Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. John Tomecek, 325-653-4576, john.tomecek@ag.tamu.edu
ZAPATA – Three state agencies will conduct a public meeting focusing on chronic wasting disease from 9 a.m. until noon Dec. 7 at the Zapata County Community Center, 605 N. U.S. Highway 83 in Zapata.
Dr. John Tomecek, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service wildlife specialist at San Angelo, said the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Animal Health Commission in partnership with his agency are offering the free training to landowners, managers, taxidermists, veterinarians and others interested in collecting chronic wasting disease tissues for testing under the Texas Animal Health Commission’s Postmortem Sample Collector training program.
Preregistration is required and space is limited to the first 50 participants. To preregister and for more information, contact Zar Rodriguez at 956-765-9820, Zar.Rodriguez@ag.tamu.edu.
Tomecek said the sessions will be a classroom format with hands-on training for chronic wasting disease postmortem sample collection.
“Those who successfully complete the training can collect samples to meet chronic wasting disease testing requirements for TAHC’s Herd Certification Program and for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department deer breeder facilities, deer breeder release sites and other TPWD deer management permits including the Trap, Transport and Transplant or the Trap, Transport and Process permits,” Tomecek said.
Tomecek said certified collectors can also collect samples from chronic wasting disease susceptible species harvested from their property for the TPWD’s chronic wasting disease surveillance project. Susceptible species include white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer, sika deer, elk and hybrids of these species.
For more information on chronic wasting disease and new regulations, go to www.tpwd.texas.gov/cwd.
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