Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Kimble County Deer Breeding Facility

AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) received confirmation of a case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a deer-breeding facility in Kimble County, marking the second such detection in a deer-breeding facility located in the county.

A six-year-old doe tested positive through an antemortem (live-animal) test conducted to meet annual CWD surveillance requirements for the facility, and postmortem testing confirmed the initial result.

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station initially analyzed the samples, with the National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirming the CWD detection.

CWD has an incubation period that can span years, meaning the first indication in a herd may likely come through surveillance testing rather than observed clinical signs. Early detection and proactive monitoring improve the state’s response time to the detection of CWD and can greatly reduce the risk of further disease spread.

Prior to the beginning of all deer hunting seasons, TPWD will establish a surveillance zone encompassing a two-mile radius from this recent detection.  All hunter harvested deer from this new zone must be presented at a check station location, yet to be determined, within 48 hours of harvesting the deer.  All affected landowners within this zone will be contacted by the department after the zone boundaries are established.

CWD is a fatal neurological disease found in certain cervids including deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family. This slow, progressive disease may not produce visible signs in susceptible species for several years after infection. As the irreversible disease process continues, animals with CWD may show changes in behavior and appearance. Clinical signs may include progressive weight loss, stumbling or tremors with a lack of coordination, loss of appetite, teeth grinding, abnormal head posture and/or drooping ears, and excessive thirst, salivation or urination.




In Texas, the disease was first discovered in 2012 in free-ranging mule deer along a remote area of the Hueco Mountains near the Texas-New Mexico border. CWD has since been detected in Texas captive and free-ranging cervids, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer and elk.

For more information on previous detections in Texas and CWD best management practices for hunters and landowners, visit TPWD’s CWD page. The recently updated page includes a map of all CWD zones, check stations and positive case tracking. This webpage can be utilized to find answers to frequently asked questions, view videos with information from wildlife veterinarians and review the latest news.

Support Christian Journalism

Freedom ​is Not Free! Free Speech is essential to a functioning Republic. The assault on honest, Christian Journalism and Media has taken a devastating toll over the last two years. Many Christian media outlets have not survived.

It is through your Generosity and Support that we are able to promote Free Speech and Safeguard our Freedoms and Liberties throughout our Communities and the Nation. Without your donations, we cannot continue to publish articles written through a Biblical worldview.

Please consider donating or subscribing today. A donation of any size makes a Big Difference. Thank you for your Support!

Joseph Menslage

As the President and Publisher of Katy and Fort Bend Christian Magazines, Joe Menslage is committed to covering social and political news from a Christian worldview. He founded Katy Christian Magazine in 2005, which swept the greater Houston and Katy areas like a storm. That’s when Joe realized the urgent need for publications willing to give voices to the voiceless, without political correctness or censorship. Joe Menslage founded sister-publication Fort Bend Christian Magazine in 2014. Prior to creating Katy Christian Magazine, Joe Menslage led a colorful life. He was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, spent a great deal of his childhood in Colorado, and lived in a couple of other states before he moved to Houston in 1981. Joe was God-gifted with an entrepreneurial mind, and self-started other business ventures before he found his calling. In Joe’s words, our innate talents are given by the Lord, and are meant to be used to serve the Lord. Aside from being a President and Publisher, Joe Menslage is also the co-founder of Katy Christian Chamber of Commerce, where Christians can network, build business connections, listen to passionate speakers, and enjoy monthly breakfasts and lunches. Joe Menslage also hosts a weekly political satire YouTube channel. Joe Menslage has four children. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, watching zombie movies and K dramas, ax-throwing and Krav Maga.