TAHC and TPWD are continuing to work on developing a CWD response plan and protocol for Texas. We received the Tier One testing protocol yesterday as had been promised by TAHC officials to be delivered no later than today. We sincerely appreciate their efforts to deliver an important piece of information in a timely manner. This testing protocol will be distributed to accredited veterinarians today so that Tier One testing may begin in an organized and efficient manner. We will provide more guidance to our members regarding this specific effort after further discussions with the agencies today.

One of the next important steps in this process is TAHC’s efforts to release “hold orders” on breeder facilities which have no connection to the facility with a positive CWD test. We have heard the frustrations expressed by our members on this issue loud and clear, and have conveyed to the agencies that this must remain an important priority in their response plan.

We have received a specific request from TAHC to assist in the identification of breeding facilities which have 5+ CWD status and/or have zero traceback to the index herd. These facilities will be the first and easiest for the TAHC epidemiological team to review and determine whether hold order releases are warranted.

As such, we ask those specific members who are 100% certain that their breeder facility has zero tracebacks to the index facility in the last 5 years, or, that has 5+ years CWD status and no tracebacks to the index facility to provide the following information to us in writing by email to texasdeercoalition@gmail.com

Name
Address
Contact Telephone Number
TX #
Facility ID #
Number of Deer in Facility
CWD Status
Written statement of zero traceback and/or CWD status

This organized effort by our members is CRITICAL. Please do not respond to this request unless you are 100% certain of the traceback status of your facility. TAHC has assured us that they will begin looking at facilities that meet these criteria next week for potential hold order releases. Our goal is to provide them with an organized list on Monday morning to assist them in their efforts.

Thank you all for your continued patience and cooperation in these efforts. Your Associations are working diligently to get our industry back in business and better than ever as soon as possible.