and the opportunity for farmed cervids totaled approximately $6 million dollars.
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Elk Genome Update
Christopher M. Seabury, Texas A&M University
Using an Illumina next-generation sequencing approach, we generated genome sequences for more than 300 farmed elk (Cervus canadensis) distributed across North America; thus, revealing millions of naturally occurring genetic variants. These naturally occurring genetic variants were used to engineer a custom 200,000 genetic marker genotyping array. The array was then used to produce preliminary heritability estimates for differential susceptibility to chronic wasting disease (CWD) in farmed elk from North America, and to conduct a preliminary genome-wide association analysis. Preliminary elk heritability estimates were high, and similar to those published for farmed white-tailed deer, while the initial elk genome-wide association analysis produced overt evidence for polygenic inheritance. Preliminary efforts to assess the accuracy of blinded genomic predictions for CWD status (i.e., postmortem IHC) in farmed elk from CWD positive farms were promising; with similar accuracy to those published for farmed white- tailed deer.
Oklahoma Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Genetic Improvement Plan Rod Hall, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry During the 2024 legislative session, the Oklahoma legislature passed HB 3462, titled the Chronic Wasting Disease Genetic Improvement Act. This law requires the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation to test 1,000 native white-tailed deer over the next two years to establish a baseline average of genetic codon markers and genomic breeding values for our native white-tailed herd. Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry will develop a program to monitor the genetic codon markers and Genomic Estimated Breeding Value (GEBVs) in participating deer, and to allow deer that have the SS allele at codon 96 and GEBVs at or below - 0.0560 to be released into the wild deer population. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Blood Test Update Gary Pusateri, Dream Genomics, Inc.
An introduction to Dream Genomics and the progress in the use of gene expression technology for the development of a sensitive, early diagnostic for CWD in blood from live deer.
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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
What Does Science Tell Us About Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Incubation in Whitetail Deer?
Christopher M. Seabury, Texas A&M University
With the advent of the USDA Herd Certification Program (HCP) as well as other state CWD surveillance programs that require postmortem IHC testing of all age-eligible deer mortalities for CWD, the real question becomes, how long does it take (post-exposure) to test positive for CWD, and does dose matter? Notably, none of the CWD surveillance programs are geared toward waiting for clinical signs of CWD before initiating any surveillance activities, and some state surveillance programs even require antemortem testing before movement. Nevertheless, using published and unpublished data, we show that white-tailed deer will test positive for CWD (i.e., post exposure with the minimum infective dose) in less than three years, while many will also develop clinical signs requiring euthanasia within that same time period.
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RESOLUTION NUMBER: 21 APPROVED
SOURCE: COMMITTEE ON WILDLIFE
SUBJECT MATTER: CONTROLLED STUDY TO EVALUATE GENETIC INFLUENCE ON CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN WHITE-TAILED DEER
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Understanding the influence of white-tailed deer genetics on chronic wasting disease (CWD) infection susceptibility and disease progression is an important area of research. Variation in CWD susceptibility of white-tailed deer based on genetics has been documented, but further characterization of variable infection dynamics during controlled studies is needed. Results of such a study are needed for state and federal agencies to make informed decisions when considering policy changes. Further, such information will provide clarity and financial justification for genetic-based herd management decisions. Controlled experiments demonstrate that certain alleles within the prion protein (PrP) gene influence CWD infection and disease (e.g., extending incubation period) and potentially CWD prion strain adaptation/emergence. In addition to the PrP gene, recent studies suggest other genes across the white- tailed deer genome contribute to variation in susceptibility to CWD infection and ongoing efforts utilize Genomic Estimated Breeding Value (GEBV) scores to estimate how susceptible a deer is to infection with CWD. With the goal of lowering CWD risk, development of programs to research and/or implement the use of GEBV for managing farmed white-tailed deer operations is ongoing by state and federal agricultural agencies, universities, and facility owners. In this system, deer with GEBV at or below -0.0560 are promoted as breeding stock, whereas deer with higher GEBV may be recommended for removal.
The use of GEBV scores to manage farmed herds appears to be increasing and state legislation has been passed to create a pathway for the release of farmed deer into the wild with the goal of reducing genetic susceptibility in wild populations. However, the efficacy and implications resulting from this predictive genomic approach to manage farmed herds have not been fully evaluated. Published longitudinal studies on farmed deer operations reveal correlations between GEBV score and CWD status in farmed deer but controlled experimental exposures will provide additional data to more completely evaluate this approach. Such information will provide important additive information for regulatory and animal health agencies considering use of GEBV in CWD prevention and management programs in farmed deer.
Although traditional experimental infection trials may be limited by small numbers of study subjects, such studies are foundationally important in infectious disease research and have greatly enhanced our understanding of
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applied CWD epidemiology and pathobiology that inform current prevention and management programs. Of particular interest are parameters that are readily measurable during controlled CWD exposures, specifically: 1) incubation period, 2) duration, extent, and routes of prion shedding (pre-clinical and clinical), 3) variation in infection outcome (such as prion distribution within lymphoid and nervous tissues), and 4) the influence of GEBV on CWD detection using prion diagnostic assays (antemortem and postmortem).
RESOLUTION:
The United States Animal Health Association requests the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center and/or USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Virus and Prion Research Unit, conduct a controlled chronic wasting disease prion experimental exposure of white-tailed deer to compare infection dynamics and outcomes between animals with favorable vs. unfavorable genomic estimated breeding value scores.
*****
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Lessons Learned, Elk Feedgrounds in Wyoming
Samantha Allen, Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) In 2018, the WGFD’s Commission directed the WGFD to develop a statewide chronic wasting disease (CWD) Plan. During this process it became apparent that the elk feedground system was too complex to tackle and incorporate into the CWD plan. After the CWD plan was approved in 2020, the WGFD Commission directed the Department to develop a new plan/process which would be specific to feedgrounds, called “Elk Feedgrounds: A Challenge We Can Take On”. The process was collaborative in nature, consisting of a steering team of internal Department personnel, and a large-scale public/stakeholder group all facilitated by a third-party. The goal was to consider all biological, social, economic and political issues, along with wildlife diseases, to achieve a durable long-term feedground management plan informed by a public-process for the Department-operated feedgrounds. The Wyoming Elk Feedground Management Plan was approved, in 2024, by the WGFD Commission. For more information on the plan and the process please see:
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/get-involved/public- working-groups/elk-feedgrounds
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CATTLE AND BISON
SUBCOMMITTEE ON CATTLE DISEASE TRACEABILITY
Presentations and Reports
USDA Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) Updates Alex Turner, USDA-APHIS, Veterinary Services (VS)
Dr. Alex Turner opened the presentations by discussing traceability and gave examples of National Western Stock Show (NWSS), the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) ‘cow that stole Christmas’, U.K. foot-and- mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks, animal disease traceability (ADT) changes that go into effect November 5, 2024…
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• Scrapie Genotyping: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254998
Additional Reports and Infobriefs can be found at:
There are additional publications and reports that will be published soon.
NAHMS studies are generally carried out every 8-10 years. With industry support, the next NAHMS Goat study may occur as early as 2029, with a Needs Assessment in 2027.
Snip…
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON SCRAPIE AND IDENTIFICATION
Chair: Keith Forbes, NV
Vice Chair: Cindy Wolf, MN
Heather Damico; Joan Dean Rowe; Rose Digianantonio; Keith Forbes; Larry Forgey; Kaylie Fritts; Garrett Girk; Chelsea Good; Gillian Gwartz; Dan Hadacek; Britney Hagood; Rod Hall; Alex Hamberg; Amy Hendrickson; Janemarie Hennebelle; Heather Hirst; Julie Hurley; Beth Johnson; Jeffrey Kaisand; Diane Kitchen; Kimberly Lehman; Scott Leibsle; Kaitlynn Levine; Rick Linscott; Mary Jane Lis; Jim Logan; Erin Luley; Dave McElhaney; Cheryl Miller; Mike Neault; Cheryl Nelson; Amar Patil; Elisabeth Patton; Olivia Perkins; Patty Scharko; David Schneider; Ryan Scholz; Ben Smith; Gary Stone; Dennis Summers; Diane Sutton; Tyler Thacker; Beth Thompson; Hannah Varnell; Marcus Webster; Cindy Wolf; Ryan Wolker.
The Subcommittee on Scrapie and Identification met during the 2024 Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee on October 13. There were 11 subcommittee members and 36 guests in attendance. At the beginning of the meeting housekeeping issues, mission statement, attendance recording options, and subcommittee member announcements were mentioned. There were no previous resolutions to update, but we did receive one proposed resolution which would be discussed during the business section of the meeting.
Presentations and Reports
National Scrapie Eradication Program Update
Diane Sutton, USDA-APHIS, Veterinary Services (VS)
Over the last two decades, the National Scrapie Eradication Program has been very successful in reducing the prevalence of classical scrapie. No classical scrapie positive animals have been identified since January 2021. Forty-seven states have not had a case of classical scrapie detected in the last seven years. Despite the significant progress in eliminating scrapie, additional classical cases may still exist. The last two cases (2019 and 2021) could not be traced to their herds of origin. These untraceable cases illustrate the need for full compliance with the identification and recordkeeping regulations and for continued surveillance.
The national scrapie surveillance goal is to collect at least 30,000 samples annually, a reduction from 40,000 in previous years. Over the last few years several factors including Covid and the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak have impacted our ability to meet this goal. During FY2024 additional efforts were made by APHIS to work with State and industry partners to obtain more samples at slaughter, dealer feedlots, markets, farms, veterinary diagnostic laboratories, and through veterinary referrals which had us on target to meet 30,000 before the emergence of HPAI in dairy cattle reduced sampling. Approximately 25,000 animals were
286
SHEEP, GOATS AND CAMELIDS
sampled for FY2024 and about 80 percent of the states have met or exceeded their sampling minimums.
The United States is now allowing the import of semen and embryos from some scrapie affected countries. To prevent the introduction of scrapie, USDA has established import requirements including an import permit, health certificate from exporting country, receiving flock/herd must have a flock identification (ID) and premises ID or the germplasm storage facility must have a Premises ID recorded in the National Scrapie Database. Post-entry requirements include notification to APHIS confirming receipt and further distribution of the germplasm to flocks only in the National Scrapie Database and official identification of and movement records for all offspring derived from imported germplasm to allow the germplasm and animals derived from it to be located if scrapie is identified in an animal derived from or exposed to the germplasm.
Scrapie Research Update from the Animal Research Unit – Pullman, WA – Assays to Differentiate CWD From Scrapie Prions in Tissues of Small Ruminants
Chungwon Chung, Research, Education, and Economics (REE), Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Researchers at the Animal Disease Research Unit (ADRU) have made progress in developing assays that can differentiate the presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions from scrapie prions in tissues of sheep and goats. While there are no known cases of natural transmission of CWD from cervid species to small ruminants, limited published data does show that some sheep and a goat could support an infection when CWD was directly injected into the brain. This report will review a dual transgenic mouse bioassay that could differentiate the presence of CWD prions from classical scrapie prions in experimentally infected sheep, and the progress we’ve since made to move from this costly and time-consuming assay to two forms of benchtop assays which can be completed within a week. These benchtop assays detect an essential quality of infectious prions, that is, templated conversion of the normal prion protein to a misfolded form that aggregates. To date, we’ve optimized conditions and reagents used in serial protein cyclic misfolding assay (sPMCA) and in the real-time quaking-induced (RT-QuIC) assay to differentiate CWD prions and classical scrapie prions when present in tissues of the natural hosts. In collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), these benchtop assays will soon be applied to tissues from sheep and goats experimentally inoculated with CWD from naturally infected elk.
The National Scrapie Eradication Program has Provided Multiple On- Farm Benefits for Sheep and Goat Producers in the U.S. Cindy Wolf, American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners There have been multiple benefits to producers on farm of the National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP). First, the concept and use of individual
287
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
animal identification has been adopted by producers. The initial program devices were visual-based unique individual animal ear tags. Over time USDA APHIS approved additional devices as urged by producers. These include registration tattoos, microchips, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) eartags and tamper resistant neck collars with attached RFID tags. Commercial and purebred producers alike have been using production records that are only able to be generated because the data that individual animal ID generates. Also, some producers have adopted labor savings technology that combines RFID ear tags, software, and sorting and weighing systems. These systems didn’t exist prior to the NSEP.
The NSEP educated producers regarding genetic-based selection breeding programs that enhance scrapie resistance. The program, some states, regulations, and sheep producers have increased demand for resistant sheep, especially rams. Now producers have expanded their use of genetic selection for other diseases such as ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP).
Lastly there is greater consumer confidence and market access domestically and expanded internationally for breeding stock and germplasm, meat, and dairy and fiber products.
Producers should be proud of their efforts in improving the health of U.S. sheep and goat populations and creating a higher level of sheep and goat traceability than existing prior to the evolution of the current NSEP.
Approaching the Scrapie Finish Line
Amy Hendrickson, American Sheep Industry Association After nearly 80 years, the U.S. is approaching the finish line in its fight to eradicate scrapie from the national sheep flock. A strong partnership between the industry, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the states has been key to this achievement and a strong commitment is needed to finish the fight. It is important to look back at what the industry has endured during that 80-year period to understand why the next three years are the most critical of all.
Until the 1980’s the scrapie control program primarily consisted of laboratory confirmation of clinical scrapie, quarantine and slaughter of all animals in an infected flock, tracing, if possible, and the slaughter of all exposed animals and progeny. The control program didn’t work. Producers still found scrapie in their sheep and the cost when they did was staggering. They, and anyone they worked with, stood to lose their entire flocks when a positive scrapie case was identified. It discouraged reporting.
In the 1980s, some changes to the control program were made. Most notably was the move away from total depopulation. Unfortunately, cases were still missed and by the 1990s it was clear the industry had to make a decision; either continue in what was increasingly felt to be a lost cause or double down and make a true push for eradication of the disease. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the U.K. played a role in convincing the industry that a serious effort was needed. Having decided to go all in on
288
SHEEP, GOATS AND CAMELIDS
eradication, industry, the states and USDA came together to figuring out how to do it. It was very difficult, but in the end a path forward was forged. In 2001, the Accelerated Scrapie Program was rolled out, and featured three main components:
- Individual animal identification (ID) – not just with affected and associated flocks but all animals upon change of ownership and moving in interstate commerce, with some exceptions.
- Ovine Slaughter Surveillance, and
- Research
The new program worked. The ability to identify cases and to trace animals back to their origin allowed the U.S. to go from 1 in 379 sheep being positive for scrapie to 1 in 50,000 when the last case of scrapie was found in 2021. It cannot be understated the role that research played in this fight. Seedstock producers of breeds that were most susceptible to scrapie changed their flock genetics to develop a natural resistance to scrapie in their sheep. Now, according to USDA, approximately 72% of the US sheep flock is now scrapie resistant.
Producers must be encouraged to remain diligent in the effort to finish the fight. The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), with help from USDA, has worked to develop materials that remind producers of the importance of the scrapie eradication program. As an example, ASI developed a video on scrapie identification, which was shown to the committee.
It is also important to prepare for the transition to a scrapie-free nation. What will “Scrapie Free” look like in the regulatory scheme of things? Does it mean that the entire program with all its infrastructure is dismantled, with the exception of a minimal surveillance program? Should any components remain intact so that USDA has the ability to manage an unexpected case of scrapie without the nation losing its freedom status? What is needed to do that? These questions and others need to be considered as we look to the future. We cannot wait until the day the US is officially declared scrapie free to have this conversation. ASI, in partnership with the National Institute of Animal Agriculture (NIAA), will host an open meeting in April 2025 to begin those discussions.
To achieve the ultimate goal, the nation must remain vigilant for three more years. It is essential that USDA, the states, and industry continue their commitment to the eradication program. We must not play the role of the hare in the famous Aesop’s fable, The Tortoise and the Hare. Remember, he is so confident that he will win the race that when he sees the finish line he stops to nap, while the Tortoise continues steadily and wins the race. Like the tortoise, we must continue steadfastly to the task at hand and cross this most important finish line.
Committee Business:
A resolution proposal, addressing funding for the National Scrapie Eradication Program to ensure sampling can continue at acceptable levels to
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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
obtain scrapie-free status, was brought to the floor and a motion was submitted, and seconded, to open discussion regarding the resolution. Discussion ensued and another motion was submitted to amend the proposed resolution which was seconded. Discussion determined the appropriate verbiage to add to the resolution and a motion was seconded to approve the amendment and another motion/second voiced to approve the updated resolution for a vote. A vote was conducted, (quorum present) and a majority approved the amended proposal to advance to the parent Committee on Sheep, Goat and Camelids, and the approved resolution was forwarded to the committee chair for distribution to committee members for review.
No other comments or business remained so the meeting was adjourned.
https://usaha.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2024-Proceedings-of-USAHA_print-9Oct25.pdf
“Dr. Alex Turner opened the presentations by discussing traceability and gave examples of National Western Stock Show (NWSS), the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) ‘cow that stole Christmas’…” …hold that thought…terry
FARMED CERVIDAE
Presentations and Reports
2022 USAHA Cervid Section Summary USDA-APHIS-VS Cervid Health Program Tracy Nichols, USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) FY2022 CWD Detections in Farmed Cervids:
There were 23 new chronic wasting disease (CWD) positive farmed cervid herds in FY22 (18 white-tailed deer, 3 elk, 2 mixed species herds).
Fifteen of the herds were not participants in the Federal Herd Certification Program (HCP), two were enrolled, but not certified in the HCP, and six were certified in the HCP. Nineteen of the 23 newly identified herds were in areas where CWD has been found within 20 miles in wild cervid populations.
https://usaha.org/upload/Proceedings/Proceedings_FINAL_2022.pdf
2021 USAHA Cervid Section Summary USDA-APHIS-VS Cervid Health Program
Tracy Nichols, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) FY2021 CWD Detections in Farmed Cervids: There were 35 new chronic wasting disease (CWD) positive farmed cervid herds in FY21 (31 white-tailed deer, 1 elk, 3 mixed species herds).
Twenty-three of the herds were not participants in the Federal Herd Certification Program (HCP), four were enrolled, but not certified, in the HCP, and eight were certified in the HCP.
Twenty-one of the 35 newly identified herds were in areas where CWD has been found within 20 miles in wild cervid populations.
https://usaha.org/upload/Committee/2021_USAHA_Proceedings_FINAL_.pdf
Changes in chronic wasting disease ecology in elk at Rocky Mountain National Park
Jenny G. Powers, National Park Service, Biological Resources Division Nathan L. Galloway, National Park Service, Biological Resources Division, Ryan J. Monello, National Park Service, Inventory and Monitoring Program, Pacific Island Network, Margaret A. Wild, Washington State University, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology
We conducted two key studies at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, to investigate the population-level effects of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in elk with historically high densities (up to 110 elk/km2 on portions of the winter range). CWD was first detected in this population in 1981 and by the early 2000s half of the adult elk found dead tested positive for CWD. We estimated disease prevalence of ~13% (8-19%; n=136) in adult females in 2008. Additionally, we estimated that the population growth rate in female elk was flat (λ~1.0) and that CWD can reduce adult female survival and decrease population growth of elk (Monello et al. Journal of Wildlife Management, 2014). In a subsequent study, we are investigating disease dynamics in the elk population and monitoring changes in disease transmission pressure associated with locally specific reduced elk density and increased elk dispersion. We have a preliminary estimate of prevalence for 2012-2016 of ~8.5% (4.6-13.3%; n=138). Results corroborate that CWD reduces adult female elk survival and this increased mortality decreases the population growth rate. Concurrent with our study, elk are re-distributing to lower elevations outside of the park, where CWD prevalence has always been lower, resulting in much lower densities within the park. The effects of this on CWD prevalence are unclear; movement may simply spatially dilute disease across the landscape or lower densities may reduce disease transmission.
https://usaha.org/upload/Proceedings/2019_Proceedings_FINAL.pdf
“CWD was first detected in this population in 1981 and by the early 2000s half of the adult elk found dead tested positive for CWD.”
https://usaha.org/proceedings/
USAHA 128th Meeting Resolution CWD and Scrapie
The use of GEBV scores to manage farmed herds appears to be increasing and state legislation has been passed to create a pathway for the release of farmed deer into the wild with the goal of reducing genetic susceptibility in wild populations.
https://usaha.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-USAHA-Resolutions-21.pdf
If slower disease progression results in longer-lived, infected deer with longer periods of infectiousness, resistance may lead to increased disease transmission rates, higher prion concentrations in the environment, and increased prevalence, as has been observed in some captive deer herds (Miller et al., 2006; Keane et al., 2008a).
http://web.archive.org/web/20121114223603/http://forest.wisc.edu/files/pdfs/samuel/2009%20blanchong%20et%20al%20genetic%20susceptibility%20chronic%20wasting.pdf
NAHMS studies are generally carried out every 8-10 years. With industry support, the next NAHMS Goat study may occur as early as 2029, with a Needs Assessment in 2027.
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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON SCRAPIE AND IDENTIFICATION
Chair: Keith Forbes, NV
Vice Chair: Cindy Wolf, MN
Heather Damico; Joan Dean Rowe; Rose Digianantonio; Keith Forbes; Larry Forgey; Kaylie Fritts; Garrett Girk; Chelsea Good; Gillian Gwartz; Dan Hadacek; Britney Hagood; Rod Hall; Alex Hamberg; Amy Hendrickson; Janemarie Hennebelle; Heather Hirst; Julie Hurley; Beth Johnson; Jeffrey Kaisand; Diane Kitchen; Kimberly Lehman; Scott Leibsle; Kaitlynn Levine; Rick Linscott; Mary Jane Lis; Jim Logan; Erin Luley; Dave McElhaney; Cheryl Miller; Mike Neault; Cheryl Nelson; Amar Patil; Elisabeth Patton; Olivia Perkins; Patty Scharko; David Schneider; Ryan Scholz; Ben Smith; Gary Stone; Dennis Summers; Diane Sutton; Tyler Thacker; Beth Thompson; Hannah Varnell; Marcus Webster; Cindy Wolf; Ryan Wolker.
The Subcommittee on Scrapie and Identification met during the 2024 Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee on October 13. There were 11 subcommittee members and 36 guests in attendance. At the beginning of the meeting housekeeping issues, mission statement, attendance recording options, and subcommittee member announcements were mentioned. There were no previous resolutions to update, but we did receive one proposed resolution which would be discussed during the business section of the meeting.
Presentations and Reports
National Scrapie Eradication Program Update
Diane Sutton, USDA-APHIS, Veterinary Services (VS)
Over the last two decades, the National Scrapie Eradication Program has been very successful in reducing the prevalence of classical scrapie. No classical scrapie positive animals have been identified since January 2021. Forty-seven states have not had a case of classical scrapie detected in the last seven years. Despite the significant progress in eliminating scrapie, additional classical cases may still exist. The last two cases (2019 and 2021) could not be traced to their herds of origin. These untraceable cases illustrate the need for full compliance with the identification and recordkeeping regulations and for continued surveillance.
The national scrapie surveillance goal is to collect at least 30,000 samples annually, a reduction from 40,000 in previous years. Over the last few years several factors including Covid and the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak have impacted our ability to meet this goal. During FY2024 additional efforts were made by APHIS to work with State and industry partners to obtain more samples at slaughter, dealer feedlots, markets, farms, veterinary diagnostic laboratories, and through veterinary referrals which had us on target to meet 30,000 before the emergence of HPAI in dairy cattle reduced sampling. Approximately 25,000 animals were
286
SHEEP, GOATS AND CAMELIDS
sampled for FY2024 and about 80 percent of the states have met or exceeded their sampling minimums.
The United States is now allowing the import of semen and embryos from some scrapie affected countries. To prevent the introduction of scrapie, USDA has established import requirements including an import permit, health certificate from exporting country, receiving flock/herd must have a flock identification (ID) and premises ID or the germplasm storage facility must have a Premises ID recorded in the National Scrapie Database. Post-entry requirements include notification to APHIS confirming receipt and further distribution of the germplasm to flocks only in the National Scrapie Database and official identification of and movement records for all offspring derived from imported germplasm to allow the germplasm and animals derived from it to be located if scrapie is identified in an animal derived from or exposed to the germplasm.
Scrapie Research Update from the Animal Research Unit – Pullman, WA – Assays to Differentiate CWD From Scrapie Prions in Tissues of Small Ruminants
Chungwon Chung, Research, Education, and Economics (REE), Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Researchers at the Animal Disease Research Unit (ADRU) have made progress in developing assays that can differentiate the presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions from scrapie prions in tissues of sheep and goats. While there are no known cases of natural transmission of CWD from cervid species to small ruminants, limited published data does show that some sheep and a goat could support an infection when CWD was directly injected into the brain. This report will review a dual transgenic mouse bioassay that could differentiate the presence of CWD prions from classical scrapie prions in experimentally infected sheep, and the progress we’ve since made to move from this costly and time-consuming assay to two forms of benchtop assays which can be completed within a week. These benchtop assays detect an essential quality of infectious prions, that is, templated conversion of the normal prion protein to a misfolded form that aggregates. To date, we’ve optimized conditions and reagents used in serial protein cyclic misfolding assay (sPMCA) and in the real-time quaking-induced (RT-QuIC) assay to differentiate CWD prions and classical scrapie prions when present in tissues of the natural hosts. In collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), these benchtop assays will soon be applied to tissues from sheep and goats experimentally inoculated with CWD from naturally infected elk.
The National Scrapie Eradication Program has Provided Multiple On- Farm Benefits for Sheep and Goat Producers in the U.S. Cindy Wolf, American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners There have been multiple benefits to producers on farm of the National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP). First, the concept and use of individual
287
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
animal identification has been adopted by producers. The initial program devices were visual-based unique individual animal ear tags. Over time USDA APHIS approved additional devices as urged by producers. These include registration tattoos, microchips, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) eartags and tamper resistant neck collars with attached RFID tags. Commercial and purebred producers alike have been using production records that are only able to be generated because the data that individual animal ID generates. Also, some producers have adopted labor savings technology that combines RFID ear tags, software, and sorting and weighing systems. These systems didn’t exist prior to the NSEP.
The NSEP educated producers regarding genetic-based selection breeding programs that enhance scrapie resistance. The program, some states, regulations, and sheep producers have increased demand for resistant sheep, especially rams. Now producers have expanded their use of genetic selection for other diseases such as ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP).
Lastly there is greater consumer confidence and market access domestically and expanded internationally for breeding stock and germplasm, meat, and dairy and fiber products.
Producers should be proud of their efforts in improving the health of U.S. sheep and goat populations and creating a higher level of sheep and goat traceability than existing prior to the evolution of the current NSEP.
Approaching the Scrapie Finish Line
Amy Hendrickson, American Sheep Industry Association After nearly 80 years, the U.S. is approaching the finish line in its fight to eradicate scrapie from the national sheep flock. A strong partnership between the industry, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the states has been key to this achievement and a strong commitment is needed to finish the fight. It is important to look back at what the industry has endured during that 80-year period to understand why the next three years are the most critical of all.
Until the 1980’s the scrapie control program primarily consisted of laboratory confirmation of clinical scrapie, quarantine and slaughter of all animals in an infected flock, tracing, if possible, and the slaughter of all exposed animals and progeny. The control program didn’t work. Producers still found scrapie in their sheep and the cost when they did was staggering. They, and anyone they worked with, stood to lose their entire flocks when a positive scrapie case was identified. It discouraged reporting.
In the 1980s, some changes to the control program were made. Most notably was the move away from total depopulation. Unfortunately, cases were still missed and by the 1990s it was clear the industry had to make a decision; either continue in what was increasingly felt to be a lost cause or double down and make a true push for eradication of the disease. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the U.K. played a role in convincing the industry that a serious effort was needed. Having decided to go all in on
288
SHEEP, GOATS AND CAMELIDS
eradication, industry, the states and USDA came together to figuring out how to do it. It was very difficult, but in the end a path forward was forged. In 2001, the Accelerated Scrapie Program was rolled out, and featured three main components:
- Individual animal identification (ID) – not just with affected and associated flocks but all animals upon change of ownership and moving in interstate commerce, with some exceptions.
- Ovine Slaughter Surveillance, and
- Research
The new program worked. The ability to identify cases and to trace animals back to their origin allowed the U.S. to go from 1 in 379 sheep being positive for scrapie to 1 in 50,000 when the last case of scrapie was found in 2021. It cannot be understated the role that research played in this fight. Seedstock producers of breeds that were most susceptible to scrapie changed their flock genetics to develop a natural resistance to scrapie in their sheep. Now, according to USDA, approximately 72% of the US sheep flock is now scrapie resistant.
Producers must be encouraged to remain diligent in the effort to finish the fight. The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), with help from USDA, has worked to develop materials that remind producers of the importance of the scrapie eradication program. As an example, ASI developed a video on scrapie identification, which was shown to the committee.
It is also important to prepare for the transition to a scrapie-free nation. What will “Scrapie Free” look like in the regulatory scheme of things? Does it mean that the entire program with all its infrastructure is dismantled, with the exception of a minimal surveillance program? Should any components remain intact so that USDA has the ability to manage an unexpected case of scrapie without the nation losing its freedom status? What is needed to do that? These questions and others need to be considered as we look to the future. We cannot wait until the day the US is officially declared scrapie free to have this conversation. ASI, in partnership with the National Institute of Animal Agriculture (NIAA), will host an open meeting in April 2025 to begin those discussions.
To achieve the ultimate goal, the nation must remain vigilant for three more years. It is essential that USDA, the states, and industry continue their commitment to the eradication program. We must not play the role of the hare in the famous Aesop’s fable, The Tortoise and the Hare. Remember, he is so confident that he will win the race that when he sees the finish line he stops to nap, while the Tortoise continues steadily and wins the race. Like the tortoise, we must continue steadfastly to the task at hand and cross this most important finish line.
Committee Business:
A resolution proposal, addressing funding for the National Scrapie Eradication Program to ensure sampling can continue at acceptable levels to
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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
obtain scrapie-free status, was brought to the floor and a motion was submitted, and seconded, to open discussion regarding the resolution. Discussion ensued and another motion was submitted to amend the proposed resolution which was seconded. Discussion determined the appropriate verbiage to add to the resolution and a motion was seconded to approve the amendment and another motion/second voiced to approve the updated resolution for a vote. A vote was conducted, (quorum present) and a majority approved the amended proposal to advance to the parent Committee on Sheep, Goat and Camelids, and the approved resolution was forwarded to the committee chair for distribution to committee members for review.
No other comments or business remained so the meeting was adjourned.
https://usaha.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2024-Proceedings-of-USAHA_print-9Oct25.pdf
“Dr. Alex Turner opened the presentations by discussing traceability and gave examples of National Western Stock Show (NWSS), the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) ‘cow that stole Christmas’…” …hold that thought…terry
FARMED CERVIDAE
Presentations and Reports
2022 USAHA Cervid Section Summary USDA-APHIS-VS Cervid Health Program Tracy Nichols, USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) FY2022 CWD Detections in Farmed Cervids:
There were 23 new chronic wasting disease (CWD) positive farmed cervid herds in FY22 (18 white-tailed deer, 3 elk, 2 mixed species herds).
Fifteen of the herds were not participants in the Federal Herd Certification Program (HCP), two were enrolled, but not certified in the HCP, and six were certified in the HCP. Nineteen of the 23 newly identified herds were in areas where CWD has been found within 20 miles in wild cervid populations.
https://usaha.org/upload/Proceedings/Proceedings_FINAL_2022.pdf
2021 USAHA Cervid Section Summary USDA-APHIS-VS Cervid Health Program
Tracy Nichols, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) FY2021 CWD Detections in Farmed Cervids: There were 35 new chronic wasting disease (CWD) positive farmed cervid herds in FY21 (31 white-tailed deer, 1 elk, 3 mixed species herds).
Twenty-three of the herds were not participants in the Federal Herd Certification Program (HCP), four were enrolled, but not certified, in the HCP, and eight were certified in the HCP.
Twenty-one of the 35 newly identified herds were in areas where CWD has been found within 20 miles in wild cervid populations.
https://usaha.org/upload/Committee/2021_USAHA_Proceedings_FINAL_.pdf
Changes in chronic wasting disease ecology in elk at Rocky Mountain National Park
Jenny G. Powers, National Park Service, Biological Resources Division Nathan L. Galloway, National Park Service, Biological Resources Division, Ryan J. Monello, National Park Service, Inventory and Monitoring Program, Pacific Island Network, Margaret A. Wild, Washington State University, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology
We conducted two key studies at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, to investigate the population-level effects of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in elk with historically high densities (up to 110 elk/km2 on portions of the winter range). CWD was first detected in this population in 1981 and by the early 2000s half of the adult elk found dead tested positive for CWD. We estimated disease prevalence of ~13% (8-19%; n=136) in adult females in 2008. Additionally, we estimated that the population growth rate in female elk was flat (λ~1.0) and that CWD can reduce adult female survival and decrease population growth of elk (Monello et al. Journal of Wildlife Management, 2014). In a subsequent study, we are investigating disease dynamics in the elk population and monitoring changes in disease transmission pressure associated with locally specific reduced elk density and increased elk dispersion. We have a preliminary estimate of prevalence for 2012-2016 of ~8.5% (4.6-13.3%; n=138). Results corroborate that CWD reduces adult female elk survival and this increased mortality decreases the population growth rate. Concurrent with our study, elk are re-distributing to lower elevations outside of the park, where CWD prevalence has always been lower, resulting in much lower densities within the park. The effects of this on CWD prevalence are unclear; movement may simply spatially dilute disease across the landscape or lower densities may reduce disease transmission.
https://usaha.org/upload/Proceedings/2019_Proceedings_FINAL.pdf
“CWD was first detected in this population in 1981 and by the early 2000s half of the adult elk found dead tested positive for CWD.”
https://usaha.org/proceedings/
USAHA 128th Meeting Resolution CWD and Scrapie
The use of GEBV scores to manage farmed herds appears to be increasing and state legislation has been passed to create a pathway for the release of farmed deer into the wild with the goal of reducing genetic susceptibility in wild populations.
https://usaha.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-USAHA-Resolutions-21.pdf
If slower disease progression results in longer-lived, infected deer with longer periods of infectiousness, resistance may lead to increased disease transmission rates, higher prion concentrations in the environment, and increased prevalence, as has been observed in some captive deer herds (Miller et al., 2006; Keane et al., 2008a).
http://web.archive.org/web/20121114223603/http://forest.wisc.edu/files/pdfs/samuel/2009%20blanchong%20et%20al%20genetic%20susceptibility%20chronic%20wasting.pdf
Volume 30, Number 10—October 2024
Research
Temporal Characterization of Prion Shedding in Secreta of White-Tailed Deer in Longitudinal Study of Chronic Wasting Disease, United States
Our findings suggest that deer expressing alternative PRNP polymorphisms might live longer and, although they shed fewer prions throughout CWD course, might over their extended lifespan increase CWD prions in the environment
***> PROCEEDINGS ONE HUNDRED AND Nineteenth ANNUAL MEETING of the USAHA BSE, CWD, SCRAPIE, PORCINE TSE PRION October 22 28, 2015
FY2015 CWD Detections in Farmed Cervids
In FY2015, CWD was identified in eight farmed cervid herds: one whitetailed deer breeding herd in Pennsylvania, one elk breeding herd in Utah (traced back from a hunting facility in Utah), one white-tailed deer (WTD) breeding herd and one WTD hunting preserve in Ohio (owned by the same producer), two WTD breeding herds in Wisconsin, one WTD and elk herd in Texas, and a second WTD herd in Texas (traced from the first positive herd in Texas). The positive animals in Utah, Ohio, and Texas represented the first reported cases of CWD in captive cervids in all three of these States. White-Tailed Deer Breeding Herd, Pennsylvania
On October 6, 2014, the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed CWD in a 6-year-old doe from a captive WTD breeding facility in Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania. The doe was euthanized and tested because she was classified as a CWD-exposed animal that had previously resided in two trace back exposed herds. This herd was assembled in 2013 through the purchase of 16 animals from other HCP-certified herds in Pennsylvania, and had been under quarantine for receiving exposed animals from a trace back exposed herd. The remaining herd of eight WTD was depopulated with Federal indemnity on February 18, 2015, and no additional positive animals were detected. USDA collected samples for research purposes.
Elk Breeding Herd, Utah
On December 23, 2014, NVSL confirmed CWD in 3-year-old captive elk. The elk had been at a hunting park located in northern Utah, where he had resided for approximately 3 weeks prior to being hunter killed. All hunter-killed animals at the hunt park are required to be tested for CWD, and this animal
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was sampled through routine surveillance. The elk was traced back to its herd of origin, and that facility was quarantined. The herd was assembled in 1999 with bulls, and later elk cows, that originated from Colorado. Historical testing records for the herd were unavailable. The remaining 70 elk were depopulated using Federal indemnity funds on March 3, 2015, and an additional 25 elk were confirmed as CWD-positive. USDA collected samples for research purposes. White-Tailed Deer Hunting Preserve, Ohio
On October 22, 2014, NVSL confirmed CWD in a buck taken from a captive WTD deer hunting preserve in Ohio. This was the first time that CWD had been detected in Ohio. The preserve was tested as part of Ohio’s CWD monitoring program. The herd had been under quarantine since April 2014 because it was a trace-forward herd associated with a CWD-exposed herd in Pennsylvania. The positive animal was traced to its herd of origin, a captive WTD breeding herd in Pennsylvania, through DNA identity testing. On November 26, 2014, the Ohio State Veterinarian issued an Order of Destruction for animals on the hunting preserve. The State executed this Order on April 27-30, 2015. The herd of 224 WTD was depopulated and no other positives were detected. USDA did not provide Federal indemnity.
White-Tailed Deer Breeding Herd, Ohio
On March 31, 2015, NVSL confirmed CWD infection in a 5-year-old WTD doe from a captive breeding herd in Holmesville, Ohio. The index animal was received from a Wisconsin WTD farm in January 2013. The CWD-positive herd was owned by the same individual as the Ohio hunt preserve that was found to be CWD positive in October 2014. On May 22, 2015, NVSL confirmed a second positive case in the same herd - a yearling WTD doe that was a natural addition in the same breeding herd. The herd had been under quarantine since April 1, 2014 due to epidemiological linkages with two WTD herds in Pennsylvania – one a positive herd and the other a traceback exposed herd. USDA provided Federal indemnity and depopulated this herd on June 15 and 16, 2015. USDA collected samples for research purposes. NVSL confirmed CWD in 16 additional animals in the herd. Of the 16 positives, one was natural addition and the rest were purchased additions. The positive animals were purchased from February 26, 2013 through September 24, 2013, except for one purchased in 2012. Eleven purchased additions traced-back to three herds in Pennsylvania and four purchased additions traced to three other herds in Ohio.
White-Tailed Deer Breeding Herd, Wisconsin
On October 6, 2014, NVSL confirmed CWD in a 2-year-old doe born in June of 2012 that died on a Richland County farm. The facility is within the CWD management zone in Wisconsin. The remaining 51 deer were euthanized on November 20, 2014, and seven additional positives (all males born in 2012) were found. Two of these seven were purchased additions with the last added to the herd in January 2013. All sales from this herd were to shooting preserves. This premise was double fenced and had been compliant in a herd certification program for over ten years.
White-Tailed Deer Breeding Herd, Wisconsin
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On June 19, 2015, NVSL confirmed CWD in a seven-year-old female WTD from a breeding facility in Eau Claire County. The doe was a natural addition to this breeding herd. This is the first positive CWD case, captive or wild, in this county. The doe was found dead and was showing no clinical signs of CWD at the time of death. Since 2003, this herd has tested 391 animals for CWD and all had “not detected” results. In addition, 317 animals have tested “not detected” from the associated hunting preserve over the same time period. A second positive natural addition doe from this herd was confirmed positive by NVSL on September 10, 2015. Several escape episodes have occurred from this herd. The herd is currently under quarantine and plans are underway for depopulation with State indemnity.
White-Tailed Deer and Elk Breeding Herd, Texas
On June 30, 2015, NVSL confirmed CWD in a 2-year-old WTD buck from a captive WTD and elk breeding herd in Medina County, Texas, approximately 500 miles from previously reported positive free-ranging mule deer in far West Texas. This was the first time that the disease had been detected in farmed cervids in the State. The index buck was born on the premises and found dead on June 18, 2015. Over 40 high-risk deer (i.e., pen mates, dam, others) were euthanized and tested after the index case was found. The NVSL confirmed CWD infection in two of those deer. Interestingly, all three of the positive deer identified to date on this premises have the same AI sire. However, the significance of this finding is unclear. In the past five years, records indicate that 130 WTD from 33 facilities moved into the positive herd and 838 WTD moved out of the positive herd to 147 different herds. One positive WTD was found in one of these trace-out herds (see herd description below). Additionally, 23 elk were also moved from this herd to another herd in TX in 2014. All trace-outs have been intrastate except for movements to two premises in Mexico. Premises that have received deer from the index herd are under movement restrictions. VS is collaborating with animal health authorities in Mexico. VS paid indemnity and depopulated this herd on September 30, 2015, and no additional positive animals were detected. USDA collected samples for research purposes.
White-Tailed Deer Herd, Texas
On September 14, 2015 NVSL confirmed CWD from tissues from a WTD in Lavaca County, Texas. This animal was a traceout from the first CWD positive herd from June 30, 2015. Additional epidemiology is ongoing.
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Chronic Wasting Disease Risk Perception: Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Krysten Schuler, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine
Additional authors: Alyssa Wetterau, Elizabeth M. Bunting, and Hussni Mohammed
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a disease of concern to agencies, sportsmen, and businesses dependent on cervid species. However, disease risk perceptions may vary considerably between groups on wildlife and agriculture sides. We administered an online survey using Qualtrics survey software to the state wildlife agency (n=20), state agriculture agency (n=20), federal (United States Geological Survey (USGS), USDA) and other state agencies (n=9), academics (n=5), sportsmen (n=45), and captive cervid farmers (n=13) between March 2013 and 2014 to gauge attitudes toward potential hazards for CWD transmission to wild white-tailed deer or captive cervids. Of 15 hazards, the high-ranking risks were CWD existing undetected in the wild >1 year, decreased testing without subsidies, high wild deer densities, fence line contact, intrastate movement and importation of captive deer. State wildlife and agriculture officials ranked risks higher than other groups, with captive cervid farmers 50% below the average. Of six identified
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hazard pathways, importation of live cervids and escaped cervids was the highest risk for the wildlife agency (72% probability of CWD introduction), other agency and academic professionals (45%), and sportsmen (43%,) while the agriculture agency was most concerned by wild deer migration with high deer densities (46%). Captive cervid operators were threatened by importation of wild deer parts and then infected carcasses or parts left on the landscape (29%). Professional groups ranked generalized risks similarly, particularly for wild deer, but varied on the most likely disease pathway scenario. These regulating agencies also ranked risks higher than those in the captive cervid industry. Recommendations from this study include reaching agreement that CWD is a problem and strive for prevention and containment. Adequate funding by state and federal agencies for wildlife health programs and stakeholder education, as well as improved wild deer surveillance, would decrease CWD risks. The captive cervid industry could investigate selfregulation or insurance options, in addition to the USDA program. This information could be used to further investigate risk management and communication strategies.
snip...SEE FULL TEXT;
PROCEEDINGS ONE HUNDRED AND Nineteenth ANNUAL MEETING of the USAHA BSE, CWD, SCRAPIE, PORCINE TSE PRION October 22 28, 2015
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2016/08/proceedings-one-hundred-and-nineteenth.html
This CWD Study Could Change Deer Hunting FOREVER | The Check Station October 8, 2025 NW Arkansas
NW Arkansas CWD 11:25 minutes;
50% of all deer positive for CWD.
35% of Does are Positive for CWD.
68% Bucks are Positive for CWD.
Most Bucks NW Arkansas that where Tested, are Positive for CWD.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=695&v=kTicUE-xsQU&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arkansashunting.net%2F&source_ve_path=MzY4NDIsMzY4NDIsMjg2NjIsMjg2NjIsMjg2NjY
Arkansas CWD Deer Study Final 2025
4. Objective 4 and 6 - Infection rates and population modeling
a. In 2024, CWD sample prevalence was 40% across the study area, with higher rates seen in males (65%) than in females (34%).
b. Approximately 50% of males tested positive for CWD by the age of 2.5.
c. White-tailed deer abundance in the study area declined, driven by reduced lifespans and lower lifetime reproduction.
d. If survival does not increase, this population is expected to continue to decline.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jN5mtvXvz7IYFDQjv4Rasrw60dGe4KMJ/view
Louisiana House of Representative Aug 27, 9:30 AM, HCR-6 CWD
Louisiana House of Representative
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD
(A letter written from a Mississippi farmer who’s farm has been in his family for more than 100 years, and submitted it in this video presentation, 28 minute mark, another wake up call for sure, of what some have been warning for years, about CWD, but sadly will go by the wayside by the conspiracy theorists spreading fake news…terry)
Alston Ross
Marshall County, Mississippi
My family owns a 2,000 acre farm in Marshall County, which is in North Mississippi. CWD has plagued my farm since 2018 and has become progressively worse over time. We no longer have mature deer over the age of 3 years old on our property. Every buck harvested on our land has tested positive this year. The owners of our neighboring properties have continued to feed deer and ignore MDWFP regulations, which has exacerbated the spread of the disease throughout our area. This farm has been in my family for over 100 years, and due to the rapid spread of CWD, we are concerned about the future of our deer herd and the value of our hunting land…end
Snip…
Arkansas
Snip…
40:35 “…and conversely, I was co-Principle Investigator in NW Arkansas, where prevalence is approaching 50 percent.”
Snip…
41:00 “Specific to the work in Arkansas, in 2020, the state agency was showing the Prevalence at 30 percent in the Northwest part of the State, so flip a coin, so, 1 out of every 3 deer had the disease. We started that research in 2020, and now, the prevalence rate is now exceeding 40% in both sexes, and 50% in males.”
43:00 “what we’re seeing Arkansas now is, that population is declining about 11% a year.”
Snip…see full video presentation;
https://house.louisiana.gov/H_Video/VideoArchivePlayer?v=house/2025/Aug/0827_25_NR_Joint
CWD IS RAVAGING MY FAMILY’S LAND, BUT IT’S NOT TOO LATE FOR YOU
September 9, 2025 By: Paul Annear
My first season deer hunting in Wisconsin was 2001, the same season that produced Wisconsin’s first deer to test positive for chronic wasting disease. CWD has always been at the forefront of deer hunting discussions in my time as a hunter, and I’ve watched the disease slowly spread and worsen. Since 2019, eight of 11 deer I’ve taken on my family’s property in Richland County in Southwest Wisconsin have tested positive for CWD – including the buck in the photo above.
Aside from harvesting otherwise perfectly healthy-looking deer that test positive for CWD, we are now seeing live deer walking around in the awful final stages of this disease. Research has now confirmed what I’ve seen occurring on our hunting land in the last five to six years: CWD is beginning to reduce deer populations in high-prevalence areas like mine.
It didn’t have to reach this point. Hunters in areas with low CWD prevalence can keep infection rates low and deer populations healthy overall by accepting and implementing certain strategies. Some of the strategies I will lay out will challenge you as a hunter to play the “long game,” but there are ways to slow the spread of CWD in areas where it is newly discovered and infection rates are still low.
If you’re rolling your eyes at another guy talking about CWD, I get it, but I urge you to keep reading. Hear my personal story, how it has affected my hunting experiences, and what can happen if hunters ignore CWD.
“Where Are the Deer?”
Up until about seven years ago, I was still trying to figure out this CWD thing and what I thought of it all. I hadn’t yet seen or felt the effects. I was trying to improve my hunting in a variety of different ways like everyone else.
In Iowa County, hunters killed only 916 bucks during the 2024 nine-day firearms season. The last time Iowa County recorded less than 1,000 bucks killed during the nine-day firearms season was in 1971.
We began testing every deer taken on our farm in 2019, and with 72% of them testing positive, it’s safe to say we’re in the thick of it. I’m not alone. I speak to countless hunters in Southwest Wisconsin at trade shows and other events, and many of them are saying the same thing: “What is happening? Where are the deer?”
Since 2019, eight of 11 deer taken on Paul’s family land in southwest Wisconsin tested positive for CWD. This wall of bucks includes deer taken since 2006, and six of the more recent bucks added to this wall were CWD-positive.
In Iowa County, hunters killed only 916 bucks during the 2024 nine-day firearms season. The last time Iowa County recorded less than 1,000 bucks killed during the nine-day firearms season was in 1971. Iowa County tested 694 deer during the 2024 deer season, and 25% of deer tested were positive. Richland and Sauk counties both had a 33% positive CWD rate and together tested 2,193 deer. In 2004, a few years after the initial surge of testing occurred in Wisconsin, Richland County tested 1,691 deer and no deer tested positive for CWD. So, we haven’t been finding CWD just because we’re testing more. It arrived and has spread significantly.
The first time I saw what I believed to be CWD up close and personal was in spring 2023 when my dad and I were marching up a steep ridge for an afternoon turkey hunt. Just a short distance into the walk, I spotted a buck with velvet sprouts. “Dad,” I said. “Deer.”
We both thought it was unusual this deer wasn’t bounding off since we were within 40 yards. Springtime bucks are certainly not the paranoid creatures they become in fall, though. So, we closed the distance since we were headed that way and wanted a closer look.
The buck was very clearly sick. The hair on the back of my neck stood up instantly. A better view revealed his shaking, emaciated body and drool spilling from his mouth (see the photo below). His spine, shoulder blades, and scars up and down his legs told me this deer was in the final stage of CWD but had just enough energy to escape a few predators in the days prior. I had begun to wonder why so many of my 3½-year-old bucks never returned, and this moment convinced me CWD is playing a role in bucks constantly disappearing. This buck was days away from dying of holes eaten in his brain. We were able to put him out of his misery with permission from the Wisconsin DNR.
Though CWD has been in his area for more than 20 years, it wasn’t until 2023 that Paul Annear encountered a visibly sick deer. By the time hunters are seeing sick deer in the woods, the infection rate is usually too high to do anything about it.
I travel 200 miles one way to hunt this property in Southwest Wisconsin. The disease has in a way disrupted my motivation to keep traveling here, knowing full well there is a high likelihood of any deer we kill testing positive, resulting in us throwing out the meat. If you don’t hunt in a CWD zone, your routine following a successful hunt is probably simple and relatively careless. The presence of CWD changes that real quick. Shooting a deer means we could be in for a few frustrating weeks to follow as we wait for CWD test results. I’ve wasted countless hours butchering deer only to throw out the venison.
My friend and fellow Wisconsin deer hunter Bradie Ewing follows the same recommended protocols I do regarding CWD-positive venison.
“We have made the decision that we will not eat or feed a CWD positive deer to our kids or family, so this has caused some logistical headaches,” said Bradie. “The investment of time up front in butchering a deer is significant only to later throw it away if its positive.”
In 2020, I had nearly 30 bucks on trail-camera I estimated to be 3½ years old or older. In 2024, I felt confident we had only seven or eight deer in that age class. A stark decrease. I also ran about 20 more trail cameras on this 115-acre property in 2024 than I did in 2020, so fewer photos are not playing a role in my estimation of fewer mature deer. There are simply fewer mature deer, and DNR harvest data shows it’s not because hunters killed more older bucks in recent seasons. It’s because of CWD.
Why do I keep making the drive back to Richland County? My parents have lived on this land since 1987. This is the land where I was born and raised, where I grew up exploring the woods and learning to hunt squirrels and deer. It’s where I feel I belong, and I know that strong emotional attachment will keep me coming back to hunt deer with my family every fall.
Common Sense
Chronic Wasting Disease prions can be shed via saliva at mineral sites. CWD prions can exist in the soil below licking branches in a scrape. We’re never going to eliminate deer-to-deer contact in the wild. But if you’re in a low CWD prevalence area, there are some common-sense practices you should follow. You can learn from a few of my mistakes.
In the last few years, I’ve wondered if we can truly do anything to curb the spread of CWD in extremely high prevalence areas. One day I would feel the CWD battle is worth fighting, then just days later I’d harvest a CWD positive deer and be discouraged to the point of thinking “this is a bridge too far.”
With 33% of deer in Paul’s county now testing positive for CWD, he has begun to see visibly sick deer in the last two years. Paul’s trail-camera captured the photos above and below in fall 2024. Paul found the remains of the buck above three months after this photo was taken. Note: Deer with EHD die within 5 to 10 days of infection, which isn’t enough time for this kind of drastic weight loss.
I told myself I just wanted to get back to hunting. In the midst of these internal battles, I set out a tank-style waterhole on a Southwest Wisconsin property I hunt. While baiting or feeding is illegal in every Southwest Wisconsin county to help slow the spread of disease, the Wisconsin DNR has not banned the creation of artificial water sources. There are limited water resources on this property, and I thought a waterhole would be a unique way to attract deer near a stand site.
I had an abundance of deer visiting the water tank in the few months it was set up. Despite all the trail-camera photos, a famous Aldo Leopold quote would occasionally run through my mind: “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and the beauty of the biotic community – it is wrong if it tends otherwise.”
During the short time I had the waterhole out, I emptied and re-filled it many times since I still wanted to be cognizant of disease transmission. But I have to be honest with myself and admit that if I care about wild deer and the places they live, setting out a small, non-flowing waterhole in a CWD zone was a mistake. Not long after killing a visibly sick, CWD-positive doe that came to drink from the waterhole, we removed it.
In certain regions of the U.S., baiting is just a way of life and how it’s always been done. So, I get the enjoyment and desire to feed or provide artificial water sources for deer. I know hunters in states like Texas and Kansas who would hardly have a deer pass through their land if they didn’t run a feeder.
Are we going to stop the spread of CWD by banning waterholes or baiting? No. But common sense would say those things don’t help an infected herd. Artificially inflating your local deer population in a high CWD prevalence zone by feeding is dangerous because deer that may not otherwise come in contact with one another could share infectious prions at a bait or water site.
Does the presence of CWD mean you should never hang a mock licking branch or plant food plots to improve your hunting opportunities? I believe that’s an unreasonable way of thinking. I am still going to create food plots and mock scrapes. However, I strongly believe we need to practice common sense and realize there are matters we can take into our own hands when it comes to mitigating the spread of CWD. It begins with pulling triggers and landowners making strong, individual decisions regarding their deer herd and holding to them.
Sound Management and Testing
“Earn-A-Buck” was a tool some states used intermittently to effectively manage high deer herds. Wisconsin had implemented EAB off and on beginning in 1996, until it was signed out of law by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. I believe EAB is an effective tool for managing deer herds in some places, and I believe it’s no coincidence CWD rates have steadily increased in Wisconsin since Gov. Walker got rid of the law with pressure from other politicians and interest groups. There are few better incentives to take a doe than requiring it before you can take a buck. The only incentive that worked is now gone.
Earn-A-Buck cannot be signed back into law without the Wisconsin legislature doing so. Wisconsin hunters are left with a distinct choice that Wisconsin hunter Doug Duren is often heard saying. “Where CWD is established or taking hold, we have one of two choices,” Doug says. “We are going to manage the herd and the disease, or CWD is going to do it for us.” Wisconsin has had no effective deer management plan since the elimination of EAB in 2011.
In talking with countless hunters in my region, it appears CWD can be somewhat pocketed even within high prevalence counties like mine. The variability of CWD prevalence within a county could be due to availability of better habitat, people not illegally baiting in certain areas, or for unknown reasons. But we do know that high deer density helps CWD spread faster, so simply continuing to harvest deer – especially does – works. Doe harvest helps keep deer density in balance with the habitat and reduces deer-to-deer spread of CWD, which means healthier deer in all respects. But it’s not just about doe harvest.
Bucks test positive at a higher rate than does because of behaviors like traveling farther during the rut. I would encourage you to be less picky about harvesting bucks if CWD has just been discovered and you’re trying to keep prevalence rates low. NDA’s advice for hunters in CWD zones is to continue managing for older bucks if you wish but apply increased harvest pressure on all bucks 2½ years of age or older.
Do I wish we could go back to those days of low prevalence and undergo targeted removal missions on my family’s land to see if it would prevent or delay the problem we have today? Yes. Sustained harvest on all deer, bucks and does, means a better chance of removing infected deer from the landscape sooner. If hunters back off deer harvest because of CWD, infected deer enjoy greater protection, and they can spread more CWD prions into the environment and to other deer. In fact, every time you harvest a deer that tests positive for CWD, you should look at this as a win in the fight against this disease.
Jason Sumners is the Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation and has guided Missouri through a proactive approach to CWD.
“If all you are doing is testing to show you are doing something, it’s a complete waste of critical agency resources,” said Jason. “Short of documenting the demise of deer and giving some hunters a little more comfort when consuming deer harvested in CWD areas, it’s not doing anything to help the herd.”
What is Missouri doing? A lot of testing but also Targeted harvesting in select zones with landowner approval. In 2025, they’ve killed 4,793 deer with 68 (1.4%) of those being positive. While the CWD positive rate of these targeted removals is still low, that’s the point. This is a relatively small number of deer removed statewide, but because they are removed with precision from sites where deer previously tested positive, sick deer are removed sooner. Missouri is keeping CWD prevalence rates in check throughout these surveillance zones.
Would I have been hesitant to allow targeted deer removal or “sharpshooting”’on my property back when CWD had just been discovered? Yes. Do I wish we could go back to those days of low prevalence and undergo targeted removal missions on my family’s land to see if it would prevent or delay the problem we have today? Yes.
The early stage of CWD is the only stage when intervention and management can hope to hold infection rates low. If you wait until you are seeing sick deer in the woods, which is a sign you are in “late-stage” CWD, it’s too late to do anything about it.
If CWD isn’t in your woods yet, you should still make it a point to submit deer for testing anytime an opportunity is presented. Early detection of a new outbreak is critical. Early detection gives hunters and the state wildlife agency the opportunity to respond. CWD testing isn’t a proclamation of any political views or ideologies. However, it is absolutely a pledge that you care about deer and their future.
Paul Annear grew up hunting with his dad on family land in southwest Wisconsin and is now teaching his son Hudson how to hunt. We Are Not Doomed
I believe there will always be white-tailed deer in my area of Wisconsin. However, within 20 to 25 years, I believe fewer bucks will reach maturity than today, and a lot fewer than when I began hunting over 20 years ago.
This is despite more people than ever before passing younger deer and managing for older deer. I think in some areas like mine with high CWD prevalence, the average age of bucks has already dropped significantly from where it was just a few years ago – at a time when NDA’s Deer Report shows more bucks aged 3½ years old or older being harvested nationally than ever before.
If CWD has been found in your woods, ignoring it will take your hunting down the wrong path. Private landowners especially will play a critical role in properly managing whitetails in America in the next 30 years. I’m reminded of this Aldo Leopold quote: “Conservation will ultimately boil down to rewarding the private landowner who conserves the public interest.”
In this case, public interest is healthy deer. In most of whitetail country, unlike Southwest Wisconsin, it’s not too late to do something. Common-sense practices might seem like a burden to you now, but it’s nothing compared to what I’m experiencing. Ignoring those practices might help your short-term hunting opportunities, but remember you are in the position I wish I could go back to. Ask yourself if the choices you are making now will help conserve a better future for all.
Categories: Hunting
Tags: Chronic Wasting Disease, Cwd
About Paul Annear:
Paul Annear is an avid deer hunter, freelance writer and NDA member from the Driftless Region of southwest Wisconsin.
https://deerassociation.com/cwd-is-ravaging-my-familys-land-but-its-not-too-late-for-you/
Wisconsin DNR says CWD sinking deer herds in disease-endemic areas
PATRICK DURKIN Outdoors Columnist
CWD culprits
Snip…
“We can now say it’s not EHD (epizootic hemorrhagic disease), it’s not coyotes, it’s not bobcats, and it’s not earn-a-buck regulations from 15 years ago that are causing the herd declines we’re seeing,” said Dan Storm, the study’s chief researcher. “CWD is the cause, and we have solid evidence to back it up.
This is what’s going on, and so let’s proceed with what to do about it.” “We already did that and look how it went,” Storm said. “Before we lost earn-a-buck (in 2011), hunters dropped Iowa County’s deer herd below 20,000. After earn-a-buck, the herd took 7%, 10% and 12% annual increases until 2020.
That herd should have kept growing, but it didn’t. CWD is pulling it down and boxing it in.” The DNR’s annual post-hunt population estimates show Iowa County’s herd rose 51.3% from 16,900 in 2011 to 25,566, the 2018-2020 three-year average.
The herd has since fallen 15.25% to 21,666, the 2021-2023 three-year average.
Bryan Richards, CWD project leader at the USDA’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, said backing off would backfire. “You won’t recover a population by letting CWD run its course,” Richards said. “When you try to stockpile deer by not shooting, you protect sick deer, too. Contamination worsens and the healthy proportion of the herd declines.
Shooting removes sick deer from the herd sooner than CWD will. They’ll spread fewer prions over time, and you’ll probably shoot them before CWD reaches its worst stages for shedding prions.”
Storm put it this way: “The more CWD you have in your area, the more the herd will decline.”
Which areas already exceed 29% infection rates for adult does?
The latest DNR data from a year ago shows southeastern Richland County on the edge at 27%, northwestern Iowa County at 35%, and the Devil’s Lake area in eastern Sauk County at 34%. Further, CWD testing of hunter-killed deer in autumn 2024 shows overall (bucks and does) detection rates at or above 29% in six townships (6-mile by 6-mile areas) in Columbia County, three townships in Dane County, eight townships in Iowa County, 11 townships in Richland County, and 15 townships in Sauk County.
How low will deer populations drop where CWD is endemic?
Storm said CWD won’t exterminate deer, but no one can predict how it will affect specific valleys, woodlands or watersheds. CWD has spread at varying rates in different Wisconsin habitats, and appears to have leveled off at high infection rates in some areas while still rising and spreading in others.
The disease has so far been verified in wild deer in 48 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, even though testing has been totally voluntary for years.
During the 2024 hunting season, 1,755 more deer tested positive for CWD across the state, a record 10.4% detection rate despite the least amount of samples (16,939) volunteered since 2017. Richland County hunters provided the most samples, 1,335, in 2024, and 444 (33.4%) had CWD.
https://www.antigojournal.com/sports/outdoors/durkin-wisconsin-dnr-says-cwd-sinking-deer-herds-in-disease-endemic-areas/article_cb73b5ca-dd9e-11ef-853c-d3fb206ddf8c.html
18% of mule deer in northeastern Montana have deadly chronic wasting disease “In the 2024-25 hunting FWP submitted 9,066 samples for chronic wasting disease testing – the largest number of CWD samples ever collected in a single year. More than 1,100 of these samples were collected by hunters. Of those samples, 335 tested positive for the disease, including 202 white-tailed deer, 127 mule deer and six elk.”
https://billingsgazette.com/outdoors/article_de5278b8-f2e1-11ef-b479-cf42652717a4.html
Southwest Wisconsin CWD, Deer and Predator Study
key takeaways ;
CWD substantially reduces deer survival rates and suppresses population growth.
Where CWD prevalence is high, deer populations are likely declining.
If CWD continues to spread, it will eventually impact deer populations elsewhere.
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/research/projects/dpp/StudyResults
MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2025
Wisconsin DNR 2024 CWD 1,786 samples testing positive
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/wisconsin-dnr-2024-cwd-1786-samples.html
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE 2025-2014 CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD TSE CERVID
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/09/usda-explanatory-notes-animal-and-plant.html
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
USDA National Scrapie Program History and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE TSE Update 2025
https://bovineprp.blogspot.com/2025/09/usda-national-scrapie-program-history.html
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
USDA National Scrapie Program History and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE TSE Update 2025
https://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/2025/09/usda-national-scrapie-program-history.html
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2025
Captive Cervid and the Economic Burden of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion?
The economic burden of ignoring CWD would be far greater, imo, with time, if no cervid were left, or just a select few, if the environment/property was so exposed and saturated with CWD, that you couldn’t sell it, you couldn’t grow crops because of the soil saturation of the CWD, water tables saturated with CWD, saturation of hay, grains, from crops uptake on said property, cervid meat saturated from Cervid CWD, remember, You cannot cook the TSE prion disease out of meat, In fact new data now shows that exposure to high temperatures used to cook the meat increased the availability of prions for in vitro amplification. So, what Do we do, how many humans and animals do we continue to expose, continue to saturate with the CWD TSE Prion, …
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/10/captive-cervid-and-economic-burden-of.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/183/captive-cervid-economic-burden-prion
so, this is what we leave our children and grandchildren?
Captive CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CASES Update August 2025
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/status-of-captive-herds.pdf
Captive CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CASES Update August 2025, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Utah, and Texas
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/status-of-captive-herds.pdf
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/08/texas-game-wardens-near-conclusion-of.html
“APHIS’ voluntary national CWD Herd Certification Plan (HCP) helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds.”
Trucking CWD TSE Prion
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion of Cervid
“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.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016758772400271X
“Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease and can devastate deer populations by silently spreading through direct animal contact and contaminated environments. Without close monitoring, illegal movement of captive deer increases the risk of introducing CWD to areas it is not known to exist, potentially leading to widespread outbreaks which will impact more than just the health of Texas deer.”
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250227b
Texas Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Dashboard Update August 2025
SEE NEW DASHBOARD FOR CWD POSITIVES!
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8f6c27330c444a19b4b57beb7ffabb8b/page/Dashboard#data_s=id%3AdataSource_3-1966d773e34-layer-10%3A29
Texas CWD total by calendar years
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2024/12/texas-cwd-tse-prion-positive-samples-by.html
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/positive-cases/listing-cwd-cases-texas.phtml#texasCWD
Counties where CWD Exposed Deer were Released
https://tpwd.texas.gov/documents/257/CWD-Trace-OutReleaseSites.pdf
Number of CWD Exposed Deer Released by County
https://tpwd.texas.gov/documents/258/CWD-Trace-OutReleaseSites-NbrDeer.pdf
CWD Status Captive Herds
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/status-of-captive-herds.pdf
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2025
TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE: 50 CWD CASES AT SITE OF INITIAL POSITIVE IN WASHINGTON CO., BUT NO NEW CASES IN WILD
Eichler said the 50 positive cases represented roughly a third of the facility’s adult herd – the fawns, none older than 5 months of age, were not tested – and were spread across all age groups and both sexes. He said at the time of the depopulation, 72 deer were missing from the reported herd inventory and were presumed dead.
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/10/texas-parks-wildlife-50-cwd-cases-at.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/182/cases-site-initial-positive-washington
“He said at the time of the depopulation, 72 deer were missing from the reported herd inventory and were presumed dead.”
In Canada, BSE days, they call that the SSS policy, shoot, shovel, and shut the hell up…terry
Texas Game Wardens Near Conclusion of ‘Ghost Deer’ Case with 24 Suspects, 1,400 Charges Filed Statewide
Aug. 14, 2025
Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030
AUSTIN – The Texas Game Warden investigation known as "Ghost Deer" has reached a possible conclusion after two additional suspects turned themselves in on felony charges. This brings the total number of individuals implicated in the case to 24, with approximately 1,400 charges filed across 11 Texas counties.
Ken Schlaudt, 64, of San Antonio, the owner of four deer breeding facilities and one release site, along with facility manager Bill Bowers, 55, of San Angelo, surrendered to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office on charges of felony tampering with a governmental record. Both men allegedly entered false information into the Texas Wildlife Information Management System (TWIMS) to facilitate illegal smuggling of white-tailed breeder deer. They also face more than 100 misdemeanor charges related to unlawful breeder deer activities in Tom Green County.
The "Ghost Deer" investigation has uncovered widespread, coordinated deer breeding violations including, but not limited to: smuggling captive breeder deer and free-range whitetail deer between breeder facilities and ranches, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing violations, license violations and misdemeanor and felony drug charges relating to the possession and mishandling of prescribed sedation drugs classified as controlled substances.
The suspects charged in the case include:
Evan Bircher, 59, San Antonio Vernon Carr, 55, Corpus Christi Jarrod Croaker, 47, Corpus Christi Terry Edwards, 54, Angleton Joshua Jurecek, 41, Alice Justin Leinneweber, 36, Orange Grove James Mann, 53, Odem Gage McKinzie, 28, Normanna Herbert “Tim” McKinzie, 47, Normanna Eric Olivares, 47, Corpus Christi Bruce Pipkin, 57, Beaumont Dustin Reynolds, 38, Robstown Kevin Soto, 55, Hockley Jared Utter, 52, Pipe Creek Reed Vollmering, 32, Orange Grove Clint West, 56, Beaumont James Whaley, 49, Sevierville, Tenn. Ryder Whitstine, 19, Rockport Ryker Whitstine, 21, Rockport Claude Wilhelm, 52, Orange Cases are pending adjudication in Bandera, Bee, Brazoria, Duval, Edwards, Jim Wells, Live Oak, Montgomery, Tom Green, Travis and Webb counties.
The investigation began in March 2024 when game wardens discovered the first violations during a traffic stop.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250206a
That incident led wardens to the much larger network of violations,
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250227b
resulting in one of the largest deer smuggling operations in Texas history.
About Texas Game Wardens
Texas Game Wardens, within the Law Enforcement Division of 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.
If you witness a fishing, wildlife or boating violation in progress, please call 1-800-792-GAME(4263) immediately and report it to Operation Game Thief (OGT), Texas’ Wildlife Crime-Stoppers Program. You can also text your tip by sending the keyword TXOGT plus your tip to 847411 or through the Texas OGT App, available for iOS and Android devices. Dispatchers are available 24/7.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250814c
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2025
Texas Game Wardens Near Conclusion of ‘Ghost Deer’ Case with 24 Suspects, 1,400 Charges Filed Statewide
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/08/texas-game-wardens-near-conclusion-of.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/178/texas-game-wardens-conclusion-ghost
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
Texas CWD TSE Prion Cases Rises to 1099 Confirmed Cases To Date
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/05/texas-cwd-tse-prion-cases-rises-to-1099.html
TAHC 425th Commission Meeting CWD 1:45:00
* See CWD speakers expressing their concerns with changed regulations…
2:00 hr mark
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bWawHpdn_7I
TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION 423rd Commission Meeting CWD Update February 25, 2025
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/texas-animal-health-commission-423rd.html
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2025
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Meeting November 5-6, 2025 Agenda CWD TSE Prion
https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/meetings/2026/1106/agenda/work_session/
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/10/texas-parks-and-wildlife-commission.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/181/tpwc-november-2025-agenda-prion
FY2015 CWD Detections in Farmed Cervids
In FY2015, CWD was identified in eight farmed cervid herds: one whitetailed deer breeding herd in Pennsylvania, one elk breeding herd in Utah (traced back from a hunting facility in Utah), one white-tailed deer (WTD) breeding herd and one WTD hunting preserve in Ohio (owned by the same producer), two WTD breeding herds in Wisconsin, one WTD and elk herd in Texas, and a second WTD herd in Texas (traced from the first positive herd in Texas). The positive animals in Utah, Ohio, and Texas represented the first reported cases of CWD in captive cervids in all three of these States. White-Tailed Deer Breeding Herd, Pennsylvania
On October 6, 2014, the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed CWD in a 6-year-old doe from a captive WTD breeding facility in Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania. The doe was euthanized and tested because she was classified as a CWD-exposed animal that had previously resided in two trace back exposed herds. This herd was assembled in 2013 through the purchase of 16 animals from other HCP-certified herds in Pennsylvania, and had been under quarantine for receiving exposed animals from a trace back exposed herd. The remaining herd of eight WTD was depopulated with Federal indemnity on February 18, 2015, and no additional positive animals were detected. USDA collected samples for research purposes.
Elk Breeding Herd, Utah
On December 23, 2014, NVSL confirmed CWD in 3-year-old captive elk. The elk had been at a hunting park located in northern Utah, where he had resided for approximately 3 weeks prior to being hunter killed. All hunter-killed animals at the hunt park are required to be tested for CWD, and this animal
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was sampled through routine surveillance. The elk was traced back to its herd of origin, and that facility was quarantined. The herd was assembled in 1999 with bulls, and later elk cows, that originated from Colorado. Historical testing records for the herd were unavailable. The remaining 70 elk were depopulated using Federal indemnity funds on March 3, 2015, and an additional 25 elk were confirmed as CWD-positive. USDA collected samples for research purposes. White-Tailed Deer Hunting Preserve, Ohio
On October 22, 2014, NVSL confirmed CWD in a buck taken from a captive WTD deer hunting preserve in Ohio. This was the first time that CWD had been detected in Ohio. The preserve was tested as part of Ohio’s CWD monitoring program. The herd had been under quarantine since April 2014 because it was a trace-forward herd associated with a CWD-exposed herd in Pennsylvania. The positive animal was traced to its herd of origin, a captive WTD breeding herd in Pennsylvania, through DNA identity testing. On November 26, 2014, the Ohio State Veterinarian issued an Order of Destruction for animals on the hunting preserve. The State executed this Order on April 27-30, 2015. The herd of 224 WTD was depopulated and no other positives were detected. USDA did not provide Federal indemnity.
White-Tailed Deer Breeding Herd, Ohio
On March 31, 2015, NVSL confirmed CWD infection in a 5-year-old WTD doe from a captive breeding herd in Holmesville, Ohio. The index animal was received from a Wisconsin WTD farm in January 2013. The CWD-positive herd was owned by the same individual as the Ohio hunt preserve that was found to be CWD positive in October 2014. On May 22, 2015, NVSL confirmed a second positive case in the same herd - a yearling WTD doe that was a natural addition in the same breeding herd. The herd had been under quarantine since April 1, 2014 due to epidemiological linkages with two WTD herds in Pennsylvania – one a positive herd and the other a traceback exposed herd. USDA provided Federal indemnity and depopulated this herd on June 15 and 16, 2015. USDA collected samples for research purposes. NVSL confirmed CWD in 16 additional animals in the herd. Of the 16 positives, one was natural addition and the rest were purchased additions. The positive animals were purchased from February 26, 2013 through September 24, 2013, except for one purchased in 2012. Eleven purchased additions traced-back to three herds in Pennsylvania and four purchased additions traced to three other herds in Ohio.
White-Tailed Deer Breeding Herd, Wisconsin
On October 6, 2014, NVSL confirmed CWD in a 2-year-old doe born in June of 2012 that died on a Richland County farm. The facility is within the CWD management zone in Wisconsin. The remaining 51 deer were euthanized on November 20, 2014, and seven additional positives (all males born in 2012) were found. Two of these seven were purchased additions with the last added to the herd in January 2013. All sales from this herd were to shooting preserves. This premise was double fenced and had been compliant in a herd certification program for over ten years.
White-Tailed Deer Breeding Herd, Wisconsin
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
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On June 19, 2015, NVSL confirmed CWD in a seven-year-old female WTD from a breeding facility in Eau Claire County. The doe was a natural addition to this breeding herd. This is the first positive CWD case, captive or wild, in this county. The doe was found dead and was showing no clinical signs of CWD at the time of death. Since 2003, this herd has tested 391 animals for CWD and all had “not detected” results. In addition, 317 animals have tested “not detected” from the associated hunting preserve over the same time period. A second positive natural addition doe from this herd was confirmed positive by NVSL on September 10, 2015. Several escape episodes have occurred from this herd. The herd is currently under quarantine and plans are underway for depopulation with State indemnity.
White-Tailed Deer and Elk Breeding Herd, Texas
On June 30, 2015, NVSL confirmed CWD in a 2-year-old WTD buck from a captive WTD and elk breeding herd in Medina County, Texas, approximately 500 miles from previously reported positive free-ranging mule deer in far West Texas. This was the first time that the disease had been detected in farmed cervids in the State. The index buck was born on the premises and found dead on June 18, 2015. Over 40 high-risk deer (i.e., pen mates, dam, others) were euthanized and tested after the index case was found. The NVSL confirmed CWD infection in two of those deer. Interestingly, all three of the positive deer identified to date on this premises have the same AI sire. However, the significance of this finding is unclear. In the past five years, records indicate that 130 WTD from 33 facilities moved into the positive herd and 838 WTD moved out of the positive herd to 147 different herds. One positive WTD was found in one of these trace-out herds (see herd description below). Additionally, 23 elk were also moved from this herd to another herd in TX in 2014. All trace-outs have been intrastate except for movements to two premises in Mexico. Premises that have received deer from the index herd are under movement restrictions. VS is collaborating with animal health authorities in Mexico. VS paid indemnity and depopulated this herd on September 30, 2015, and no additional positive animals were detected. USDA collected samples for research purposes.
White-Tailed Deer Herd, Texas
On September 14, 2015 NVSL confirmed CWD from tissues from a WTD in Lavaca County, Texas. This animal was a traceout from the first CWD positive herd from June 30, 2015. Additional epidemiology is ongoing.
snip...
Chronic Wasting Disease Risk Perception: Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Krysten Schuler, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine
Additional authors: Alyssa Wetterau, Elizabeth M. Bunting, and Hussni Mohammed
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a disease of concern to agencies, sportsmen, and businesses dependent on cervid species. However, disease risk perceptions may vary considerably between groups on wildlife and agriculture sides. We administered an online survey using Qualtrics survey software to the state wildlife agency (n=20), state agriculture agency (n=20), federal (United States Geological Survey (USGS), USDA) and other state agencies (n=9), academics (n=5), sportsmen (n=45), and captive cervid farmers (n=13) between March 2013 and 2014 to gauge attitudes toward potential hazards for CWD transmission to wild white-tailed deer or captive cervids. Of 15 hazards, the high-ranking risks were CWD existing undetected in the wild >1 year, decreased testing without subsidies, high wild deer densities, fence line contact, intrastate movement and importation of captive deer. State wildlife and agriculture officials ranked risks higher than other groups, with captive cervid farmers 50% below the average. Of six identified
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hazard pathways, importation of live cervids and escaped cervids was the highest risk for the wildlife agency (72% probability of CWD introduction), other agency and academic professionals (45%), and sportsmen (43%,) while the agriculture agency was most concerned by wild deer migration with high deer densities (46%). Captive cervid operators were threatened by importation of wild deer parts and then infected carcasses or parts left on the landscape (29%). Professional groups ranked generalized risks similarly, particularly for wild deer, but varied on the most likely disease pathway scenario. These regulating agencies also ranked risks higher than those in the captive cervid industry. Recommendations from this study include reaching agreement that CWD is a problem and strive for prevention and containment. Adequate funding by state and federal agencies for wildlife health programs and stakeholder education, as well as improved wild deer surveillance, would decrease CWD risks. The captive cervid industry could investigate selfregulation or insurance options, in addition to the USDA program. This information could be used to further investigate risk management and communication strategies.
snip...SEE FULL TEXT;
PROCEEDINGS ONE HUNDRED AND Nineteenth ANNUAL MEETING of the USAHA BSE, CWD, SCRAPIE, PORCINE TSE PRION October 22 28, 2015
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2016/08/proceedings-one-hundred-and-nineteenth.html
This CWD Study Could Change Deer Hunting FOREVER | The Check Station October 8, 2025 NW Arkansas
NW Arkansas CWD 11:25 minutes;
50% of all deer positive for CWD.
35% of Does are Positive for CWD.
68% Bucks are Positive for CWD.
Most Bucks NW Arkansas that where Tested, are Positive for CWD.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=695&v=kTicUE-xsQU&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arkansashunting.net%2F&source_ve_path=MzY4NDIsMzY4NDIsMjg2NjIsMjg2NjIsMjg2NjY
Arkansas CWD Deer Study Final 2025
4. Objective 4 and 6 - Infection rates and population modeling
a. In 2024, CWD sample prevalence was 40% across the study area, with higher rates seen in males (65%) than in females (34%).
b. Approximately 50% of males tested positive for CWD by the age of 2.5.
c. White-tailed deer abundance in the study area declined, driven by reduced lifespans and lower lifetime reproduction.
d. If survival does not increase, this population is expected to continue to decline.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jN5mtvXvz7IYFDQjv4Rasrw60dGe4KMJ/view
Louisiana House of Representative Aug 27, 9:30 AM, HCR-6 CWD
Louisiana House of Representative
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD
(A letter written from a Mississippi farmer who’s farm has been in his family for more than 100 years, and submitted it in this video presentation, 28 minute mark, another wake up call for sure, of what some have been warning for years, about CWD, but sadly will go by the wayside by the conspiracy theorists spreading fake news…terry)
Alston Ross
Marshall County, Mississippi
My family owns a 2,000 acre farm in Marshall County, which is in North Mississippi. CWD has plagued my farm since 2018 and has become progressively worse over time. We no longer have mature deer over the age of 3 years old on our property. Every buck harvested on our land has tested positive this year. The owners of our neighboring properties have continued to feed deer and ignore MDWFP regulations, which has exacerbated the spread of the disease throughout our area. This farm has been in my family for over 100 years, and due to the rapid spread of CWD, we are concerned about the future of our deer herd and the value of our hunting land…end
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Arkansas
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40:35 “…and conversely, I was co-Principle Investigator in NW Arkansas, where prevalence is approaching 50 percent.”
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41:00 “Specific to the work in Arkansas, in 2020, the state agency was showing the Prevalence at 30 percent in the Northwest part of the State, so flip a coin, so, 1 out of every 3 deer had the disease. We started that research in 2020, and now, the prevalence rate is now exceeding 40% in both sexes, and 50% in males.”
43:00 “what we’re seeing Arkansas now is, that population is declining about 11% a year.”
Snip…see full video presentation;
https://house.louisiana.gov/H_Video/VideoArchivePlayer?v=house/2025/Aug/0827_25_NR_Joint
CWD IS RAVAGING MY FAMILY’S LAND, BUT IT’S NOT TOO LATE FOR YOU
September 9, 2025 By: Paul Annear
My first season deer hunting in Wisconsin was 2001, the same season that produced Wisconsin’s first deer to test positive for chronic wasting disease. CWD has always been at the forefront of deer hunting discussions in my time as a hunter, and I’ve watched the disease slowly spread and worsen. Since 2019, eight of 11 deer I’ve taken on my family’s property in Richland County in Southwest Wisconsin have tested positive for CWD – including the buck in the photo above.
Aside from harvesting otherwise perfectly healthy-looking deer that test positive for CWD, we are now seeing live deer walking around in the awful final stages of this disease. Research has now confirmed what I’ve seen occurring on our hunting land in the last five to six years: CWD is beginning to reduce deer populations in high-prevalence areas like mine.
It didn’t have to reach this point. Hunters in areas with low CWD prevalence can keep infection rates low and deer populations healthy overall by accepting and implementing certain strategies. Some of the strategies I will lay out will challenge you as a hunter to play the “long game,” but there are ways to slow the spread of CWD in areas where it is newly discovered and infection rates are still low.
If you’re rolling your eyes at another guy talking about CWD, I get it, but I urge you to keep reading. Hear my personal story, how it has affected my hunting experiences, and what can happen if hunters ignore CWD.
“Where Are the Deer?”
Up until about seven years ago, I was still trying to figure out this CWD thing and what I thought of it all. I hadn’t yet seen or felt the effects. I was trying to improve my hunting in a variety of different ways like everyone else.
In Iowa County, hunters killed only 916 bucks during the 2024 nine-day firearms season. The last time Iowa County recorded less than 1,000 bucks killed during the nine-day firearms season was in 1971.
We began testing every deer taken on our farm in 2019, and with 72% of them testing positive, it’s safe to say we’re in the thick of it. I’m not alone. I speak to countless hunters in Southwest Wisconsin at trade shows and other events, and many of them are saying the same thing: “What is happening? Where are the deer?”
Since 2019, eight of 11 deer taken on Paul’s family land in southwest Wisconsin tested positive for CWD. This wall of bucks includes deer taken since 2006, and six of the more recent bucks added to this wall were CWD-positive.
In Iowa County, hunters killed only 916 bucks during the 2024 nine-day firearms season. The last time Iowa County recorded less than 1,000 bucks killed during the nine-day firearms season was in 1971. Iowa County tested 694 deer during the 2024 deer season, and 25% of deer tested were positive. Richland and Sauk counties both had a 33% positive CWD rate and together tested 2,193 deer. In 2004, a few years after the initial surge of testing occurred in Wisconsin, Richland County tested 1,691 deer and no deer tested positive for CWD. So, we haven’t been finding CWD just because we’re testing more. It arrived and has spread significantly.
The first time I saw what I believed to be CWD up close and personal was in spring 2023 when my dad and I were marching up a steep ridge for an afternoon turkey hunt. Just a short distance into the walk, I spotted a buck with velvet sprouts. “Dad,” I said. “Deer.”
We both thought it was unusual this deer wasn’t bounding off since we were within 40 yards. Springtime bucks are certainly not the paranoid creatures they become in fall, though. So, we closed the distance since we were headed that way and wanted a closer look.
The buck was very clearly sick. The hair on the back of my neck stood up instantly. A better view revealed his shaking, emaciated body and drool spilling from his mouth (see the photo below). His spine, shoulder blades, and scars up and down his legs told me this deer was in the final stage of CWD but had just enough energy to escape a few predators in the days prior. I had begun to wonder why so many of my 3½-year-old bucks never returned, and this moment convinced me CWD is playing a role in bucks constantly disappearing. This buck was days away from dying of holes eaten in his brain. We were able to put him out of his misery with permission from the Wisconsin DNR.
Though CWD has been in his area for more than 20 years, it wasn’t until 2023 that Paul Annear encountered a visibly sick deer. By the time hunters are seeing sick deer in the woods, the infection rate is usually too high to do anything about it.
I travel 200 miles one way to hunt this property in Southwest Wisconsin. The disease has in a way disrupted my motivation to keep traveling here, knowing full well there is a high likelihood of any deer we kill testing positive, resulting in us throwing out the meat. If you don’t hunt in a CWD zone, your routine following a successful hunt is probably simple and relatively careless. The presence of CWD changes that real quick. Shooting a deer means we could be in for a few frustrating weeks to follow as we wait for CWD test results. I’ve wasted countless hours butchering deer only to throw out the venison.
My friend and fellow Wisconsin deer hunter Bradie Ewing follows the same recommended protocols I do regarding CWD-positive venison.
“We have made the decision that we will not eat or feed a CWD positive deer to our kids or family, so this has caused some logistical headaches,” said Bradie. “The investment of time up front in butchering a deer is significant only to later throw it away if its positive.”
In 2020, I had nearly 30 bucks on trail-camera I estimated to be 3½ years old or older. In 2024, I felt confident we had only seven or eight deer in that age class. A stark decrease. I also ran about 20 more trail cameras on this 115-acre property in 2024 than I did in 2020, so fewer photos are not playing a role in my estimation of fewer mature deer. There are simply fewer mature deer, and DNR harvest data shows it’s not because hunters killed more older bucks in recent seasons. It’s because of CWD.
Why do I keep making the drive back to Richland County? My parents have lived on this land since 1987. This is the land where I was born and raised, where I grew up exploring the woods and learning to hunt squirrels and deer. It’s where I feel I belong, and I know that strong emotional attachment will keep me coming back to hunt deer with my family every fall.
Common Sense
Chronic Wasting Disease prions can be shed via saliva at mineral sites. CWD prions can exist in the soil below licking branches in a scrape. We’re never going to eliminate deer-to-deer contact in the wild. But if you’re in a low CWD prevalence area, there are some common-sense practices you should follow. You can learn from a few of my mistakes.
In the last few years, I’ve wondered if we can truly do anything to curb the spread of CWD in extremely high prevalence areas. One day I would feel the CWD battle is worth fighting, then just days later I’d harvest a CWD positive deer and be discouraged to the point of thinking “this is a bridge too far.”
With 33% of deer in Paul’s county now testing positive for CWD, he has begun to see visibly sick deer in the last two years. Paul’s trail-camera captured the photos above and below in fall 2024. Paul found the remains of the buck above three months after this photo was taken. Note: Deer with EHD die within 5 to 10 days of infection, which isn’t enough time for this kind of drastic weight loss.
I told myself I just wanted to get back to hunting. In the midst of these internal battles, I set out a tank-style waterhole on a Southwest Wisconsin property I hunt. While baiting or feeding is illegal in every Southwest Wisconsin county to help slow the spread of disease, the Wisconsin DNR has not banned the creation of artificial water sources. There are limited water resources on this property, and I thought a waterhole would be a unique way to attract deer near a stand site.
I had an abundance of deer visiting the water tank in the few months it was set up. Despite all the trail-camera photos, a famous Aldo Leopold quote would occasionally run through my mind: “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and the beauty of the biotic community – it is wrong if it tends otherwise.”
During the short time I had the waterhole out, I emptied and re-filled it many times since I still wanted to be cognizant of disease transmission. But I have to be honest with myself and admit that if I care about wild deer and the places they live, setting out a small, non-flowing waterhole in a CWD zone was a mistake. Not long after killing a visibly sick, CWD-positive doe that came to drink from the waterhole, we removed it.
In certain regions of the U.S., baiting is just a way of life and how it’s always been done. So, I get the enjoyment and desire to feed or provide artificial water sources for deer. I know hunters in states like Texas and Kansas who would hardly have a deer pass through their land if they didn’t run a feeder.
Are we going to stop the spread of CWD by banning waterholes or baiting? No. But common sense would say those things don’t help an infected herd. Artificially inflating your local deer population in a high CWD prevalence zone by feeding is dangerous because deer that may not otherwise come in contact with one another could share infectious prions at a bait or water site.
Does the presence of CWD mean you should never hang a mock licking branch or plant food plots to improve your hunting opportunities? I believe that’s an unreasonable way of thinking. I am still going to create food plots and mock scrapes. However, I strongly believe we need to practice common sense and realize there are matters we can take into our own hands when it comes to mitigating the spread of CWD. It begins with pulling triggers and landowners making strong, individual decisions regarding their deer herd and holding to them.
Sound Management and Testing
“Earn-A-Buck” was a tool some states used intermittently to effectively manage high deer herds. Wisconsin had implemented EAB off and on beginning in 1996, until it was signed out of law by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. I believe EAB is an effective tool for managing deer herds in some places, and I believe it’s no coincidence CWD rates have steadily increased in Wisconsin since Gov. Walker got rid of the law with pressure from other politicians and interest groups. There are few better incentives to take a doe than requiring it before you can take a buck. The only incentive that worked is now gone.
Earn-A-Buck cannot be signed back into law without the Wisconsin legislature doing so. Wisconsin hunters are left with a distinct choice that Wisconsin hunter Doug Duren is often heard saying. “Where CWD is established or taking hold, we have one of two choices,” Doug says. “We are going to manage the herd and the disease, or CWD is going to do it for us.” Wisconsin has had no effective deer management plan since the elimination of EAB in 2011.
In talking with countless hunters in my region, it appears CWD can be somewhat pocketed even within high prevalence counties like mine. The variability of CWD prevalence within a county could be due to availability of better habitat, people not illegally baiting in certain areas, or for unknown reasons. But we do know that high deer density helps CWD spread faster, so simply continuing to harvest deer – especially does – works. Doe harvest helps keep deer density in balance with the habitat and reduces deer-to-deer spread of CWD, which means healthier deer in all respects. But it’s not just about doe harvest.
Bucks test positive at a higher rate than does because of behaviors like traveling farther during the rut. I would encourage you to be less picky about harvesting bucks if CWD has just been discovered and you’re trying to keep prevalence rates low. NDA’s advice for hunters in CWD zones is to continue managing for older bucks if you wish but apply increased harvest pressure on all bucks 2½ years of age or older.
Do I wish we could go back to those days of low prevalence and undergo targeted removal missions on my family’s land to see if it would prevent or delay the problem we have today? Yes. Sustained harvest on all deer, bucks and does, means a better chance of removing infected deer from the landscape sooner. If hunters back off deer harvest because of CWD, infected deer enjoy greater protection, and they can spread more CWD prions into the environment and to other deer. In fact, every time you harvest a deer that tests positive for CWD, you should look at this as a win in the fight against this disease.
Jason Sumners is the Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation and has guided Missouri through a proactive approach to CWD.
“If all you are doing is testing to show you are doing something, it’s a complete waste of critical agency resources,” said Jason. “Short of documenting the demise of deer and giving some hunters a little more comfort when consuming deer harvested in CWD areas, it’s not doing anything to help the herd.”
What is Missouri doing? A lot of testing but also Targeted harvesting in select zones with landowner approval. In 2025, they’ve killed 4,793 deer with 68 (1.4%) of those being positive. While the CWD positive rate of these targeted removals is still low, that’s the point. This is a relatively small number of deer removed statewide, but because they are removed with precision from sites where deer previously tested positive, sick deer are removed sooner. Missouri is keeping CWD prevalence rates in check throughout these surveillance zones.
Would I have been hesitant to allow targeted deer removal or “sharpshooting”’on my property back when CWD had just been discovered? Yes. Do I wish we could go back to those days of low prevalence and undergo targeted removal missions on my family’s land to see if it would prevent or delay the problem we have today? Yes.
The early stage of CWD is the only stage when intervention and management can hope to hold infection rates low. If you wait until you are seeing sick deer in the woods, which is a sign you are in “late-stage” CWD, it’s too late to do anything about it.
If CWD isn’t in your woods yet, you should still make it a point to submit deer for testing anytime an opportunity is presented. Early detection of a new outbreak is critical. Early detection gives hunters and the state wildlife agency the opportunity to respond. CWD testing isn’t a proclamation of any political views or ideologies. However, it is absolutely a pledge that you care about deer and their future.
Paul Annear grew up hunting with his dad on family land in southwest Wisconsin and is now teaching his son Hudson how to hunt. We Are Not Doomed
I believe there will always be white-tailed deer in my area of Wisconsin. However, within 20 to 25 years, I believe fewer bucks will reach maturity than today, and a lot fewer than when I began hunting over 20 years ago.
This is despite more people than ever before passing younger deer and managing for older deer. I think in some areas like mine with high CWD prevalence, the average age of bucks has already dropped significantly from where it was just a few years ago – at a time when NDA’s Deer Report shows more bucks aged 3½ years old or older being harvested nationally than ever before.
If CWD has been found in your woods, ignoring it will take your hunting down the wrong path. Private landowners especially will play a critical role in properly managing whitetails in America in the next 30 years. I’m reminded of this Aldo Leopold quote: “Conservation will ultimately boil down to rewarding the private landowner who conserves the public interest.”
In this case, public interest is healthy deer. In most of whitetail country, unlike Southwest Wisconsin, it’s not too late to do something. Common-sense practices might seem like a burden to you now, but it’s nothing compared to what I’m experiencing. Ignoring those practices might help your short-term hunting opportunities, but remember you are in the position I wish I could go back to. Ask yourself if the choices you are making now will help conserve a better future for all.
Categories: Hunting
Tags: Chronic Wasting Disease, Cwd
About Paul Annear:
Paul Annear is an avid deer hunter, freelance writer and NDA member from the Driftless Region of southwest Wisconsin.
https://deerassociation.com/cwd-is-ravaging-my-familys-land-but-its-not-too-late-for-you/
Wisconsin DNR says CWD sinking deer herds in disease-endemic areas
PATRICK DURKIN Outdoors Columnist
CWD culprits
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“We can now say it’s not EHD (epizootic hemorrhagic disease), it’s not coyotes, it’s not bobcats, and it’s not earn-a-buck regulations from 15 years ago that are causing the herd declines we’re seeing,” said Dan Storm, the study’s chief researcher. “CWD is the cause, and we have solid evidence to back it up.
This is what’s going on, and so let’s proceed with what to do about it.” “We already did that and look how it went,” Storm said. “Before we lost earn-a-buck (in 2011), hunters dropped Iowa County’s deer herd below 20,000. After earn-a-buck, the herd took 7%, 10% and 12% annual increases until 2020.
That herd should have kept growing, but it didn’t. CWD is pulling it down and boxing it in.” The DNR’s annual post-hunt population estimates show Iowa County’s herd rose 51.3% from 16,900 in 2011 to 25,566, the 2018-2020 three-year average.
The herd has since fallen 15.25% to 21,666, the 2021-2023 three-year average.
Bryan Richards, CWD project leader at the USDA’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, said backing off would backfire. “You won’t recover a population by letting CWD run its course,” Richards said. “When you try to stockpile deer by not shooting, you protect sick deer, too. Contamination worsens and the healthy proportion of the herd declines.
Shooting removes sick deer from the herd sooner than CWD will. They’ll spread fewer prions over time, and you’ll probably shoot them before CWD reaches its worst stages for shedding prions.”
Storm put it this way: “The more CWD you have in your area, the more the herd will decline.”
Which areas already exceed 29% infection rates for adult does?
The latest DNR data from a year ago shows southeastern Richland County on the edge at 27%, northwestern Iowa County at 35%, and the Devil’s Lake area in eastern Sauk County at 34%. Further, CWD testing of hunter-killed deer in autumn 2024 shows overall (bucks and does) detection rates at or above 29% in six townships (6-mile by 6-mile areas) in Columbia County, three townships in Dane County, eight townships in Iowa County, 11 townships in Richland County, and 15 townships in Sauk County.
How low will deer populations drop where CWD is endemic?
Storm said CWD won’t exterminate deer, but no one can predict how it will affect specific valleys, woodlands or watersheds. CWD has spread at varying rates in different Wisconsin habitats, and appears to have leveled off at high infection rates in some areas while still rising and spreading in others.
The disease has so far been verified in wild deer in 48 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, even though testing has been totally voluntary for years.
During the 2024 hunting season, 1,755 more deer tested positive for CWD across the state, a record 10.4% detection rate despite the least amount of samples (16,939) volunteered since 2017. Richland County hunters provided the most samples, 1,335, in 2024, and 444 (33.4%) had CWD.
https://www.antigojournal.com/sports/outdoors/durkin-wisconsin-dnr-says-cwd-sinking-deer-herds-in-disease-endemic-areas/article_cb73b5ca-dd9e-11ef-853c-d3fb206ddf8c.html
18% of mule deer in northeastern Montana have deadly chronic wasting disease “In the 2024-25 hunting FWP submitted 9,066 samples for chronic wasting disease testing – the largest number of CWD samples ever collected in a single year. More than 1,100 of these samples were collected by hunters. Of those samples, 335 tested positive for the disease, including 202 white-tailed deer, 127 mule deer and six elk.”
https://billingsgazette.com/outdoors/article_de5278b8-f2e1-11ef-b479-cf42652717a4.html
Southwest Wisconsin CWD, Deer and Predator Study
key takeaways ;
CWD substantially reduces deer survival rates and suppresses population growth.
Where CWD prevalence is high, deer populations are likely declining.
If CWD continues to spread, it will eventually impact deer populations elsewhere.
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/research/projects/dpp/StudyResults
MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2025
Wisconsin DNR 2024 CWD 1,786 samples testing positive
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/wisconsin-dnr-2024-cwd-1786-samples.html
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE 2025-2014 CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CWD TSE CERVID
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/09/usda-explanatory-notes-animal-and-plant.html
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
USDA National Scrapie Program History and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE TSE Update 2025
https://bovineprp.blogspot.com/2025/09/usda-national-scrapie-program-history.html
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
USDA National Scrapie Program History and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE TSE Update 2025
https://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/2025/09/usda-national-scrapie-program-history.html
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2025
Captive Cervid and the Economic Burden of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion?
The economic burden of ignoring CWD would be far greater, imo, with time, if no cervid were left, or just a select few, if the environment/property was so exposed and saturated with CWD, that you couldn’t sell it, you couldn’t grow crops because of the soil saturation of the CWD, water tables saturated with CWD, saturation of hay, grains, from crops uptake on said property, cervid meat saturated from Cervid CWD, remember, You cannot cook the TSE prion disease out of meat, In fact new data now shows that exposure to high temperatures used to cook the meat increased the availability of prions for in vitro amplification. So, what Do we do, how many humans and animals do we continue to expose, continue to saturate with the CWD TSE Prion, …
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/10/captive-cervid-and-economic-burden-of.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/183/captive-cervid-economic-burden-prion
so, this is what we leave our children and grandchildren?
Captive CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CASES Update August 2025
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/status-of-captive-herds.pdf
Captive CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CASES Update August 2025, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Utah, and Texas
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/status-of-captive-herds.pdf
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/08/texas-game-wardens-near-conclusion-of.html
“APHIS’ voluntary national CWD Herd Certification Plan (HCP) helps States, Tribes, and the cervid industry control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from certified herds.”
Trucking CWD TSE Prion
Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion of Cervid
“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.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016758772400271X
“Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease and can devastate deer populations by silently spreading through direct animal contact and contaminated environments. Without close monitoring, illegal movement of captive deer increases the risk of introducing CWD to areas it is not known to exist, potentially leading to widespread outbreaks which will impact more than just the health of Texas deer.”
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250227b
Texas Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion Dashboard Update August 2025
SEE NEW DASHBOARD FOR CWD POSITIVES!
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8f6c27330c444a19b4b57beb7ffabb8b/page/Dashboard#data_s=id%3AdataSource_3-1966d773e34-layer-10%3A29
Texas CWD total by calendar years
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2024/12/texas-cwd-tse-prion-positive-samples-by.html
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/positive-cases/listing-cwd-cases-texas.phtml#texasCWD
Counties where CWD Exposed Deer were Released
https://tpwd.texas.gov/documents/257/CWD-Trace-OutReleaseSites.pdf
Number of CWD Exposed Deer Released by County
https://tpwd.texas.gov/documents/258/CWD-Trace-OutReleaseSites-NbrDeer.pdf
CWD Status Captive Herds
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/status-of-captive-herds.pdf
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2025
TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE: 50 CWD CASES AT SITE OF INITIAL POSITIVE IN WASHINGTON CO., BUT NO NEW CASES IN WILD
Eichler said the 50 positive cases represented roughly a third of the facility’s adult herd – the fawns, none older than 5 months of age, were not tested – and were spread across all age groups and both sexes. He said at the time of the depopulation, 72 deer were missing from the reported herd inventory and were presumed dead.
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/10/texas-parks-wildlife-50-cwd-cases-at.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/182/cases-site-initial-positive-washington
“He said at the time of the depopulation, 72 deer were missing from the reported herd inventory and were presumed dead.”
In Canada, BSE days, they call that the SSS policy, shoot, shovel, and shut the hell up…terry
Texas Game Wardens Near Conclusion of ‘Ghost Deer’ Case with 24 Suspects, 1,400 Charges Filed Statewide
Aug. 14, 2025
Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030
AUSTIN – The Texas Game Warden investigation known as "Ghost Deer" has reached a possible conclusion after two additional suspects turned themselves in on felony charges. This brings the total number of individuals implicated in the case to 24, with approximately 1,400 charges filed across 11 Texas counties.
Ken Schlaudt, 64, of San Antonio, the owner of four deer breeding facilities and one release site, along with facility manager Bill Bowers, 55, of San Angelo, surrendered to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office on charges of felony tampering with a governmental record. Both men allegedly entered false information into the Texas Wildlife Information Management System (TWIMS) to facilitate illegal smuggling of white-tailed breeder deer. They also face more than 100 misdemeanor charges related to unlawful breeder deer activities in Tom Green County.
The "Ghost Deer" investigation has uncovered widespread, coordinated deer breeding violations including, but not limited to: smuggling captive breeder deer and free-range whitetail deer between breeder facilities and ranches, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing violations, license violations and misdemeanor and felony drug charges relating to the possession and mishandling of prescribed sedation drugs classified as controlled substances.
The suspects charged in the case include:
Evan Bircher, 59, San Antonio Vernon Carr, 55, Corpus Christi Jarrod Croaker, 47, Corpus Christi Terry Edwards, 54, Angleton Joshua Jurecek, 41, Alice Justin Leinneweber, 36, Orange Grove James Mann, 53, Odem Gage McKinzie, 28, Normanna Herbert “Tim” McKinzie, 47, Normanna Eric Olivares, 47, Corpus Christi Bruce Pipkin, 57, Beaumont Dustin Reynolds, 38, Robstown Kevin Soto, 55, Hockley Jared Utter, 52, Pipe Creek Reed Vollmering, 32, Orange Grove Clint West, 56, Beaumont James Whaley, 49, Sevierville, Tenn. Ryder Whitstine, 19, Rockport Ryker Whitstine, 21, Rockport Claude Wilhelm, 52, Orange Cases are pending adjudication in Bandera, Bee, Brazoria, Duval, Edwards, Jim Wells, Live Oak, Montgomery, Tom Green, Travis and Webb counties.
The investigation began in March 2024 when game wardens discovered the first violations during a traffic stop.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250206a
That incident led wardens to the much larger network of violations,
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250227b
resulting in one of the largest deer smuggling operations in Texas history.
About Texas Game Wardens
Texas Game Wardens, within the Law Enforcement Division of 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.
If you witness a fishing, wildlife or boating violation in progress, please call 1-800-792-GAME(4263) immediately and report it to Operation Game Thief (OGT), Texas’ Wildlife Crime-Stoppers Program. You can also text your tip by sending the keyword TXOGT plus your tip to 847411 or through the Texas OGT App, available for iOS and Android devices. Dispatchers are available 24/7.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250814c
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2025
Texas Game Wardens Near Conclusion of ‘Ghost Deer’ Case with 24 Suspects, 1,400 Charges Filed Statewide
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/08/texas-game-wardens-near-conclusion-of.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/178/texas-game-wardens-conclusion-ghost
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
Texas CWD TSE Prion Cases Rises to 1099 Confirmed Cases To Date
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/05/texas-cwd-tse-prion-cases-rises-to-1099.html
TAHC 425th Commission Meeting CWD 1:45:00
* See CWD speakers expressing their concerns with changed regulations…
2:00 hr mark
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bWawHpdn_7I
TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION 423rd Commission Meeting CWD Update February 25, 2025
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/texas-animal-health-commission-423rd.html
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2025
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Meeting November 5-6, 2025 Agenda CWD TSE Prion
https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/meetings/2026/1106/agenda/work_session/
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/10/texas-parks-and-wildlife-commission.html
https://prpsc.proboards.com/thread/181/tpwc-november-2025-agenda-prion
***> 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. <***
https://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0411/0411adop.pdf
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.
https://www.tahc.texas.gov/agency/meetings/minutes/SummaryMinutes_CommMtg_2020-09-22
http://web.archive.org/web/20201017124040/https://www.tahc.texas.gov/agency/meetings/minutes/SummaryMinutes_CommMtg_2020-09-22.pdf
Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas A Real Disease with Proven Impacts
Produced by a coalition of concerned hunters, landowners, & conservationists (last update 1/2025)
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b93f528938ac48e9b56dcc79953cbec0
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.
https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/articles/tierra-grande/oh-d
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.''
https://youtu.be/aoPDeGL6mpQ?t=1384
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).
https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/meetings/2022/1104/agenda/item.phtml?item=5
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.
https://www.mdwfp.com/media/254796/2016-17-deer-report.pdf
“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.”
http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/which-side-fence-are-you
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…
https://bit.ly/3xL16Gm
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.
https://bit.ly/3xL16Gm
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.
https://bit.ly/3xL16Gm
ECONOMIC VALUES OF WHITE-TAILED DEER IN TEXAS
2022 SURVEY: PART I
http://web.archive.org/web/20230809171452/https://nri.tamu.edu/media/3702/economic-values-of-white-tailed-deer-in-texas-2022-survey-part-i.pdf
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;
https://www.hcn.org/articles/wildlife-the-disease-devastating-deer-herds-may-also-threaten-human-health-science
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.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19336896.2019.1615197
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.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250227b
Texas Game Wardens Bust Illegal Deer Operations Across the State Feb. 27, 2025
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/texas-game-wardens-bust-illegal-deer.html
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025
TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION 423rd Commission Meeting CWD Update February 25, 2025
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/texas-animal-health-commission-423rd.html
SUNDAY, MAY 04, 2025
Texas Senate Bill 2649 creation of a statewide Chronic Wasting Disease plan
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/05/texas-senate-bill-2649-creation-of.html
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?
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/05/texas-senate-bill-2651-establishment-of_4.html
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
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/texas-sb-2843-directs-tpwd-to-conduct.html
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2025
CWD TSE Prion, Politics, Friendly Fire, Unforeseen Consequences, What If?
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/cwd-tse-prion-politics-friendly-fire.html
Friday, February 21, 2025
Deer don’t die from CWD, it’s the insurance companies, or it's a Government conspiracy?
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/02/deer-dont-die-from-cwd-its-insurance.html
THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2025
***> US Captive CWD Positive Herds Update April 2025
https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2025/04/us-captive-cwd-positive-herds-update.html
Captive CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CASES Update August 2025
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/status-of-captive-herds.pdf
Sunday, November 9, 2025
Feline and Canine Spongiform Encephalopathy TSE Prion Disease, Pet Food, and the FDA PART 589 SUBSTANCES PROHIBITED FROM USE IN ANIMAL FOOD, what if?
https://fdabse589.blogspot.com/2025/11/feline-and-canine-spongiform.html
I can’t imagine trying to regulate CWD, and any human zoonosis there from, as they tried to do with BSE TSE Prion aka mad cow disease, especially with CWD TSE being more virulent and more infectious…a terrible worst case scenario, are we there yet?
SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2023
Abandoned factory ‘undoubtedly’ contains dormant Mad Cow Disease that could threaten humans, Thruxted Mill, Queniborough CJD
https://bseinquiry.blogspot.com/2023/03/abandoned-factory-undoubtedly-contains.html
DFA Draft Factual Accounts
DFA 11 "The Touch Test"
DFA 14
Consideration of the Risk from Mechanically Recovered Meat (MRM) in 1989-1990 Draft Factual Accounts 9 July 1999
http://web.archive.org/web/20001219041200/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa14.htm
DFA 15
Monitoring and Enforcement of the SBO Regulations Draft Factual Accounts 9 July 1999
http://web.archive.org/web/20001219080500/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa15.htm
DFA 16: MID 1995 TO THE FINAL DAYS
http://web.archive.org/web/20001121091600/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa16.htm
DFA 17
http://web.archive.org/web/20001219215500/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa17.htm
DFA 26 Public Pronouncements by the CMO, May 1990 29 November 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa26.pdf
DFA 25 Notification of the Ruminant Feed Ban to non-EC countries 4 November 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa25.pdf
DFA 24 Public Pronouncements by the CMO on the human heath implications of BSE, March 1993 and June 1993. 6 December 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa24.pdf
DFA 23 Maff statements in 1990 about a cat with a spongiform encephalopathy16 November 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa23.pdf
DFA 22 MIADFA 21 Cattle Tracking 23 November 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa21.pdf
DFA 20 Introduction of the ruminant feed ban and compulsory notification of BSE in Northern Ireland3 December 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa20.pdf
DFA 19 Dissection of Bovine Eye balls 8 November 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa19.pdf
DFA 18 Cosmetics 29 October 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa18.pdf
DFA 17 Medicines and medical devices 7 October 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa17.pdf
DFA 17
http://web.archive.org/web/20001219215500/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa17.htm
DFA 16 Mid 1995 to the final days 7 July 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa16.pdf
DFA 16: MID 1995 TO THE FINAL DAYS
http://web.archive.org/web/20001121091600/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa16.htm
DFA 15 Monitoring and Enforcements of the SBO Regulations 9 July 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa15.pdf
DFA 15
Monitoring and Enforcement of the SBO Regulations Draft Factual Accounts 9 July 1999
http://web.archive.org/web/20001219080500/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa15.htm
DFA 14 Consideration of the Risk from Mechanically Recovered Meat (MRM) in 1989 9 July 1999
https://web.archive.org/web/20001209084800/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa14.pdf
DFA 14
Consideration of the Risk from Mechanically Recovered Meat (MRM) in 1989-1990 Draft Factual Accounts 9 July 1999
http://web.archive.org/web/20001219041200/http://www.bse.org.uk/dfa/dfa14.htm
BSE Inquiry Issues Factual Accounts.
https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20090505205439mp_/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/ia/ia2/tab11.pdf
BSE Inquiry Issues more Factual Accounts, 22nd January 1999.
https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20090505205439mp_/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/ia/ia2/tab12.pdf
BSE Inquiry Issues more Factual Accounts, 26th January 1999.
https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20090505205439mp_/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/ia/ia2/tab13.pdf
07 February 1997 A4-0020/97
(To obtain the full text of this report in DA, EL, ES, IT, NL, PT, FI or SV , please consult " Plenary sessions" in the language of your choice, select option "Reports - by A4 number" and search for "A4-0020/97")
REPORT
on alleged contraventions or maladministration in the implementation of Community law in relation to BSE, without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the Community and national courts
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/conferences/19981130/bse/a4002097_en.htm#:~:text=At%20its%20meetings%20of%2013,submitted%20on%207%20February%201997.
BSE Inquiry Draft Factual Accounts DFAs
https://bseinquiry.blogspot.com/2022/08/bse-inquiry-draft-factual-accounts-dfas.html
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023
The Mad Cow That Stole Christmas, 20 Years Later
The Mad Cow That Stole Christmas, 20 Years Later, What Has Changed, Nothing
THE USA has systematically covered up mad cow disease, in my honest opinion, the USA mad cow disease today, is Chronic Wasting Disease CWD TSE Prion disease in Cervid, they can't cover that up.
https://animalhealthreportpriontse.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-mad-cow-that-stole-christmas-23.html
Control of Chronic Wasting Disease OMB Control Number: 0579-0189APHIS-2021-0004 Singeltary Submission
https://www.regulations.gov/comment/APHIS-2021-0004-0002
https://downloads.regulations.gov/APHIS-2021-0004-0002/attachment_1.pdf
Docket No. APHIS-2018-0011 Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification
https://www.regulations.gov/document/APHIS-2018-0011-0003
https://downloads.regulations.gov/APHIS-2018-0011-0003/attachment_1.pdf
Docket No. FDA-2003-D-0432 (formerly 03D-0186) Use of Material from Deer and Elk in Animal Feed
PUBLIC SUBMISSION
Comment from Terry Singeltary Sr.
Posted by the Food and Drug Administration on May 17, 2016 Comment
Docket No. FDA-2003-D-0432 (formerly 03D-0186) Use of Material from Deer and Elk in Animal Feed Singeltary Submission
https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FDA-2003-D-0432-0011
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FDA-2003-D-0432
APHIS Indemnity Regulations [Docket No. APHIS-2021-0010] RIN 0579-AE65 Singeltary Comment Submission
Comment from Singeltary Sr., Terry
Posted by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on Sep 8, 2022
https://www.regulations.gov/comment/APHIS-2021-0010-0003
https://downloads.regulations.gov/APHIS-2021-0010-0003/attachment_1.pdf
Tennessee State Veterinarian Alerts Cattle Owners to Disease Detection Mad Cow atypical L-Type BSE
Friday, May 19, 2023 | 04:12pm NASHVILLE — The Tennessee State Veterinarian is confirming a case of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a cow with ties to Tennessee.
The cow appeared unwell after arriving at a packing company in South Carolina. In alignment with the United States Department of Agriculture’s BSE surveillance program, the animal was isolated and euthanized. It did not enter the food supply. Preliminary investigation has determined the cow originated in southeast Tennessee.
“We are working closely with our federal partners and animal health officials in South Carolina for this response,” State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Beaty said. “That includes determining prior owners and locations where the affected cow lived in Tennessee and tracing siblings and offspring for testing.”
BSE is a chronic degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system of cattle. It is caused by an abnormal prion protein. The atypical form occurs spontaneously at very low levels in all cattle populations, particularly in older animals. Atypical BSE poses no known risk to human health. It is different from the classical form of BSE, which has not been detected in the U.S. since 2003.
BSE is not contagious and therefore is not spread through contact between cattle or with other species. There is no treatment for or vaccine to prevent BSE. The U.S. has a strong surveillance program in place for early detection and to prevent suspect cattle from entering the food supply chain.
Cattle owners are always advised to monitor their herds for health. Cattle affected by BSE may display changes in temperament, abnormal posture, poor coordination, decreased milk production, or loss of condition without noticeable loss of appetite. Owners should report any herd health concerns to their veterinarian or to the State Veterinarian’s office at 615-837-5120.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Animal Health Division is responsible for promoting animal health in Tennessee. The State Veterinarian’s office seeks to prevent the spread of disease through import and movement requirements, livestock traceability, disaster mitigation, and the services of the C.E. Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory. The division collaborates with other health-related stakeholders, academic institutions, and extension services to support One Health, an initiative to improve health for people and animals.
https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/news/2023/5/19/state-veterinarian-alerts-cattle-owners-to-disease-detection.html
USDA Announces Atypical L-Type Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE Detection
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing an atypical case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a neurologic disease of cattle, in an approximately five-year-old or older beef cow at a slaughter plant in South Carolina. This animal never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply or to human health in the United States. Given the United States’ negligible risk status for BSE, we do not expect any trade impacts as a result of this finding.
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed that this cow was positive for atypical L-type BSE. The animal was tested as part of APHIS’s routine surveillance of cattle that are deemed unsuitable for slaughter. The radio frequency identification tag present on the animal is associated with a herd in Tennessee. APHIS and veterinary officials in South Carolina and Tennessee are gathering more information during this ongoing investigation.
Atypical BSE generally occurs in older cattle and seems to arise rarely and spontaneously in all cattle populations.
This is the nation’s 7th detection of BSE. Of the six previous U.S. cases, the first, in 2003, was a case of classical BSE in a cow imported from Canada; the rest have been atypical (H- or L-type) BSE.
The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) recognizes the United States as negligible risk for BSE. As noted in the WOAH guidelines for determining this status, atypical BSE cases do not impact official BSE risk status recognition as this form of the disease is believed to occur spontaneously in all cattle populations at a very low rate. Therefore, this finding of an atypical case will not change the negligible risk status of the United States, and should not lead to any trade issues.
The United States has a longstanding system of interlocking safeguards against BSE that protects public and animal health in the United States, the most important of which is the removal of specified risk materials - or the parts of an animal that would contain BSE should an animal have the disease - from all animals presented for slaughter. The second safeguard is a strong feed ban that protects cattle from the disease. Another important component of our system - which led to this detection - is our ongoing BSE surveillance program that allows USDA to detect the disease if it exists at very low levels in the U.S. cattle population.
More information about this disease is available in the BSE factsheet.
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https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/sa_by_date/sa-2023/bse
May 2, 2023
Docket No. APHIS–2023–0027 Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; National Veterinary Services Laboratories; Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Surveillance Program Singeltary Submission
ONLY by the Grace of God, have we not had a documented BSE outbreak, that and the fact the USDA et al are only testing 25K cattle for BSE, a number too low to find mad cow disease from some 28.9 million beef cows in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2023, down 4% from last year. The number of milk cows in the United States increased to 9.40 million. U.S. calf crop was estimated at 34.5 million head, down 2% from 2021. Jan 31, 2023.
ALL it would take is one BSE positive, yet alone a handful of BSE cases, this is why the Enhanced BSE was shut down, and the BSE testing shut down to 25k, and the BSE GBRs were replaced with BSE MRRs, after the 2003 Christmas Mad cow, the cow that stole Christmas, making it legal to trade BSE, imo.
Document APHIS-2023-0027-0001 BSE Singeltary Comment Submission
https://www.regulations.gov/comment/APHIS-2023-0027-0002
see full submission;
https://downloads.regulations.gov/APHIS-2023-0027-0002/attachment_1.pdf
NOW before you go off and start repeating BSE TSE Prion science that is almost 50 years old, let's be perfectly clear what science is saying today, and especially what the WAHIS/WOAH/OIE et al are saying about the atypical BSE strains... OIE Conclusions on transmissibility of atypical BSE among cattle
Given that cattle have been successfully infected by the oral route, at least for L-BSE, it is reasonable to conclude that atypical BSE is potentially capable of being recycled in a cattle population if cattle are exposed to contaminated feed. In addition, based on reports of atypical BSE from several countries that have not had C-BSE, it appears likely that atypical BSE would arise as a spontaneous disease in any country, albeit at a very low incidence in old cattle. In the presence of livestock industry practices that would allow it to be recycled in the cattle feed chain, it is likely that some level of exposure and transmission may occur. As a result, since atypical BSE can be reasonably considered to pose a potential background level of risk for any country with cattle, the recycling of both classical and atypical strains in the cattle and broader ruminant populations should be avoided.
https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/SST/adhocreports/Bovine%20spongiform%20encephalopathy/AN/A_AhG_BSEsurv_RiskAss_Mar2019.pdf
Annex 7 (contd) AHG on BSE risk assessment and surveillance/March 2019
34 Scientific Commission/September 2019
3. Atypical BSE
The Group discussed and endorsed with minor revisions an overview of relevant literature on the risk of atypical BSE being recycled in a cattle population and its zoonotic potential that had been prepared ahead of the meeting by one expert from the Group. This overview is provided as Appendix IV and its main conclusions are outlined below. With regard to the risk of recycling of atypical BSE, recently published research confirmed that the L-type BSE prion (a type of atypical BSE prion) may be orally transmitted to calves1 . In light of this evidence, and the likelihood that atypical BSE could arise as a spontaneous disease in any country, albeit at a very low incidence, the Group was of the opinion that it would be reasonable to conclude that atypical BSE is potentially capable of being recycled in a cattle population if cattle were to be exposed to contaminated feed. Therefore, the recycling of atypical strains in cattle and broader ruminant populations should be avoided.
4. Definitions of meat-and-bone meal (MBM) and greaves
http://web.oie.int/downld/PROC2020/A_SCAD_Sept2019.pdf
Consumption of L-BSE–contaminated feed may pose a risk for oral transmission of the disease agent to cattle.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5324790/
Thus, it is imperative to maintain measures that prevent the entry of tissues from cattle possibly infected with the agent of L-BSE into the food chain.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3310119/
''H-TYPE BSE AGENT IS TRANSMISSIBLE BY THE ORONASAL ROUTE''
This study demonstrates that the H-type BSE agent is transmissible by the oronasal route. These results reinforce the need for ongoing surveillance for classical and atypical BSE to minimize the risk of potentially infectious tissues entering the animal or human food chains.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=353094
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE TSE Prion Origin USA?, what if?
Research Project: Pathobiology, Genetics, and Detection of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Location: Virus and Prion Research
Title: Sheep are susceptible to the agent of TME by intracranial inoculation and have evidence of infectivity in lymphoid tissues
Author item CASSMANN, ERIC - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE) item MOORE, SARA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE) item SMITH, JODI - Iowa State University item Greenlee, Justin
Submitted to: Frontiers in Veterinary Science Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 11/14/2019 Publication Date: 11/29/2019 Citation: Cassmann, E.D., Moore, S.J., Smith, J.D., Greenlee, J.J. 2019.
Sheep are susceptible to the agent of TME by intracranial inoculation and have evidence of infectivity in lymphoid tissues.
Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 6:430. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00430. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00430
Interpretive Summary: Prion diseases are protein misfolding diseases that are transmissible between animals. The outcome of prion infection is irreversible brain damage and death. Transmission can occur between animals of the same or different species, however, transmission between different species is usually less efficient due to the species barrier, which results from differences in the amino acid sequence of the prion protein between the donor and recipient species. The present work evaluated whether transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) can infect sheep. Our results demonstrate that sheep are susceptible to the TME agent and that the TME agent has similar properties to the agent of L-type atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (L-BSE). This work supports the ideas that L-BSE is a possible source for TME in mink and that the practice of feeding cattle with neurologic disease to mink should be avoided. This information is important to farmers who raise cattle, sheep, or mink.
Technical Abstract: Transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) is a food borne prion disease. Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests similarities between the agent of TME and L-BSE. This experiment demonstrates the susceptibility of four different genotypes of sheep to the agent of TME by intracranial inoculation. The four genotypes of sheep used in this experiment had polymorphisms corresponding to codons 136 and 171 of the prion gene: VV136QQ171, AV136QQ171, AA136QQ171, and AA136QR171. All intracranially inoculated sheep without comorbidities (15/15) developed clinical scrapie and had detectable PrPSc by immunohistochemistry, western blot, and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The mean incubation periods in TME infected sheep correlated with their relative genotypic susceptibility. There was peripheral distribution of PrPSc in the trigeminal ganglion and neuromuscular spindles; however, unlike classical scrapie and C-BSE in sheep, ovine TME did not accumulate in the lymphoid tissue. To rule out the presence of infectious, but proteinase K susceptible PrPSc, the lymph nodes of two sheep genotypes, VV136QQ171 and AA136QQ171, were bioassayed in transgenic ovinized mice. None of the mice (0/32) inoculated by the intraperitoneal route had detectable PrPSc by EIA. Interestingly, mice intracranially inoculated with RPLN tissue from a VV136QQ171 sheep were EIA positive (3/17) indicating that sheep inoculated with TME harbor infectivity in their lymph nodes. Western blot analysis demonstrated similarities in the migration patterns between ovine TME and the bovine TME inoculum. Overall, these results demonstrate that sheep are susceptible to the agent of TME, and that the tissue distribution of PrPSc in TME infected sheep is distinct from classical scrapie.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=363305
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=360665
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=373668
Previous work has shown that the Stetsonville, WI outbreak of TME could have been precipitated by feeding mink a downer cow with atypical BSE; therefore, it very well may have originated from a cow with L-BSE. The agent of TME appears to remain stable, and it has a high transmission efficiency after a sequence of interspecies transmission events. Although C-BSE is the archetypal foodborne TSE, our findings indicate that L-BSE and bTME have greater transmission efficiencies in bovinized mice. Previous work has demonstrated that L-BSE also is more virulent than C-BSE in mice expressing the human prion protein [46, 55]. Although the documented incidence of L-BSE is low, the propensity of L-BSE and the TME agent to cross species barriers support the continued monitoring for atypical BSE.
https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-020-02611-0
***>This work supports the ideas that L-BSE is a possible source for TME in mink and that the practice of feeding cattle with neurologic disease to mink should be avoided. This information is important to farmers who raise cattle, sheep, or mink.<***
1985
Evidence That Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy Results from Feeding Infected Cattle Over the next 8-10 weeks, approximately 40% of all the adult mink on the farm died from TME.
snip...
The rancher was a ''dead stock'' feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle...
https://web.archive.org/web/20090506002258/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20090506001031/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09a/tab01.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20090506024922/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/yb/1987/06/10004001.pdf
Specified Risk Materials DOCKET NUMBER Docket No. FSIS-2022-0027 Singeltary Submission Attachment
https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FSIS-2022-0027-0002
https://downloads.regulations.gov/FSIS-2022-0027-0002/attachment_1.pdf
Title: Bovine adapted transmissible mink encephalopathy is similar to L-BSE after passage through sheep with the VRQ/VRQ genotype but not VRQ/ARQ
Author Cassmann, Eric MOORE, SARA, J, SARA - Orise Fellow KOKEMULLAR, ROBYN - Non ARS Employee BALKEMA-BUSCHMAN, A - Friedrich-Loeffler-institute GROSCHUP, M - Friedrich-Loeffler-institut Nicholson, Eric Greenlee, Justin
Submitted to: BMC Veterinary Research Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 10/2/2020 Publication Date: 10/8/2020
Citation: Cassmann, E.D., Moore, Sara, J, S.J., Kokemullar, R.D., Balkema-Buschman, A., Groschup, M., Nicholson, E.M., Greenlee, J.J. 2020. Bovine adapted transmissible mink encephalopathy is similar to L-BSE after passage through sheep with the VRQ/VRQ genotype but not VRQ/ARQ. BMC Veterinary Research. 16. Article 383. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-02611-0.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-02611-0
Interpretive Summary: Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are fatal brain diseases that affect livestock species. A prion disease of cattle known as Mad Cow Disease, or classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (C-BSE), broke out in the UK from 1986-1998. The disease affected millions of cattle and over 180,000 were confirmed positive. Food products from affected cattle that were consumed by humans led to a disease in people called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Another example of cross-species transmission occurs in mink. Mink that are fed prion contaminated food results in a disease called transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME). The present study was designed to determine the effect of cross-species transmission of prion diseases in livestock on the ability to infect mice expressing the cattle prion protein. We found that passing cattle adapted TME prions from cattle to sheep changed the ability of the prions to infect mice. These results were compared to atypical BSE (L-BSE type) and Classical BSE. Depending on the genotype of sheep used, the disease in mice appeared similar to either L-BSE or C-BSE. These results indicate a shift in the disease outcome based on transmission through sheep with different genotypes. This information gives insight into the genesis of new prion strains. It also supports the hypothesis that TME can originate from feeding mink protein from cattle afflicted with L-BSE.
Technical Abstract: Transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) is a fatal neurologic disease of farmed mink. Epidemiological and experimental evidence indicates that TME and L-BSE are similar and may be linked in some outbreaks of TME. We previously transmitted bovine adapted TME (bTME) to sheep; the present study compared ovine bTME (o-bTME) to C-BSE and L-BSE in transgenic mice expressing wild type bovine prion protein (TgBovXV). Sheep donor genotype elicited variable disease phenotypes in bovinized mice. Inoculum derived from a sheep with the VRQ/VRQ genotype (o-bTMEVV) resulted in an attack rate, incubation period, immunoblot profile, and neuropathology most similar to bTME and L-BSE. Conversely, sheep with the VRQ/ARQ genotype (o-bTMEAV) elicited a phenotype distinct from the bTME and L-BSE. Instead, o-bTMEAV led to a disease phenotype with partial similarity to C-BSE. To determine the transmission efficiency of all TSEs in this study, we considered attack rate, mean incubation period, and the relative quantity of PrPSc in the samples. The TSE with the highest transmission capability in bovinized mice was L-BSE. The tendency to efficiently transmit to TgBovXV mice decreased in the following order bTME, C-BSE, o-bTMEVV, and o-bTMEAV. The transmission efficiency of L-BSE was approximately 1.3 times higher than o-bTMEVV and 4 times higher than o-bTMEAV. Our findings provide insight on how sheep host genotype modulates strain genesis and influences interspecies transmission characteristics. Given the similarities between TME and L-BSE, their efficient interspecies transmission capabilities, and previous reports of L-BSE transmission to mice expressing the human prion protein, continued monitoring for atypical BSE is advisable in order to prevent occurrences of interspecies transmission that may affect humans or other species.
“Given the similarities between TME and L-BSE, their efficient interspecies transmission capabilities, and previous reports of L-BSE transmission to mice expressing the human prion protein, continued monitoring for atypical BSE is advisable in order to prevent occurrences of interspecies transmission that may affect humans or other species.”
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=373668
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
***> WAHIS, WOAH, OIE, United States of America Bovine spongiform encephalopathy Immediate notification
https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5067
US NATIONAL PRION DISEASE PATHOLOGY SURVEILLANCE CENTER CJD TSE REPORT SEPTEMBER 2025
From the first full year of reporting CJD TSE in the US in 2000, where 90 cases of CJD was reported that year, to today, where in September 2025, the number of CJD cases reported in the last full year reporting, which would have been 2024, the number of CJD cases for 2024 was 249 cases. So, from the first full year 2000 CJD cases were 90 cases confirmed in that year, to 2024, where 2024 CJD statistics rose to 249 confirmed CJD cases in a single year. A dramatic increase in deaths, from figures that don’t seem to be dramatic. But thes figures today, they are not from “better surveillance”, that dog don’t hunt no more. They have been saying this for over 25 years, year after year, well it’s time to call it for what it is, Human Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy TSE Prion cases are rising, and it’s NOT because of better surveillance, or just a “happenstance of bad luck, that 85%+ of all human cases, sporadic CJD, including VPSPr, just happen spontaneously, no, it’s because of unknown environmental factors, and or iatrogenic factors, imho…terry
US NATIONAL PRION DISEASE PATHOLOGY SURVEILLANCE CENTER CJD TSE REPORT SEPTEMBER 2025
https://prionunitusaupdate.blogspot.com/2025/10/us-national-prion-disease-pathology.html
Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
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