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Screwworm is here...

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RCR06
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9:16a, 6/12/26
AG
So I have never been involved in raising cattle or livestock for that matter. I understand the basics of the screwworm outbreak. Also, I'm 42 and wasn't around for the 60's/70's outbreak. Couple questions.

I understand the eggs have to be laid on a live animal in some type of skin opening. Are calves/young animals most susceptible to this at birth? This is what I'm assuming based on reading this thread, but it's not really stated from what I can remember. Is this why the concern over white tailed deer?

There are several sterile fly breeding facilities between the U.S. and Panama that have been releasing sterile flies and the screwworms have continued to move North. Why hasn't this suppressed the spread? Should we be concerned this may not be as effective on the new world screwworm?
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96ags
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In reply to RCR06 • 9:33a, 6/12/26
AG
RCR06 said:
So I have never been involved in raising cattle or livestock for that matter. I understand the basics of the screwworm outbreak. Also, I'm 42 and wasn't around for the 60's/70's outbreak. Couple questions.

I understand the eggs have to be laid on a live animal in some type of skin opening. Are calves/young animals most susceptible to this at birth? This is what I'm assuming based on reading this thread, but it's not really stated from what I can remember. Is this why the concern over white tailed deer?

There are several sterile fly breeding facilities between the U.S. and Panama that have been releasing sterile flies and the screwworms have continued to move North. Why hasn't this suppressed the spread? Should we be concerned this may not be as effective on the new world screwworm?

1. Any open wound is susceptible for infestation so calves/fawns are especially susceptible because of exposed navel cords, but any scratch/cut is a potential entry point as is antlers in velvet.

2. The fly production has laxed over the years. In addition, Mexico is particularly hard to fight them in because of big country and less than scrupulous cattle movements.
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FishrCoAg
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In reply to RCR06 • 9:34a, 6/12/26
AG
RCR06 said:
So I have never been involved in raising cattle or livestock for that matter. I understand the basics of the screwworm outbreak. Also, I'm 42 and wasn't around for the 60's/70's outbreak. Couple questions.

I understand the eggs have to be laid on a live animal in some type of skin opening. Are calves/young animals most susceptible to this at birth? This is what I'm assuming based on reading this thread, but it's not really stated from what I can remember. Is this why the concern over white tailed deer?

There are several sterile fly breeding facilities between the U.S. and Panama that have been releasing sterile flies and the screwworms have continued to move North. Why hasn't this suppressed the spread? Should we be concerned this may not be as effective on the new world screwworm?


Yes to the first question. Any wound of bleeding. As to the second question, just not enough sterile flies being produced.
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TacosaurusRex
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In reply to RCR06 • 9:42a, 6/12/26
RCR06 said:
So I have never been involved in raising cattle or livestock for that matter. I understand the basics of the screwworm outbreak. Also, I'm 42 and wasn't around for the 60's/70's outbreak. Couple questions.

I understand the eggs have to be laid on a live animal in some type of skin opening. Are calves/young animals most susceptible to this at birth? This is what I'm assuming based on reading this thread, but it's not really stated from what I can remember. Is this why the concern over white tailed deer?

There are several sterile fly breeding facilities between the U.S. and Panama that have been releasing sterile flies and the screwworms have continued to move North. Why hasn't this suppressed the spread? Should we be concerned this may not be as effective on the new world screwworm?

You are going to get several different answers for this. Some will blame USAID cuts, some will blame the cartels for creating no go zones, and some will blame a slow response by the government. Like any disaster it will never be just one thing, and is most likely a combination of a whole host of things.

We have known that the spread was happening since the last administration, so for those trying to point blame at the current one are just trying to gain points somewhere. I haven't seen it reported or mentioned anywhere that the sterile flies were not working, in fact everything seems to point to it being the best we can do right now. We just need billions more of them with no hope of it until 2027 when the Texas facility is brought on-line.
"If you are reading this, I have passed on from this world — not as big a deal for you as it was for me."
T. Boone Pickens
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hillcountryag86
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9:47a, 6/12/26
AG
Sterile flies are the only effective way to end this. As others have said, we don't have the capacity to adequately fight this. Hopefully, this new facility will get us there.

Plenty of administrations, countries, organizations to point figures.
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MouthBQ98
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9:53a, 6/12/26
AG
They release the sterile flies to create a high density barrier zone so that any females or local infected animals that move into the zone are statistically going to have all resulting females going to have a failed mating with a sterile male.

I someone moves an infected animal beyond this very high density zone by not wanting to comply with regulations, then there won't be enough steril males to suppress the growth of a new population from successful localized breeding. The flies will have broken through containment.

There has been a LOT of north South movement in the last few years through the barrier of people and animals and the enforcement gets lax when people forget experiences with the consequences.

The containment barrier in Panama wasn't a very large area to cover to high density.

The containment area now is basically gone, as the flies are near to their historic range limits. Beating them
Back will now require a massive increase in sterile fly deployment and infection mitigation and careful livestock inspection and movement controls and systematic extirpation from areas over time.
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schmellba99
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 10:04a, 6/12/26
AG
ttha_aggie_09 said:
I am not going to pretend like I know how this is going to play out, especially given I wasn't alive for the last outbreak. However, I do know of the stories the ranchers told about how bad it was in their sheep and cows and how their lands were almost void of deer too - especially where I have hunted for the last 25 years.

What I don't understand is how you're already blaming hunters for something that has nothing to do with them right now… not trying to be a triggered little snowflake, I'm just genuinely confused on the lashing out.

Perhaps all of these hunters and ranchers with the billions of dollars they spend every year on deer hunting/ranching, are going to bring more attention and potentially more innovation to help slow or stop the spread?

It's also not really an fair comparison given the deer population in the state is anywhere from 5-10x what it was in the 70s, so it will inherently be worse regardless of feeder hunters or whatever term you used…

We all want to stop it and I don't want this thing impacting the cows, sheep, deer, or anything (well, maybe not the aoudad).

You don't pay much attention on this board I see.

Pretty much everything is a city slicker caused problem, doesn't really matter what it is. Those damned city folk. The people in the country never cause any problems at all.

Duh.
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SanAntoneAg
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7:10p, 6/12/26
AG
Add Tom Green County to the list.
Gig 'em! '90
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country
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8:16p, 6/12/26
AG
This is one of those instances where you actually look at the government as your friend. We are all on the same team in this one. Well, at least the boots on the ground fighters are. If you see a case in your livestock, report it. If you are in a quarantine zone, work within the rules. They aren't really overly burdensome. Everyone has to do their part. That includes ignoring all the noise and panic out on the interweb and simply watching your livestock, doctoring when needed, reporting when needed, and following quarantine rules when needed. The guys working this on the government side are real people that are working for real resolution. Ignore the politicians. They are blowhards trying to get political points. Half the guys working this on the government side are fellow Aggies. Listen to them and work with them. Get real information and not internet information.
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FishrCoAg
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In reply to country • 8:24p, 6/12/26
AG
country said:
This is one of those instances where you actually look at the government as your friend. We are all on the same team in this one. Well, at least the boots on the ground fighters are. If you see a case in your livestock, report it. If you are in a quarantine zone, work within the rules. They aren't really overly burdensome. Everyone has to do their part. That includes ignoring all the noise and panic out on the interweb and simply watching your livestock, doctoring when needed, reporting when needed, and following quarantine rules when needed. The guys working this on the government side are real people that are working for real resolution. Ignore the politicians. They are blowhards trying to get political points. Half the guys working this on the government side are fellow Aggies. Listen to them and work with them. Get real information and not internet information.



This deserves all the blue stars.
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Centerpole90
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In reply to country • 8:28p, 6/12/26
AG
Solid post.

We've dealt the fever tick a few years and even though I'm a couple miles in the green - lots of my friends are behind the line and I've lived it through them. It just means a few steps and inconveniences - but if respected they will pay off. It's like the boll weevil - only through cooperation will there ever be eradication.

I am beside myself that our Commisioner would suggest otherwise.
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rab79
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In reply to SanAntoneAg • 9:01p, 6/12/26
AG
SanAntoneAg said:
Add Tom Green County to the list.

Crap... That is north of the ranch...
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Deerdude
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9:05p, 6/12/26
Dipped and vaccinated Dectomax today to move cattle into the tick quarantine zone. Ear tags and one umbilical sprayed.
Tick rider said that along the river we are in the safest place around. Hey have been dropping flies trying to create a buffer zone . They are a bit baffled how the flies seemed to jump the barrier area.
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SanAntoneAg
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In reply to country • 10:10p, 6/12/26
AG
country said:
This is one of those instances where you actually look at the government as your friend. We are all on the same team in this one. Well, at least the boots on the ground fighters are. If you see a case in your livestock, report it. If you are in a quarantine zone, work within the rules. They aren't really overly burdensome. Everyone has to do their part. That includes ignoring all the noise and panic out on the interweb and simply watching your livestock, doctoring when needed, reporting when needed, and following quarantine rules when needed. The guys working this on the government side are real people that are working for real resolution. Ignore the politicians. They are blowhards trying to get political points. Half the guys working this on the government side are fellow Aggies. Listen to them and work with them. Get real information and not internet information.


Solid.

Makes you wonder how many staunch Government Bad folks might be tamping that mentality down a notch.
Gig 'em! '90
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BrazosDog02
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In reply to rab79 • 10:28p, 6/12/26
AG
rab79 said:
SanAntoneAg said:
Add Tom Green County to the list.

Crap... That is north of the ranch...


We should all pretty much figure they are AT or ranches at this point.
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Tecolote
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In reply to Deerdude • 11:18p, 6/12/26
AG
Deerdude said:
Dipped and vaccinated Dectomax today to move cattle into the tick quarantine zone. Ear tags and one umbilical sprayed.
Tick rider said that along the river we are in the safest place around. Hey have been dropping flies trying to create a buffer zone . They are a bit baffled how the flies seemed to jump the barrier area.

Not enough sterile flies
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