Flesh-eating maggots return to Texas cattle herds after 60-year absence

Texas is confronting a rare resurgence of the New World screwworm, a parasitic fly larva that consumes living flesh. The first confirmed case in the state since 1966 was found in a three-week-old calf near the U.S.-Mexico border. This parasite, also known as the flesh-eating maggot, exclusively feeds on warm-blooded animals and can, in rare instances, infect humans and pets, though the risk to the general public is minimal.

“

The New World screwworm has rapidly moved north through Mexico despite the USDA's plans for months.

The re-emergence of the screwworm comes at a critical time for the U.S. cattle industry, which is already at its lowest numbers in 75 years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) warns that an unchecked spread could inflict billions of dollars in damages and exacerbate the already record-high prices of beef.

In response, the USDA has begun releasing sterile male flies in infected areas to disrupt the screwworm's reproductive cycle. Female flies mate only once in their lifetime, and mating with sterile males prevents offspring. The state of Texas is also investing in new sterile fly production facilities and has established quarantine zones, restricting the movement of warm-blooded animals within a 12-mile radius of affected areas.

“

The USDA has been too slow to act and relied only on partial solutions that will take years to be fully effective.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller expressed strong criticism of the USDA's handling of the situation, stating that the agency has been too slow and relied on partial solutions that will take years to become fully effective. He urged President Donald Trump to deploy all available federal resources to avert what he called an "agricultural catastrophe."

“

Deploy all available federal resources before the threat becomes a complete agricultural catastrophe.