Texas Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Kerr County Deer Breeding Facility

Texas Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Kerr County Deer Breeding Facility

Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Kerr County Deer Breeding Facility

Oct. 31, 2024

Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030

AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) received confirmation of one case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a Kerr County deer breeding facility, marking the first confirmed detection in the county.

A three-year-old female white-tailed deer tested positive using postmortem testing conducted to meet CWD surveillance requirements for the facility. Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) initially analyzed the samples, and the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa confirmed the CWD detections.

CWD has an incubation period that can span years, so the first indication of the disease in a herd is often found through routine surveillance testing rather than observed clinical signs. Early detection and proactive monitoring improve the state’s response time to the detection of CWD and can greatly reduce the risk of further disease spread. TAHC and TPWD remind all deer breeders of requirements to report mortalities within seven days of detection and submit CWD test samples within seven days of collection.

CWD is a fatal neurological disease found in certain cervids including deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family. This slow, progressive disease may not produce visible signs in susceptible species for several years after infection. As the disease process continues, animals with CWD may show changes in behavior and appearance. Clinical signs may include progressive weight loss, stumbling or tremors with a lack of coordination, loss of appetite, teeth grinding, abnormal head posture and/or drooping ears, and excessive thirst, salivation or urination.

In Texas, the disease was first discovered in 2012 in free-ranging mule deer along a remote area of the Hueco Mountains near the Texas-New Mexico border. CWD has since been detected in Texas captive and free-ranging cervids, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer and elk.

For more information on previous detections in Texas, surveillance and containment zones, movement restrictions, and CWD best management practices for hunters and landowners, visit TPWD’s CWD page or TAHC’s CWD page.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20241031a

https://www.tahc.texas.gov/news/2024/2024-10-31-CWD_KerrCo.pdf

TPWD CWD Tracker page is still woefully outdated

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/positive-cases/listing-cwd-cases-texas.phtml

Texas CWD TSE Prion TPWD Confirming 213 More Positive Cervid Since May 2024, Total To Date 1008 Cases

Table 1: CWD Positive Samples by Calendar Year (January 1 - December 31)

CWD Positive Area Susceptible Species 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total

Bexar County WTD-FR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Brooks County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2

Cherokee County WTD-BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Coleman County WTD- FR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Duval County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 3

Edwards County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5

Frio County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 36 43

Gillespie County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 13 17

Gonzales County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 10

Hamilton County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Hunt County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 49 95 276 426

WTD - BRS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 6 12

Kimble County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 2 12 24

WTD - BRS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2

Limestone County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 9

Lubbock County MD - FR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

Mason County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

Matagorda County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

Medina County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

Northwest Panhandle MD - FR 0 0 0 1 2 2 1 7 3 0 14 3 12 45

Elk - FR 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2

WTD - FR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 2 1 1 9

Real County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3

South Central Texas WTD - FR 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 3 1 5 1 2 17

WTD - BP 0 0 0 5 21 21 45 19 1 46 71 1 4 234

WTD - BRS 0 0 0 1 2 4 6 1 6 0 8 0 1 29

Elk - BRS 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 3 8

Red Deer - BRS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 4

Sutton County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 11 13

Trans Pecos MD - FR 6 0 1 1 5 2 4 2 8 6 7 2 5 49

Trinity County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4

Val Verde County WTD- FR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 3

Washington County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Zavala County WTD - BP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 16 26

Total 6 0 1 8 32 31 61 34 35 65 170 153 412 1008

BP = Breeder Pen; BRS = Breeder Release Site; FR = Free Range; WTD = White-tailed Deer; MD = Mule Deer

No url link, personal communication with TPWD et al, October 1, 2024

SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE 421st COMMISSION MEETING Texas Animal Health Commission July 16, 2024

snip...

 Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD): Positive breeding facilities since January 1, 2024: Five CWD Positive / Trace Herd Update: Dr. Trey James, (TAHC Field Epidemiologist) will give an update under Agenda Item #9

snip...

Chronic Wasting Disease:

o 5 Positive Breeder Facilities with 11 Positive Deer

o 2024 Zavala County Facility – 5th Year HCP Breeder Facility

 Suspect sample collected April 11th, 2024 and confirmed April 24th via post-mortem sampling

 Trace-out to Frio County #2 positive breeder facility

 Thirty-five traces: 29 trace outs and 6 trace ins

 Pending a herd visit

o 2024 Trinity County Facility – HCP Certified Breeder Facility

 Suspect sample collected on May 31st and confirmed June 6th via postmortem sampling

 Tier and trace connections to 2021 and 2023 positive facilities

 14 traces; 6 trace outs and 8 trace-in

 Pending herd visit

o 2024 Sutton County Facility – HCP Certified Breeder Facility

 Suspect sample collected June 11th, and confirmed June 26th via postmortem sampling

 No prior trace history

 Adjacent breeder herd on shared premises and under same ownership has tier and trace connections to 2021 and 2023 positive herds

 51 traces: 21 trace outs and 30 trace ins

o There were 239 traces closed from 2021, 23 for 2022, 204 for 2023, and 41 for 2024

snip...

Item 14 – Consideration and Possible Action on Proposed Rules

Ms. Penny Maley presented the following:

a) Chapter 40, Chronic Wasting Disease

The proposed amendments to Chapter 40, Chronic Wasting Disease eliminates all current Surveillance Zones, maintains all current containment zones, and creates new containment zones in Coleman and Collingsworth Counties based on positive CWD detections in free-ranging populations that pose high risk and required heightened surveillance.

The motion to propose the amendments to Chapter 40, Chronic Wasting Disease passed.

The notice of the proposed rule amendments will be published in the Texas Register with a 30-day comment period. Comments regarding the proposals may be submitted to Amanda Bernhard, Texas Animal Health Commission, 2105 Kramer Lane, Austin, Texas 78758, by fax at (512) 719-0719 or by email at "comments@tahc.state.tx.us".

Item 15 – Consideration and Possible Action on Adoption of Proposed Rules Ms. Penny Maley presented the following:

a) Chapter 40.6, Chronic Wasting Disease The amendments to Chapter 40.6, Chronic Wasting Disease apply only to exotic CWD susceptible species. Due to a new detection of CWD, additional movement restriction zones are needed as well as modification of existing zones to increase surveillance with the goal of mitigating the risk the risk of CWD.

The motion to reject the amendments to Chapter 40.6, Chronic Wasting Disease passed.

b) Chapter 51, Entry Requirements, and Chapter 60, Scrapie

Amendments were proposed to Chapter 51, Entry Requirements and Chapter 60, Scrapie, due to a request for change, in an effort to clarify existing rules and make every effort to continue to control incidents of scrapie. The amendment would require that female breeding sheep and crossbred female

Summary Minutes of the 421st Commission Meeting – 7/16/2024

breeding sheep entering Texas, apart from hair sheep, would need to originate from an USDA Export Certified Flock or have documentation the animals are of the genotype RR at codon 171 or AA at codon 136 and QR at codon 171.

The motion to reject the amendments to Chapter 51, Entry Requirements and Chapter 60, Scrapie passed.

c) Chapter 59, General Practices and Procedures Amendments proposed to Chapter 59, General Practices and Procedures aim to establish the same set of responsibilities when partnering with local authorities and TAHC currently observes when working with DPS and local law enforcement officers to ensure compliance with entry requirements.

The motion to adopt the proposed amendments to Chapter 59, General Practices and Procedures passed.

https://www.tahc.texas.gov/agency/meetings/SummaryMinutesCommissionMeeting421.pdf

Texas TAHC TPWD Confirm 132 More Cases of CWD TSE PrP

Jumps from 663 in March, to 795 Positive In May 2024, wow!

THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2024

Texas TAHC TPWD Confirm 132 More Cases of CWD TSE PrP 795 Positive To Date

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2024/05/texas-tahc-tpwd-confirm-132-more-cases.html

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/positive-cases/listing-cwd-cases-texas.phtml#texasCWD

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2024

Texas TAHC TPWD Confirm 213 More Cases of CWD TSE PrP 1008 Positive To Date

https://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2024/10/texas-tahc-tpwd-confirm-213-more-cases.html

Terry