The Alberta government began conducting voluntary surveillance for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in farmed and wild cervids (elk and deer), in the fall of 1996. On August 8, 2002, the Mandatory CWD Surveillance Program became effective in Alberta, requiring cervid owners to submit the heads for CWD testing, from all farmed cervids over one year of age that die or are slaughtered. Product from slaughtered animals must be held at abattoirs pending CWD test results.

CWD testing is conducted at the Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) laboratory in Edmonton. Producers are required to submit heads to any ARD laboratory (Edmonton, Fairview, Airdrie, Lethbridge) in the province.

 Download a pdf version of the CWD submission form [PDF, 45KB]

 Download the Voluntary National CWD Surveillance Program [PDF, 20pp, 115KB]

 Check out the fact sheet

 2008 stats on farmed and wild heads tested