CWD positive deer confirmed in a farmed cervid facility in Kentucky

Chronic Wasting Disease finding activates KDA response plan

On Oct. 11, 2024, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) notified the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Office of the State Veterinarian of a positive Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) test from a deceased deer at a deer farm in Breckinridge County. The farm, a participant in the state deer program, has been issued a quarantine restricting movement into or out of the facility, including live deer or deer products.

The Office of State Veterinarian established a management (5 mile radius) and surveillance (15 mile radius) zone for herds near the affected deer farm. The Office of State Veterinarian is diligently reviewing recent movement records, and all deer farms in the management and surveillance zones are under restricted movement until further order of the State Veterinarian.

The Office of State Veterinarian is implementing the Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan that was approved by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources in 2022.

More information about the Office of State Veterinarian’s response will be updated on the State Veterinarian’s website: https://www.kyagr.com/statevet/farmed-cervids.html.