Code of Maine Rules › 01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY › 001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL › Chapter 203 - RULES FOR THE PARTICIPATION IN THE MAINE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM › Section 001-203-4 - PROGRAM CRITERIA

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
1.
Applicability:
The requirements in this section apply to all
				captive cervid operations.
2.
Application:
Owners shall complete an application for
				participation in the Maine CWD Surveillance Program on a form provided by the
				Department and submit it to the Department. The application shall be signed by
				the herd owner, herd veterinarian, and the Department.
3.
CWD Certified Herd Status
: No
				captive cervid operation may engage in the breeding of and/or the sale or
				removal of live cervids from the premises for any purposes except for immediate
				slaughter unless the herd has been CWD Certified. An operation that enrolls in
				the CWD Herd Certification program and complies with all program standards for
				a period of at least 60-months shall be eligible for CWD Certified Herd status.
				An operation enrolled in the CWD herd certification program for less than
				60-months, but which otherwise meets all other program standards, may be
				granted CWD certified herd status at the discretion of the
				Department.
4.
Record
				keeping:
Accurate records documenting purchases, sales, interstate
				shipments, intrastate shipments, escaped cervids, and deaths (including
				harvested cervids) must be established and maintained for at least 60 months
				for all captive cervid operations. Documentation must be made available to
				state or federal regulatory officials during normal business operating hours.
				Information provided in the records must include individual animal
				identification, carcass/sample identification tag, sex, species and age. In
				addition, all operations with cervid herds enrolled in the CWD Surveillance
				Program must establish and maintain accurate records that document the results
				of the annual herd audit.
5.
Facilities
. All captive cervid operations shall provide
				appropriate refrigeration and storage facilities to contain and preserve CWD
				samples obtained from harvested, slaughtered and deceased cervids for at least
				72-hours following slaughter notification, as required by the CWD certified or
				monitored herd program. All captive cervid operations, with the exception of
				special purpose herds, shall have proper restraining facilities, chutes, gates
				and corrals to capture and restrain the cervids for diagnostic testing and
				inventory purposes. Capture and restraint of captive cervids shall be the
				responsibility of the owner.
6.
Herd integrity.
Separate herd inventories, biosecurity, records,
				working facilities, watering facilities, equipment and land use shall be
				maintained for each distinct herd for which an individual CWD status is sought,
				irrespective of ownership. No commingling of animals shall occur between
				distinct herds with individual disease status unless program movement
				requirements for herd status are met. Movement of animals between such herds
				shall be recorded as if they were separately owned herds.
7.
Sample collection.
Individuals who have passed State or USDA approved sample collection training
				may collect and submit samples to support tuberculosis and CWD program
				requirements.
8.
CWD Herd
				Certification Program Requirements
a)
Establishment of a CWD Herd Status.
CWD herd status shall be based
				on the enrollment date in the program and will also take into consideration the
				previous CWD testing history of the herd as approved by the Commissioner. The
				enrollment date is established upon receipt and approval of a satisfactory
				facility and premises inspection, initial herd inventory, and completed
				enrollment application. Herds properly enrolled and satisfactorily
				participating in the CWD Certified Herd Program shall receive a status
				designation based upon the number of months of successful participation. A herd
				with fewer than twelve months of satisfactory participation shall be designated
				a First Year Status Herd. If the herd continues to meet the requirements of the
				CWD Certified Herd Program, each year, upon review of the report of the annual
				herd inventory, and on or after 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.
b)
Yearly Sampling and Testing
				Requirements:
The captive cervid operation must:
1. Submit for testing appropriate CWD samples
				from all natural deaths of cervids over 12 months of age, in accordance with
				9 CFR
				55.23(b)(3) (January 1,
				2012);
2. Submit for testing all
				appropriate CWD diagnostic samples from all clinical CWD suspects;
				and
3. Submit for testing
				appropriate CWD samples from slaughtered and/or harvested cervids over 12
				months of age so that the total sample size does not exceed a 2 percent
				prevalence level and 95 percent confidence as illustrated in the following
				table.
Assumed Prevalence
2%
5%
10%
20%
Population or Lot Size
Up To
Size of Sample
50
50
35
20
5
100
75
45
23
8
250
110
50
25
11
500
130
55
26
13
1,000
140
55
27
14
1,500
140
55
27
14
2,000
145
60
27
14
4,000
145
60
27
15
10,000
145
60
27
15
100,000 and any larger
150
60
30
15
c)
Animal Identification:
Each
				herd member and herd addition must have official ID.
d)
Annual Physical Herd
				Inventory:
A physical herd inventory must be conducted by the captive
				cervid operation between 90 days prior to and 90 days following the annual
				anniversary date established by the CWD Certified Herd Program enrollment date.
				All cervids must be either present or accounted for on the annual inventory.
				Cervids that were killed or died during the course of the year must be tested
				as described in Chapter 4.8 (b)above. A state or federal animal health official
				or their designee shall validate the annual inventory. A report of the
				validated annual inventory containing all official identification of each
				animal must be promptly submitted to the Department.
e)
Additions to CWD Surveillance
				Program Herds:
1.
Equivalent or
				higher status additions:
Herd additions shall be permitted if the
				cervids to be added to the captive cervid operation originate from a Maine herd
				enrolled, and in good standing in the Maine CWD Certified Herd Program and of
				equal or greater status. For herd additions from herds existing outside the
				borders of Maine, cervids must originate from a herd enrolled in a CWD
				Certified Herd Program equivalent to the Maine program (as determined by the
				Commissioner) and must originate from a herd enrolled in such a program for a
				minimum of 60-months. Except that movement of cervids is prohibited from any
				herd located within a CWD infected zone. No change in the CWD herd status will
				result from such additions.
2.
Herd additions originating from lower status herds:
Herd additions
				originating from non-status or lower status herds are not permitted.