Chronic Wasting Disease reported at East Texas deer breeding facility

TRINITY COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — A Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) case has been confirmed in a Trinity County deer breeding facility, making it the first detection in the county, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) said.

Chronic wasting disease case confirmed at Cherokee County deer breeding facility

TPWD said a 2-year-old female white-tailed deer tested positive using postmortem testing conducted to meet CWD surveillance requirements for the facility.

CWD is a neurological disorder similar to mad cow disease that impacts native white-tailed, mule deer and elk. The slow, progressive disease may not show visible signs for several years after infection.

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory initially analyzed the samples from the female deer and the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa confirmed the CWD detections.

New regulations issued for deer carcass disposal in Texas

“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,” TPWD officials said. “Texas Animal Health Commission 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.”

During TPWD’s May meeting, officials approved new statewide deer carcass disposal regulations to help reduce the risk of transmission of CWD. To find a full list of the new regulations, people can visit the TPWD website.

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