Cervid Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Program

The Cervid Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Program provides surveillance to detect chronic wasting disease on domestic game farms in Saskatchewan. Early detection limits spread to other farmed cervids on the premises, to other game farms and to wild cervids, which may come into contact with affected cervids and their fluids/manure. For more information, see the chronic wasting disease overview page.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture administers and regulates the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Program under The Animal Production Regulations. All domestic game farm operators that keep cervids in Saskatchewan are required to participate. The program began in January 2001 on a voluntary basis, and was made mandatory on December 31, 2001.

Chronic wasting disease is a federally reportable disease in Canada, and all suspected cases are to be reported to a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) district veterinarian. On April 1, 2018, CFIA changed its control program so that only game farms that are on the federal Herd Certification Program (HCP) will be quarantined, depopulated and compensated. In Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, the HCP is administered by the Canadian Sheep Federation, which manages a similar program for scrapie in sheep. Saskatchewan game farm operators interested in enrolling in the HCP can visit the Canadian Sheep Federation website. Additional information on the HCP can be found at CFIA's chronic wasting disease webpage.

On November 15, 2019, chronic wasting disease was listed as a reportable disease under The Animal Health Act and its Regulations. All suspect or confirmed cases of are to be reported to the office of the provincial chief veterinary officer within 24 hours. To report a suspect or confirmed case, contact the Livestock Branch at 306-787-2150.