screw worm

Dangers of the Screwworm to Cattle Operations

DanCattle, Disease, Exports/Imports, Pest Update

screwworm
Screwworm larva. Tusklike mandibles protruding from the screwworm larva’s mouth rasp the flesh of living warm-blooded animals. A wound may contain hundreds of such larvae.
By John Kucharski – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons. Original uploader was Ellmistfrom
screwworm
New World screwworm (NWS, Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a devastating pest. When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds, and in rare cases, people.
Courtesy of USDA/APHIS

Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins has suspended import to the U.S. southern border because of the issue with cattle and the screwworm. Rancher Tucker Brown from RAB Ranch talks about how serious the screwworm really is and what is does to cattle.

Dangers of the Screwworm to Cattle Operations

Normally you think of the southern border as a political issue, the New World screwworm is a little fly parasite. The female fly lay eggs in an open wound. A wound being a newborn calf. The animals are being eaten alive. Mexico is not doing a good job. About 1 million cattle come over from Mexico and come across The United States.