Immediate quarantine shall be imposed on all herds diagnosed positive, exposed or suspect for CWD. A Cervidae Herd CWD Management Plan is required for any herds found to have a positive, exposed or suspect animal. Herd plans will be developed for any CWD positive, exposed, or suspect herds by the State and Federal officials in conjunction with the owner and will be subject to approval by the State Veterinarian. Such plans contain the following options for positive or trace-forward or trace-back herds and shall be adopted within sixty (60) days of a diagnosis of CWD.

1. (1) For CWD positive herds where whole herd depopulation with/without repopulation occurs, the following shall apply:

   1. (a) Depopulation of the whole herd is the preferred option for this program.
   2. (b) CWD positive animals that are depopulated shall be disposed of according to 9 CFR 54.7 (2002).
   3. (c) The Cervidae Herd CWD Management Plan for a CWD positive herd shall include a premise plan because of possible environmental contamination. Premise plans will include: cleaning and disinfecting actions, future land use in terms of repopulation, maintenance of fencing to limit free-ranging cervid access to the land, and the time period for surveillance before interstate animal movement is allowed if repopulation occurs.

2. (2) For CWD positive herds where quarantine with/without selective culling of animals occurs, the following shall apply:

   1. (a) Euthanasia, testing and disposal of selected animals; CWD positive animals that are culled shall be disposed of according to 9 CFR 54.7 (2002).
   2. (b) Monthly herd inspection by State or Federal personnel with removal and CWD testing of any suspect animals.
   3. (c) Herd inventory with individual animal identification(s) and annual verification of inventory by State or Federal veterinarians.
   4. (d) Perimeter fencing adequate to prevent fence line contact with captive and free-ranging cervids.
   5. (e) Quarantine of herd for sixty (60) months from the last case.
   6. (f) Herd surveillance (mandatory death reporting and CWD testing of all age animals which die) shall be conducted during the quarantine and shall continue for sixty (60) months from the last case.

3. (3) For CWD exposed trace-forward herds the following shall apply:

   1. (a) Removal and testing of the exposed animal traced to the herd.

      1. If the animal is CWD positive, the herd is considered to be positive and an appropriate Cervidae Herd CWD Management Plan shall be developed as listed above for CWD positive herds.

      2. If the animal is negative the Cervidae Herd CWD Management Plan shall contain:

      a. Herd inspection by State or Federal personnel with removal and CWD testing of any suspect animals; disposal of CWD positive animals shall be according to 9 CFR 54.7 (2002).

      b. Herd inventory with individual animal identification(s) and annual verification(s) by accredited State or Federal veterinarian(s).

      c. Herd surveillance (mandatory death reporting and CWD testing of all age animals which die for sixty (60) months from date of removal of the trace animal from the herd.

   2. (b) If the exposed animal traced to the herd is not removed the herd shall become a positive quarantined herd and the following shall apply:

      Herd surveillance (mandatory death reporting and CWD testing of all age animals which die) shall be conducted during the quarantine and shall continue for sixty (60) months from the last case.

4. (4) For CWD exposed trace-back herds the following shall apply:

   1. (a) Monthly herd inspection by State or Federal personnel with removal and CWD testing of any suspect animals; disposal of these animals shall follow 9 CFR 54.7.
   2. (b) Herd inventory with individual animal identification(s) and annual verification(s) by accredited State or Federal veterinarian(s).
   3. (c) Herd surveillance (mandatory death reporting and CWD testing of all age animals) shall be conducted during the quarantine and shall continue for sixty (60) months from date the CWD positive animal left the herd.
5. (5) A suspect herd is a herd with any cervid exhibiting neurologic or other symptoms consistent with CWD.

Specific Authority 585.002, 585.08, 585.145 FS. Law Implemented 585.004, 585.145, 585.17, 585.23 FS. History–New 11-27-02.