Chronic wasting disease was confirmed last week in a one-and-a-half-year-old female deer from a Mecosta County deer farm. CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and moose. The sample was submitted for testing as a part of the state’s CWD surveillance program.

The deer farmer who submitted the sample has gone above and beyond any state requirements to protect their deer from disease, and it is unknown at this time how this producer’s herd became infected with CWD.

The positive farm has been quarantined and MDARD and DNR are following the Michigan Surveillance and Response Plan for Chronic Wasting Disease of Free-Ranging and Privately Owned Cervids. More information about CWD is available at http://www.michigan.gov/cwd.

As a reminder, beginning January 1, 2018, the all-species interstate certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) will be the only paper CVI accepted for Michigan. The all-species paper CVI has “AH – 270 (Rev 02/17)” printed on it, located near the lower, right-hand corner.  Any unusable paper forms remaining on January 1, 2018, should be shredded or otherwise destroyed.

Please call the MDARD-AID Supply Line at 517-373-9794 to order the new CVI or visit www.michigan.gov/dvmresources to download the supply order form PDF. Once the form is completed with the requested supplies, email the form to MDARD-aidforms@michigan.gov. If you have any questions, please visit our website or call at 800-292-3939.

Accredited veterinarians are responsible for ensuring all animals meet official identification requirements before performing work approved under your accreditation. 

This includes ensuring that cattle and bison are tagged with the correct official identification. Additionally, official forms, such as TB test charts and interstate CVIs, should be completed accurately and completely prior to submission. In Michigan, all cattle and bison must be identified with official radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tags to leave a farm. The only exception being that untagged cattle may move directly to a livestock market that is approved to apply RFID tags. Improper documentation or identification may affect your accreditation status, your clients, and/or the receiver of the exported animals.

We have identified a few areas that we are routinely finding errors and have outlined these below:

• Official RFID tags numbers must begin with “840” or “124” if the cattle originate from Canada, for animals tagged on or after March 11, 2015. RFID tags applied before March 11, 2015, that begin with a 900 (e.g., 982 or 985) should not be removed! These RFID tags are grandfathered in and are considered official identification for that particular animal. RFID tags applied on or after March 11, 2015, that begin with a 900 (e.g., 982 or 985) should be removed! These RFID tags are not considered official identification for this particular animal and should be replaced with a RFID tag beginning with “840.” Along with retagging the animal, the following information must be documented, and the record kept by the veterinarian for a minimum of five years: name of animal owner, farm/facility address, date the animal is retagged, RFID number of the new tag, and RFID number of the old tag.
• When completing a CVI or TB test chart, if an animal has two forms of official identification (e.g., RFID tag and a NUES metal/brite/bangs tag), then document both official identification numbers for that animal on the CVI or TB test chart.
• If you provide your clients with RFID tags or you apply RFID tags for your clients, then you must document the following information and keep the record for a minimum of five years: name of animal owner, farm/facility address, date the animal is tagged, RFID number and other official identification number (e.g., NUES metal/brite/bangs tag), if present.

For questions about RFID, contact Dr. Theresa Drysdale at drysdalet@michigan.gov or 517-284-5791.