Cervids - Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) | Department of Agriculture

Chronic Wasting Disease Online Courses Now Available

We are pleased to report that the Chronic Wasting Disease educational courses (free) developed by the Iowa State University Center for Food Safety and Public Health (CFSPH) with the assistance of KDA, are now available online, accessible here: https://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/product/farmed-cervid-cwd-courses/. There are two courses available, one designed for veterinarians and another for cervid producers.

Cervid Regulations: Proposed Changes

KDA, in collaboration with representatives from the Kansas cervid industry, is updating the rules and regulations language in Article 3: Swine Brucellosis and Cervids. We welcome informal comment on the proposed changes. The changes only pertain to the cervid-related section. An overview of the proposed changes is below, along with a document showing the full text of the changes.

Overview of Changes

K.A.R. 9-3-6. Definitions. The proposed change adds several definitions and makes changes to several others.
K.A.R. 9-3-7. Fees. The proposed change exempts a non-owner hauler from needing a domestic cervid permit for the possession of cervids during hauling.
K.A.R. 9-3-8. Records. The proposed change requires official identification during movement of domestic cervids with movement notifications retained as acceptable records.
K.A.R. 9-3-9. Certificate of veterinary inspection; importation and intrastate movement requirements and permits. The proposed change specifies what notifications and records are required for the intrastate movement of cervids.
K.A.R. 9-3-11. Tuberculosis. The proposed change removes the tuberculosis testing requirement for the intrastate change of ownership of cervids.
K.A.R. 9-3-12. Confinement, handling, and health. The proposed change adds chemical restraint as an acceptable method of handling cervids.
K.A.R. 9-3-15. Participation in the chronic wasting disease monitoring program. The proposed changes outline various options for CWD herd risk assessments and missed sample responses.
K.A.R. 9-3-16. Program levels. The proposed changes incorporate language found in the Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program standards.
K.A.R. 9-3-17. CWD-positive herds. The proposed changes outline the response and herd plan requirement when a herd tests CWD-positive.

Full text of proposed changes

Permitting Domesticated Cervids

Raising or owning domesticated cervids requires a Domesticated Deer Permit (DDP) in Kansas. The following information provides guidance to those who are preparing to hold a DDP in Kansas.

To prepare for domesticated cervids...

First Steps

Read regulations K.A.R. 9-3-6 thru K.A.R. 9-3-17 and statutes K.S.A. 47-2101 thru 47-2103.
Call KDA-DAH at 785-564-6602.
Meet the fencing requirement outlined in K.A.R. 9-3-12.
Complete and submit the application for a Domesticated Cervid Permit (DCP), including the required fee.
Contact KDA-DAH to ensure no wild cervids are in the enclosed area at 785-564-6602.
A State Veterinarian will inspect the your premises.

Once the Domesticated Cervid Permit is issued...

Animals may be brought into your premises upon meeting the following requirements:

In-state domesticated deer

Must be accompanied by Domesticated Cervid Movement Notice (DCMN)
Must have official and unofficial identification (farm tag) which are individually listed on the DDMN
Must have been TB tested negative within 90 days of movement into the herd or have originated and moved directly from a TB accredited free herd

Out-of-state domesticated deer

Official and unofficial identification (farm tag) must be individually listed on the certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI, health certificate)
CWD status of at least 5 years from an approved program within the state of origin
Shall have originated and moved directly from a TB accredited free herd in the state of origin or have had 2 negative TB tests conducted no less than 90 days apart, with the second test having been completed no more than 90 days before movement into Kansas

Next Steps

Cervid Forms

Chronic Waste Disease (CWD) Application

Domesticated Cervid Permit
Requires anyone who raises or harbors domesticated deer to have a permit issued by the department. Deer includes all members of the family cervidae (deer, elk, moose, caribou and related species).

Domesticated Cervid Movement Notification
This form is required for the intrastate movement of domesticated deer within Kansas. Deer includes all members of the family cervidae (deer, elk, moose, caribou and related species).

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting deer, elk and moose (members of the cervidae family) and is always fatal. Abnormally shaped infectious proteins called prions cause the disease and convert normal proteins into infectious ones, which eventually leads to the animal’s death. CWD was discovered in Colorado in the 1960’s and is found in the United States, Canada, and more recently, in Europe. It belongs to a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

How is it transmitted?

The disease is believed to be spread from one animal to another through direct contact and/or environmental contamination. Infectious prions can be spread via saliva, feces, blood, urine, and other bodily fluids. CWD and other prion diseases are difficult to control because, unlike bacteria and viruses, prions are resistant to inactivation by heat, freezing, ultraviolet light, and chemical disinfectants. Prions are also resilient in many environments and can remain infectious for extended periods of time.

What are the signs in deer, elk and moose?

How is Chronic Wasting Disease diagnosed?

What is the treatment?

Is there a risk to people?

How can it be prevented?

Preventing CWD starts with surveillance, monitoring and early detection. In Kansas, tissue samples (brain stem) are tested at the Kansas State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Deer and elk farms are also annually inspected and producers are required to report all deer or elk deaths and when animals are moved into or out of the herd. In the event of a positive test result for CWD, the Division of Animal Health will quarantine the affected herd. Chronic Wasting Disease in Kansas was first identified in farmed bull elk in Harper County in 2001. As of June 30, 2024, CWD has been detected in two farmed elk, 1 farm mule deer, and 1,075 wild deer. Surveillance efforts began in 1996 and, to date, 36,038 cervids have been sampled and tested for CWD. Additional CWD information may be accessed through Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism.

Chronic Wasting Disease Sample Collection Videos

Hunters can help ensure the safety of the meat they harvest and prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in deer by collecting samples from field-harvested deer and sending these samples to be tested for the disease. The Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has created two videos explaining how to remove the brain stem and lymph nodes for CWD testing.