America’s Beef Farmers Can’t Catch a Break
Summary
Federal officials confirmed the New World screwworm has appeared in Texas, posing a threat to cattle and other warm-blooded animals. This pest damages live tissue and spreads through wounds, which could hurt the already stressed U.S. cattle industry facing low herd sizes and high prices.Key Facts
- The New World screwworm was found in a calf in La Pryor, Texas, near the Mexican border.
- A 12-mile quarantine zone was set up to stop the spread of the pest in Zavala and Uvalde counties.
- The screwworm larvae eat live flesh by burrowing into open wounds on animals and occasionally humans.
- The pest was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s using sterile male flies to reduce breeding.
- It has recently moved north from Panama through Central America and Mexico into the U.S.
- The U.S. cattle herd is at its smallest size since 1951 due to drought, costs, and market problems.
- Beef and cattle prices have reached record highs because of lower production.
- The cattle industry is asking President Donald Trump to declare a national emergency for more support.
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