Source: Texas Animal Health Commission | March 15, 2019

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) would like to remind all owners of premises where exotic chronic wasting disease (CWD)-susceptible species are located that annual mortality records and inventory forms are due on or before 12:00 AM, April 1, 2019.

Exotic CWD-susceptible species include North American elk or wapiti, black-tailed deer, red deer, reindeer, sika deer, moose and any associated subspecies or hybrids. Axis deer are not classified as a susceptible species.

As part of the May 9, 2017, adopted amendments to §40.5 of the Texas Administrative Code, TAHC added identification and mortality record keeping requirements for exotic CWD-susceptible species. A copy of the rule may be viewed at http://bit.ly/2Dky7KP.

Statewide surveillance provides valuable information that is critical to early detection of CWD in exotic susceptible species and protects the health and marketability of these animals.

Annual Inventory Form

TAHC rules state that owners of high-fenced premises where exotic CWD susceptible species are located must keep an annual inventory and submit the inventory form to TAHC on or before April 1 of each year.

You may obtain an inventory form on the TAHC website by clicking or tapping here.

Completed inventory forms may be submitted by email to CWD_reports@tahc.texas.gov; by fax to (512) 719-0729; or by mail to:

Texas Animal Health Commission
Attention: CWD Susceptible Species Reporting
P.O. Box 12966
Austin, Texas 78711-2966

For further information, contact your local TAHC region office or call TAHC’s Traceability Department at 1-800-550-8242 x 777.

Annual Mortality Record Form

TAHC rules state that owners of high-fenced or low-fenced premises where exotic CWD-susceptible species are located must submit eligible mortality records (defined in the rule as hunter-harvested or natural mortalities of animals 16 months of age or older) to TAHC on or before April 1 of each year.

Please note that TAHC surveillance rules require the owner of a premises to CWD test all eligible mortalities until such time that three animals are tested each year.

You may obtain a mortality record form on TAHC’s website at https://www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/elk-deer/PDF/17-10_ExoticCWDSusceptibleSpeciesMortalityRecord.pdf.

Your own form is acceptable so long as it includes the following:

• Date the exotic CWD susceptible species died or was harvested;
• Species, age and gender;
• Any RFID or NUES tag number affixed to the animal;
• Any other ID number, official or unofficial, on the animal;
• The accession number and collection date if a CWD sample was collected.

Completed mortality record forms may be submitted by email to CWD_reports@tahc.texas.gov; by fax to (512) 719-0729; and by mail to:

Texas Animal Health Commission
Attention: CWD Susceptible Species Reporting
P.O. Box 12966
Austin, Texas 78711-2966

Estimated annual inventory and mortality records must be retained for one year from the date of submission.

Testing Requirements & Test Result Reporting

TAHC rules state that all CWD test samples be collected by a state or federal animal health official, accredited veterinarian or a certified CWD postmortem sample collector; and the samples must be submitted to an official laboratory for all eligible mortalities.

The owner must report all test results to their TAHC region office within 30 days of receiving the results. For a list of certified CWD postmortem sample collectors, visit https://www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/elk-deer/PDF/TAHC_CertifiedCWDSampleCollectorContactList.pdf.

Exotic CWD Susceptible Species Test Submission forms are available on TAHC’s website at https://www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/elk-deer/PDF/17-11_ExoticCWDSusceptibleSpeciesTestSubmission.pdf.

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) works with wildlife producers and wildlife/animal health agencies across the country to ensure the health of CWD susceptible cervid species through surveillance testing. Further information is available here: https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/2016/08/19/tpwd-alerts-deer-breeders-tvmdl-usda-live-testing-approved-faster-elisa-testing-now-available/

More information about exotic CWD susceptible species is available at; www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/elk-deer/#cwdexotic; through your local TAHC region office; or by calling 1-800-550-8242 x777.