New World screwworm fly infestation confirmed in Texas cattle for first time in over 50 years
By
John Hanna, Russ Bynum
Hot, fresh, and worth queueing round the block for.
Summary
The New World screwworm fly, a flesh-eating parasite, has been confirmed in south Texas for the first time in over 50 years, threatening the $113 billion U.S. cattle industry. The infestation was found in a 3-week-old calf in La Pryor, Texas, about 100 miles southwest of San Antonio. Federal and state officials had been working to prevent the parasite's spread from Mexico, where it appeared in late 2024 after being contained in Panama for years. The U.S. previously eradicated the pest by the early 1970s using sterile insect technique, and millions of sterile flies are now being released weekly to combat the outbreak.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledThe New World screwworm fly is threatening the $113 billion U.S. cattle industry for the first time in more than a half century.
The infestation was discovered in a single 3-week-old calf in La Pryor, Texas, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) southwest of San Antonio and 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the U.S.-Mexico border.
Federal and state officials had been working to keep the parasite from reaching Texas, home to $17 billion worth of the nation's cattle, making it the industry's
The U.S. eradicated the pest by the early 1970s by breeding sterile male flies and dropping swarms from planes to mate with wild females.
Millions are being released each week now.
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