Screwworm Threat Halts Texas Livestock Imports

Canada has temporarily banned livestock imports from Texas after discovering the first case of the flesh-eating screwworm in decades, found on a calf in La Pryor. This invasive parasite, whose larvae feed on living tissue, poses a serious threat—even though Canada’s cold climate limits its spread, the risk is real, especially in warmer months. Ranchers and pet owners are on high alert, urged to watch for signs like non-healing wounds or foul odors. Meanwhile, Texas has declared a state of disaster and is racing to build a sterile fly facility to combat the outbreak, aiming to deploy sterile males to disrupt reproduction. The U.S. is also collaborating with Mexico on a similar effort, underscoring how a tiny pest can ripple across borders and threaten the entire continent’s cattle industry. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5284d08f5fa58008