Proper sampling for chronic wasting disease "CWD" on deer farms

              INTERIM STUDY REPORT
Agriculture, Wildlife, and Environment Committee
Rep. Phil Richardson, Chairman
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Interim Study 12-082, Rep. Armes
October 18, 2012
Proper sampling for chronic wasting disease “CWD” on deer farms
Justin Roach
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, farmed cervidae program
Justin.roach@ag.ok.gov
o The incubation period for chronic wasting disease is long. Most animals are not diagnosed until
they are 5 to 7 years old.
o The disease was first discovered in Colorado in 1967. It is now mostly in Colorado, Wyoming and
Nebraska. It is starting to grow in West Virginia. Two counties in southern Kansas and the
panhandle of west Texas were added a couple of months ago. Oklahoma had a case in 2001
between Piedmont and Edmond. The animal had been brought in from Colorado.
o Once again, all states are under a national herd certification program. Producers who do not
participate cannot move their animals across state lines.
o This disease is not known to infect humans.
o Now, the lymph nodes and the brain stem must be tested and a certified veterinarian must take
the samples. Twenty veterinarians in Oklahoma have become certified.
o Demonstrated through video how the brain stem and lymph nodes are removed. There is some
difficulty in removing the lymph nodes because they often blend into the surrounding tissue. He
is confident he could teach people to take out the brain stem but not as sure about training to
take out lymph nodes.
o It could save producers money if they could be trained to take out the brain stem and lymph
nodes themselves.
Rod Hall
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, state veterinarian
Rod.hall@ag.ok.gov
o Some veterinarians don’t think producers should be able to take the samples for testing but
many of those veterinarians are not participating in the program.
o Several veterinarians also have learned how to take the samples less expensively.
o Department officials want to be objective and are not saying that they don’t want producers to
take the samples.
o The department’s job is to protect the livestock and public and to assist producers to be as
successful as possible.