The spread of the New World screwworm, a notorious livestock pest, continues to challenge authorities in Texas. The Department of Agriculture announced two new cases on Monday, bringing the total to four confirmed instances. These recent detections occurred in a calf and a dog, separated by hundreds of miles in La Salle and Andrews counties.
The screwworm, technically a fly, lays eggs in the open wounds of warm-blooded animals. Once hatched, the larvae consume living flesh. While livestock is a primary target, wildlife, pets, and even humans are susceptible to infestation.
First discovered in Texas just last week in a three-week-old calf and subsequently in a nearby young calf, the presence of the screwworm raises significant concerns for the cattle industry. This pest was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s but remains a threat due to recent detections in Mexico, where it resurfaced in late 2024 after being contained in Panama for decades.
Efforts to combat this pest involve breeding sterile male flies. These flies mate with wild females, who only mate once in their lifetime. Mating with sterile males prevents the production of offspring, thus reducing outbreaks over time. The Department of Agriculture plans to boost the production of sterile flies in facilities outside the U.S. while constructing a new fly factory in Texas.
Brooke Rollins, the Secretary of Agriculture, is scheduled to receive a briefing on the situation at the Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, Texas, on Monday afternoon.
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