Chronic Wasting Disease Confirmed in Lavaca County
AUSTIN – The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) announced that a captive white-tailed deer in a Lavaca County deer breeding facility has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in College Station detected the presence of CWD in samples submitted, and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the findings today.
The newly quarantined Lavaca County facility is a result of testing trace out animals that originated from a Medina County index captive white-tailed deer herd where CWD was first detected on June 30. CWD was first detected in Texas in 2012 in free-ranging mule deer in far West Texas in the Hueco Mountains. The Lavaca county herd is the second infected breeder herd detected in Texas.
“The investigation of the index facility in Medina County continues,” said Dr. Dee Ellis, TAHC Executive Director. “The TAHC, TPWD and USDA are diligently working with the breeder deer industry to assess disease transmission risks, and to protect Texas’ free-ranging deer, captive deer and hunting industries.”
“TPWD will continue to work with TAHC, USDA and stakeholders representing wildlife conservation and deer breeding interests to implement measures appropriate to protect our state’s most popular big game animal, the white-tailed deer,” said Carter Smith, TPWD Executive Director.
More information on CWD can be found on TPWD’s website, or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website. More information about the TAHC CWD program may be found here.
