For Related Articles and More Information, Please Visit OCA’s Mad Cow Disease Page.
JIM WELLS COUNTY – Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens and wildlife biologists confirmed they are investigating an exotic wildlife ranch just outside of Sandia in Jim Wells County.
Game wardens say they have been on the property for the last two days confiscating a significant number of whitetail deer as part of their investigation.
All of this happening at the Lonesome Bull Ranch on County Road 364 near Lake Corpus Christi.
According to the ranch’s website, the 2600 acre ranch has over 40 different types of exotic animals and wildlife that are used for hunting purposes.
Investigators say, the ranch also serves as a deer breeding facility, and as such is subject to Texas Parks and Wildlife regulations.
Investigators say the facility has not met their requirements and for that reason have decided not to renew their permit, essentially shutting down the deer breeding portion of the ranch.
Steve Lightfoot, spokesperson for Texas Parks and Wildlife told 3 News by phone, “we’ve conducted several inspections and herd investigations into this facility and many of the requirements that deer breeders are required to have, including unique markings and identifiers on animals, tracking movement records have not been met.”
Game wardens are also testing the animals for disease as a precaution.
They are collecting samples for testing for Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD, and TB. Aside from the disease investigation, there is also a criminal investigation underway into the deer breeding.
We’ll continue to keep you posted.
spreading cwd around…tss
Between 1996 and 2002, chronic wasting disease was diagnosed in 39 herds of farmed elk in Saskatchewan in a single epidemic. All of these herds were depopulated as part of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) disease eradication program. Animals, primarily over 12 mo of age, were tested for the presence CWD prions following euthanasia. Twenty-one of the herds were linked through movements of live animals with latent CWD from a single infected source herd in Saskatchewan, 17 through movements of animals from 7 of the secondarily infected herds.
***The source herd is believed to have become infected via importation of animals from a game farm in South Dakota where CWD was subsequently diagnosed (7,4). A wide range in herd prevalence of CWD at the time of herd depopulation of these herds was observed. Within-herd transmission was observed on some farms, while the disease remained confined to the introduced animals on other farms.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2081988/
spreading cwd around…tss
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) outbreaks and surveillance program in the Republic of Korea Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) outbreaks and surveillance program in the Republic of Korea
Hyun-Joo Sohn, Yoon-Hee Lee, Min-jeong Kim, Eun-Im Yun, Hyo-Jin Kim, Won-Yong Lee, Dong-Seob Tark, In- Soo Cho, Foreign Animal Disease Research Division, National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, Republic of Korea
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been recognized as an important prion disease in native North America deer and Rocky mountain elks. The disease is a unique member of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), which naturally affects only a few species. CWD had been limited to USA and Canada until 2000.
On 28 December 2000, information from the Canadian government showed that a total of 95 elk had been exported from farms with CWD to Korea.
These consisted of 23 elk in 1994 originating from the so-called “source farm” in Canada, and 72 elk in 1997, which had been held in pre export quarantine at the “source farm”.
Based on export information of CWD suspected elk from Canada to Korea, CWD surveillance program was initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) in 2001.
All elks imported in 1997 were traced back, however elks imported in 1994 were impossible to identify.
CWD control measures included stamping out of all animals in the affected farm, and thorough cleaning and disinfection of the premises.
In addition, nationwide clinical surveillance of Korean native cervids, and improved measures to ensure reporting of CWD suspect cases were implemented.
*Total of 9 elks were found to be affected. CWD was designated as a notifiable disease under the Act for Prevention of Livestock Epidemics in 2002.
*Additional CWD cases – 12 elks and 2 elks – were diagnosed in 2004 and 2005.
*Since February of 2005, when slaughtered elks were found to be positive, all slaughtered cervid for human consumption at abattoirs were designated as target of the CWD surveillance program.
Currently, CWD laboratory testing is only conducted by National Reference Laboratory on CWD, which is the Foreign Animal Disease Division (FADD) of National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS).
*In July 2010, one out of 3 elks from Farm 1 which were slaughtered for the human consumption was confirmed as positive.
*Consequently, all cervid – 54 elks, 41 Sika deer and 5 Albino deer – were culled and one elk was found to be positive.
Epidemiological investigations were conducted by Veterinary Epidemiology Division (VED) of NVRQS in collaboration with provincial veterinary services.
*Epidemiologically related farms were found as 3 farms and all cervid at these farms were culled and subjected to CWD diagnosis.
*Three elks and 5 crossbreeds (Red deer and Sika deer) were confirmed as positive at farm 2.
All cervids at Farm 3 and Farm 4 – 15 elks and 47 elks – were culled and confirmed as negative.
Further epidemiological investigations showed that these CWD outbreaks were linked to the importation of elks from Canada in 1994 based on circumstantial evidences.
*In December 2010, one elk was confirmed as positive at Farm 5.
*Consequently, all cervid – 3 elks, 11 Manchurian Sika deer and 20 Sika deer – were culled and one Manchurian Sika deer and seven Sika deer were found to be positive.
This is the first report of CWD in these sub-species of deer.
*Epidemiological investigations found that the owner of the Farm 2 in CWD outbreaks in July 2010 had co-owned the Farm 5.
*In addition, it was newly revealed that one positive elk was introduced from Farm 6 of Jinju-si Gyeongsang Namdo.
All cervid – 19 elks, 15 crossbreed (species unknown) and 64 Sika deer – of Farm 6 were culled, but all confirmed as negative.
: Corresponding author: Dr. Hyun-Joo Sohn (+82-31-467-1867, E-mail: shonhj@korea.kr) 2011 Pre-congress Workshop: TSEs in animals and their environment 5
http://www.prion2011.ca/files/2011TSEBookletV6Final.pdf
http://www.prion2011.ca/files/PRION_2011_-_Posters_(May_5-11).pdf
http://usdavskorea.blogspot.com/
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/06/natural-cases-of-cwd-in-eight-sika-deer.html
Friday, May 13, 2011
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) outbreaks and surveillance program in the Republic of Korea
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2011/05/chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-outbreaks.html
Friday, November 22, 2013
Wasting disease is threat to the entire UK deer population CWD TSE PRION disease in cervids
***SINGELTARY SUBMISSION
The Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee has been looking into deer management, as you can see from the following press release,
***and your email has been forwarded to the committee for information:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/29878.aspx
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2013/11/wasting-disease-is-threat-to-entire-uk.html
Friday, November 22, 2013
Wasting disease is threat to the entire UK deer population
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2013/11/wasting-disease-is-threat-to-entire-uk.html
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Welsh Government and Food Standards Agency Wales Joint Public Consultation on the Proposed Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (Wales) Regulations 2013
*** Singeltary Submission WG18417
Sunday, June 23, 2013
National Animal Health Laboratory Network Reorganization Concept Paper (Document ID APHIS-2012-0105-0001)
***Terry S. Singeltary Sr. submission
http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2013/06/national-animal-health-laboratory.html
Singeltary submission ;
Program Standards: Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program and Interstate Movement of Farmed or Captive Deer, Elk, and Moose
DOCUMENT ID: APHIS-2006-0118-0411
http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2006-0118-0411
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/03/docket-no-00-108-10-chronic-wasting.html
Friday, December 14, 2012
DEFRA U.K. What is the risk of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD being introduced into Great Britain? A Qualitative Risk Assessment October 2012
snip…
In the USA, under the Food and Drug Administration’s BSE Feed Regulation (21 CFR 589.2000) most material (exceptions include milk, tallow, and gelatin) from deer and elk is prohibited for use in feed for ruminant animals. With regards to feed for non-ruminant animals, under FDA law, CWD positive deer may not be used for any animal feed or feed ingredients. For elk and deer considered at high risk for CWD, the FDA recommends that these animals do not enter the animal feed system. However, this recommendation is guidance and not a requirement by law.
Animals considered at high risk for CWD include:
1) animals from areas declared to be endemic for CWD and/or to be CWD eradication zones and
2) deer and elk that at some time during the 60-month period prior to slaughter were in a captive herd that contained a CWD-positive animal.
Therefore, in the USA, materials from cervids other than CWD positive animals may be used in animal feed and feed ingredients for non-ruminants.
The amount of animal PAP that is of deer and/or elk origin imported from the USA to GB can not be determined, however, as it is not specified in TRACES. It may constitute a small percentage of the 8412 kilos of non-fish origin processed animal proteins that were imported from US into GB in 2011.
Overall, therefore, it is considered there is a __greater than negligible risk___ that (nonruminant) animal feed and pet food containing deer and/or elk protein is imported into GB.
There is uncertainty associated with this estimate given the lack of data on the amount of deer and/or elk protein possibly being imported in these products.
snip…
36% in 2007 (Almberg et al., 2011). In such areas, population declines of deer of up to 30 to 50% have been observed (Almberg et al., 2011). In areas of Colorado, the prevalence can be as high as 30% (EFSA, 2011).
The clinical signs of CWD in affected adults are weight loss and behavioural changes that can span weeks or months (Williams, 2005). In addition, signs might include excessive salivation, behavioural alterations including a fixed stare and changes in interaction with other animals in the herd, and an altered stance (Williams, 2005). These signs are indistinguishable from cervids experimentally infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
Given this, if CWD was to be introduced into countries with BSE such as GB, for example, infected deer populations would need to be tested to differentiate if they were infected with CWD or BSE to minimise the risk of BSE entering the human food-chain via affected venison.
snip…
The rate of transmission of CWD has been reported to be as high as 30% and can approach 100% among captive animals in endemic areas (Safar et al., 2008).
snip…
In summary, in endemic areas, there is a medium probability that the soil and surrounding environment is contaminated with CWD prions and in a bioavailable form. In rural areas where CWD has not been reported and deer are present, there is a greater than negligible risk the soil is contaminated with CWD prion.
snip…
In summary, given the volume of tourists, hunters and servicemen moving between GB and North America, the probability of at least one person travelling to/from a CWD affected area and, in doing so, contaminating their clothing, footwear and/or equipment prior to arriving in GB is greater than negligible. For deer hunters, specifically, the risk is likely to be greater given the increased contact with deer and their environment. However, there is significant uncertainty associated with these estimates.
snip…
Therefore, it is considered that farmed and park deer may have a higher probability of exposure to CWD transferred to the environment than wild deer given the restricted habitat range and higher frequency of contact with tourists and returning GB residents.
snip…
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/files/qra_chronic-wasting-disease-121029.pdf
TSS
Singeltary submission ;
Program Standards: Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program and Interstate Movement of Farmed or Captive Deer, Elk, and Moose
*** DOCUMENT ID: APHIS-2006-0118-0411
http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2006-0118-0411
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/03/docket-no-00-108-10-chronic-wasting.html
Thursday, May 01, 2014
Missouri DNR CWD prevention and captive cervid farming Update
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/05/missouri-dnr-cwd-prevention-and-captive.html
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Missouri SB964 Immediate Action Required: Captive Cervids Transfer is Still Alive in Senate
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/04/missouri-sb964-immediate-action.html
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Mineral licks: motivational factors for visitation and accompanying disease risk at communal use sites of elk and deer
Environmental Geochemistry and Health
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/04/mineral-licks-motivational-factors-for.html
Thursday, October 03, 2013
*** TAHC ADOPTS CWD RULE THAT the amendments **REMOVE** the requirement for a specific fence height for captives
Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) ANNOUNCEMENT October 3, 2013
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2013/10/tahc-adopts-cwd-rule-that-amendments.html
http://www.texashuntfish.com/app/forum/38823/TEXAS-CWD-TESTING-2013-2014-TO-DATE
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
*** cwd – cervid captive livestock escapes, loose and on the run in the wild
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2013/09/cwd-cervid-captive-livestock-escapes.html
*** These results would seem to suggest that CWD does indeed have zoonotic potential, at least as judged by the compatibility of CWD prions and their human PrPC target. Furthermore, extrapolation from this simple in vitro assay suggests that if zoonotic CWD occurred, it would most likely effect those of the PRNP codon 129-MM genotype and that the PrPres type would be similar to that found in the most common subtype of sCJD (MM1).
https://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/prion/article/28124/?nocache=112223249
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Exploring the zoonotic potential of animal prion diseases: In vivo and in vitro approaches
http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2014/04/exploring-zoonotic-potential-of-animal.html
layperson
Terry S. Singeltary Sr., Bacliff, Texas 77518 flounder9@verizon.net
Thursday, May 08, 2014
TEXAS Game Wardens Investigate Deer Breeding Facility, Seize Animals, for disease and criminal investigation
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2014/05/texas-game-wardens-investigate-deer.html