A new livestock health warning is putting Iowa cattle producers and pork operations on high alert. The USDA confirmed Arizona’s first case of New World screwworm in a dog near the Mexican border, following recent detections in Texas and New Mexico.
While the parasite hasn’t reached the Midwest, the threat to Hawkeye State livestock is real. Screwworm larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing severe, potentially fatal wounds in cattle, hogs, and pets. Federal officials have established movement controls and sterile fly releases near the border to halt its spread. Iowa producers are strongly urged to maintain strict biosecurity, inspect herds daily for open wounds, and immediately report any suspicious infestations to a local veterinarian.
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