STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — Concerns are rising over New World screwworm after the pest was detected just 90 miles from the U.S. border, posing a potential threat to American ranchers.
Departing Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report with the latest on the situation and and ongoing response efforts in his state.
In his interview with RFD NEWS, Miller said the most recent case was detected in a dog in Monterrey, Mexico, and noted that thousands of cases have already been identified in the region. While the pest is not new, he emphasized that its proximity to the border and increased fly activity following winter dormancy are cause for concern. He added that sterile flies are currently being deployed, but at levels well below what is needed to fully contain the spread.
Miller also discussed frustration over the lack of use of additional control methods, including a fly bait that he says was historically effective when combined with sterile fly releases. He pointed to past eradication success using a combination approach and suggested similar strategies could help stop the spread more quickly.
On the policy side, Miller addressed discussions around a potential soft reopening of the southern border for cattle trade. He proposed a limited reopening focused on rodeo stock and horses, emphasizing that certain regions of Mexico remain free of screwworm and could allow for controlled movement. He also noted concerns that delays could impact U.S. cattle supply and prices.
Finally, Miller highlighted preparedness efforts, including the distribution of more than 1,000 test kits to ranchers, veterinarians, and wildlife personnel in South Texas to help quickly identify and respond to potential cases.
While Miller is sounding the alarm on the threat of screwworm, livestock health experts with the Texas Animal Health Commission are also sharing their stance on the cattle parasite and why they believe there is no need to panic — at least not right now.
“To coin a phrase from one of my colleagues in Virginia: the best thing we can put on animals for New World screwworms is eyes,” explains Dr. TR Lansford. “And so, certainly, it’s going to take all of us being very diligent in performing inspections, thorough inspections of our animals, just to make sure that we’re finding any potential infestation early so we can treat it and break that life cycle of the pest or find it a wound early so that we can treat it and prevent infestation.”
Lansford says the fly’s life cycle is about 21 days, which is why timing and early detection matter. He says predicting how far or fast the pest could spread remains the biggest challenge.
“There are a lot of factors that influence that, certainly you think about some of the environmental conditions — weather plays into this, suitable habitat, weather patterns — you know, all of those things certainly factor into any prediction,” Lansford said. “But the other things that go into that consideration would include things like efficacy of mitigation strategies. And so, start thinking about movement controls of infested livestock to make sure that we’re not, you know, moving that infestation by people movements of animals, efficacy of treatment protocols, and compliance with those protocols as part of a mitigation strategy and of strategic sterile flight dispersal factors into that as well.”
For more information on New World Screwworm and biosecurity protocol from the USDA, visit: www.screwworm.gov
