09/25/2025
TALKING BOUT A BUNCH OF SCREWWORMS
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Last night, my husband and I were discussing what we're going to do in terms of retaining heifers and marketing some of our yearling stocker calves when the conversation turned to the New World Screwworm. Yes, that nasty flesh-eating parasite.
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If you've not heard, a New World Screwworm case was found less than 70 miles from our southern border, in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. I said in a previous AcresTV episode I'd heard a professor from Texas A&M say "It's not 'if,' it's *when* screwworm gets here" and I have to say I completely agree.
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Screwworm is going to make it's way to the United States.
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To clarify, the screwworm is a parasitic fly which lays its eggs in open wounds on livestock and pets and the subsequent maggots burrow their way into the flesh and basically eat the animal alive. It's horrendous and devastating.
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But, for both producers and grocery shoppers, there should not be concern for panic and here's why I say that:
1) We have eradicated screwworm from the United States before - in the 60s we implemented the sterile fly tactic (releasing sterile male flies to mate with females and therefore unfertilized eggs are laid) and that was successful. We can and will do that again but it will take collaboration from all vets - state, USDA and private - and producers to do so. We have to be vigilant and monitor our animals for any signs of parasitic infection.
2) We have tools, funding and plans in place to meet the demand for producing and releasing enough sterile flies to stop the spread.
- Currently, we are dispersing 100 million flies per week in Mexico from a facility in Panama.
- USDA is also renovating a production facility in Mexico which could produce 60-100 million more sterile flies.
- Construction has begun on a plant in south Texas which will hopefully be operable by the end of this year which can disperse another 100 million flies per week.
- Lastly, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning for the construction of another sterile fly production facility in South Texas with could have a capacity of 300 million flies per week.
Obviously, all of those mechanisms take time, so it could be 2026 before we see measurable results but it's important to remember we are already working on this before screwworm gets here.
3) We all want what is best for our livestock - one deceased animal is so hard on my - and my fellow rancher's - hearts and souls. We want our animals to be safe and healthy, so you can be assured we will be vigilant in checking our cattle and doing as much preparation as possible.
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4) THERE IS NO FOOD SAFETY CONCERN. Any animal that enters the food supply passes a pre-harvest inspection by USDA veterinarians. An animal that has a systemic infection would be flagged and pulled from the line and would not enter the food supply. Also, we are not importing cattle from Mexico, and haven't for most of 2025 (which is part of the many reasons beef is so high at the retail outlet right now) so this is not an import issue.
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There is a lot more info regarding producers and how we should be diligent checking our cattle, use treatments (which are all off-label and will require a veterinarian prescription) judiciously and not mass treat and cooperate/communicate with local and state animal health officials and I get into more of those details in my latest AcresTV episode.
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Bottom line is let's monitor our animals to keep them safe and healthy. We'll work with all parties to get the problem solved. You, as grocery shoppers, should know that we'll do all we can to get the problem taken care of and you can trust your beef supply to continue to be the safest in the world.
* Do not make political jabs or any remarks about immigration at our southern border. It's my page and I'll just bounce you out of here. Be kind, it's not hard.*
