Section 001-203-4 - PROGRAM CRITERIA1.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 Requirementsa)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; and3. 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.9. CWD Monitored Herd Program Requirements: All special purpose herds and those not participating in the CWD Certified Herd Program consisting of one or more susceptible cervids shall participate in the CWD Monitored Program as a monitored herd. No live cervid sales or movements may be made from CWD Monitored herds except as approved by the Commissioner or when shipped to a licensed large game shooting area. Live cervids may not be removed from the premises of a CWD Monitored herd except that cervids may be moved into such herds from equal or greater status. CWD Monitored Herd status is achieved by implementing the following procedures:
1.Sampling and Testing Requirements:The captive cervid operations must:
a) Submit for testing appropriate CWD samples from all natural deaths of cervids over 12 months of age;b) Submit for testing all appropriate CWD diagnostic samples from all clinical CWD suspects; andc) Submit for testing appropriate CWD samples from slaughtered and/or harvested cervids so that the total number of cervids sampled on an annual basis represents 10 percent or 30, whichever is less, of the total number of susceptible cervids over 12 months within the herd. In no case shall the combined number of cervids sampled on an annual basis represent less than 10 percent (rounded up to the next whole number) or 30 whichever is less, of the estimated susceptible test eligible herd population. Notwithstanding this part, all natural deaths must be submitted for CWD diagnosis.2.Additions to CWD Monitored Herds:a)Maine Source Additions: Up to June 30, 2006, additions to CWD Monitored herds may be made only if such additions originate from Maine herds that have achieved CWD Certified Herd or Monitored first year status or higher. From July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008, additions to CWD Monitored Herds may be made only if such additions originate from Maine herds that have achieved CWD Certified Herd or Monitored Herd Second Year Status or higher. From July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2010, additions to CWD Monitored Herds may be made only if such additions originate from Maine herds that achieved CWD Certified Herd or Monitored Herd Fourth Year Status or higher. Effective July 1, 2010, additions to CWD Monitored Herds will be permitted only if they originate from herds that have achieved CWD Certified Herd Status or been enrolled as a CWD Monitored Herd Program for 60-months.b)Imported Source Additions: 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.3.Animal Identification: a) Each herd addition, other than natural additions, must have a minimum of two official/approved unique identifiers affixed to the animal.b) Carcass and sample identification tags must be affixed to all unidentified harvested captive cervids, natural deaths, and clinical suspects. The Department will provide tags. Tag numbers must be entered into the CWD monitored herd record along with the corresponding information that identifies the disposition of the carcass. This information will be used to notify the owner of the test results.01-001 C.M.R. ch. 203, § 4