| (F) Approval for replacement testing must be obtained
prior to performing the replacement testing. Animals eligible to be
tested as replacements will be determined by a commission representative.
If approved, replacement testing using postmortem samples will use
a one to one replacement rate. If approved and antemortem testing
is available for the species at an approved laboratory, replacement
testing using antemortem testing will use a five to one replacement
rate.
(5) Recordkeeping.
(A) The herd owner shall maintain herd records that
include a complete inventory of animals with documents showing all
births, deaths, acquisitions, dispositions, and escaped or disappeared
animals.
(B) Herd owner inventory records, maintained outside
of TWIMS, should indicate natural additions with "NA," purchased additions
with "PA," and retagged animals with "RT."
(C) The herd owner shall maintain all test result records
for those animals that died and be able to produce the full laboratory
results upon request.
(D) For white-tailed deer and mule deer, all required
animal information must be entered into TWIMS, including uploading
full laboratory results.
(E) For animals that have left the herd or have died,
the owner must maintain the following information for five years:
(i) All identifications (tags, tattoos, electronic
implants, etc.);
(ii) Birth date;
(iii) Species;
(iv) Sex;
(v) Date of acquisition and source of each animal that
was not born into the herd, including name and address;
(vi) Date of removal and destination of any animal
removed from the herd, including name and address;
(vii) Date of death and cause, if known, for animals
dying within the herd;
(viii) Date of CWD sample submission, submitter, owner,
premises, animal information, and official CWD test results; and
(ix) Age.
(F) Records will be verified for completeness and accuracy
at each annual inspection and complete physical inventory.
(G) Records must be made available to a commission
or USDA representative upon request.
(6) Annual Inspection.
(A) Each year an annual inspection must be conducted
by a commission representative or a TAHC Authorized Veterinarian.
(B) Unless authorized in writing by a commission representative,
the annual inspection must occur during the herd's annual inspection
window.
(C) At each annual inspection, a commission representative
or TAHC Authorized Veterinarian will:
(i) inventory the herd by visually verifying one required
identification on every animal;
(ii) reconcile the previous inventory and verify all
dispositions and acquisitions are documented;
(iii) visually observe the herd for clinical signs
of CWD;
(iv) verify records are complete and accurate;
(v) verify that CWD sampling requirements are met,
test records are complete, and verify that all deficient, missed,
or poor-quality samples were documented; and
(vi) inspect perimeter fencing for minimum standards
and document needed repairs.
(D) A commission representative or TAHC Authorized
Veterinarian will certify by signature that all annual inspection
requirements are met and that the herd complies with the program.
(E) Results from the complete physical herd inventory
must be reported to the commission within 14 days, unless the complete
physical herd inventory is performed by a commission representative.
(F) The herd owner is responsible for assembling, handling,
and restraining the animals and for all costs incurred to present
the animals for inspection.
(G) If the herd owner requests the annual inspection
be conducted by a commission employee, the commission will assess
a fee of $100 per hour for the annual inspection performed by a commission
representative. The herd owner is responsible for the fees assessed.
(H) If the annual inspection will be conducted by a
TAHC Authorized Veterinarian, the herd owner must notify the local
TAHC region office by phone or email at least 72 hours prior to any
inspection performed by a TAHC Authorized Veterinarian.
(7) Complete Physical Herd Inventory.
(A) Every three years, a complete physical herd inventory
must be conducted by a commission representative or a TAHC Authorized
Veterinarian.
(B) Each complete physical herd inventory may occur
any time before 36 months from the enrollment date or last complete
physical herd inventory. Discrete groups of animals (e.g. does, bucks)
may be physically inventoried at separate times as long as all animals
are inventoried during the same status year. A complete physical herd
inventory may be combined with an annual inspection or may occur at
a separate time.
(C) During the complete physical herd inventory a commission
representative or TAHC Authorized Veterinarian will:
(i) conduct a physical inventory of the herd by visually
verifying both forms of required identification on every animal and
match the identifications to the herd's written or electronic records;
(ii) reconcile the previous inventory and verify all
dispositions and acquisitions are documented;
(iii) visually observe the herd for clinical signs
of CWD;
(iv) verify records are complete and accurate;
(v) verify that CWD sampling requirements are met,
test records are complete, and verify that all deficient, missed,
or poor-quality samples were documented; and
(vi) inspect perimeter fencing for minimum standards
and document needed repairs.
(D) A commission representative or TAHC Authorized
Veterinarian will certify by signature that all complete physical
herd inventory requirements are met and the herd complies with the
program.
(E) Results from the complete physical herd inventory
must be reported to the commission within 14 days, unless the complete
physical herd inventory is performed by a commission representative.
(F) The herd owner is responsible for assembling, handling,
and restraining the animals and for all costs incurred to present
the animals for the complete physical herd inventory.
(G) If the herd owner requests the complete physical
herd inventory be conducted by a commission employee, the commission
will assess a fee of $100 per hour for the complete physical herd
inventory performed by a commission representative. The herd owner
is responsible for the fees assessed.
(H) If the complete physical herd inventory will be
conducted by a TAHC Authorized Veterinarian, the herd owner must notify
the local TAHC region office by phone or email at least 72 hours prior
to any complete physical herd inventory performed by a TAHC Authorized
Veterinarian.
(8) Compliance Inspections. A herd owner must allow
a commission representative to inspect premises where a herd is located
or any animal at any time to determine compliance with the program
and the requirements of this chapter. The herd owner is responsible
for assembling, handling, and restraining the animals and for all
costs incurred to present the animals for inspection.
(d) Herd Status Advancement and Herd Certification
(1) Initial status.
(A) When a herd is first enrolled in the program, it
will be placed in first year status.
(B) When a herd is first enrolled in the program and
the herd is composed solely of animals obtained from herds already
enrolled in the program, the newly enrolled herd may be assigned the
same status as the lowest status of any herd that provided animals
for the new herd.
(C) When a herd is first enrolled in the program and
the herd is composed of animals obtained solely from other certified
herds, the newly enrolled herd may be assigned the status of a certified
herd.
(2) Status Advancement. If the herd continues to meet
the requirements of the CWD Herd Certification Program, each year,
no sooner than the anniversary of the enrollment date, the herd status
will be upgraded by one year; i.e., second year status, third year
status, fourth year status, and fifth year status.
(3) Certified herd status. If the herd continues to
meet the requirements of the CWD Herd Certification Program, no sooner
than one year from the date a herd is placed in fifth year status,
the herd status will be changed to certified, and the herd will remain
in certified status as long as it is enrolled in the program, continues
to meet the requirements under the program, and its status is not
suspended or revoked.
(e) Effect of new animals on herd status.
Cont'd... |
