BANDERA – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in cooperation with the Ranchers and Landowners Association and Texas Parks and Wildlife will present a Chronic Wasting Disease program Oct.13 in Bandera.
The program will be at the Bandera United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 1103 Cedar St. Registration is at 5:30 p.m. with the program starting at 6 p.m.
The program is free to the public.
“We hope landowners, as well as anyone interested in deer, deer habitat and deer hunting will plan to be at this informative and educational program,” said Sam Womble, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent, Bandera County. “Attendees will learn about chronic wasting disease from its history to clinical signs to prevention techniques.”
Chronic wasting disease is a condition that affects the nervous system of deer, elk and moose, said Dr. John Tomecek, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist at San Angelo and one of the presenters.
“It is similar to diseases such as scrapie in sheep and goats and bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE in cattle,” Tomecek said. “At this time we have no evidence chronic wasting disease can be transmitted to sheep, goats, cattle or humans.”
The disease was first detected in 1967 in a captive mule deer herd in Colorado. Since then, it has been detected in 22 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. It was detected in far West Texas in 2012, which was the first instance in the state until another confirmation was made in Medina County this summer.
Program speakers will include Mitch Lockwood, big game program director, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Attendees are requested to RSVP so program coordinators can plan accordingly. To RSVP, contact the AgriLife Extension office in Bandera County by Oct. 9 at 830-796-7755.
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