LUBBOCK, TX – A second confirmed New World screwworm case in Zavala County, Texas, is intensifying the response for ranchers already facing quarantine, surveillance, and livestock movement controls.
USDA says the latest detection, confirmed June 5, involved a one-month-old calf about 5.6 miles from the first case. Other nearby suspect samples tested negative, according to the agency.
Federal and Texas officials are operating under unified incident command. The response includes a 20-kilometer infested zone, movement restrictions, expanded trapping, wildlife surveillance, and treatment supplies staged through the National Veterinary Stockpile.
USDA began aerial sterile fly releases on June 4, dispersing 2 million sterile screwworms twice weekly. Another 4 million sterile flies per week are being shipped for release through 24 ground chambers.
Governor Greg Abbott has issued a statewide disaster proclamation as Texas coordinates livestock and wildlife response. Producers are urged to inspect wounds, especially navels, on newborn animals and report suspect cases promptly.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Livestock producers should inspect animals daily, document suspicious wounds, and follow local movement rules as the Texas response expands.