Screwworm Sounds the Alarm in Elk and Cattle Country

The old-timers will tell you: trouble in livestock country often starts small. A scratch, a sore, a bit of damp hair around a wound — and then, if nobody catches it, the problem starts chewing its way into the herd. That is why the latest screwworm detections in a Texas elk and a New Mexico beef cow deserve more than a passing glance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed what is being described as the first U.S. wildlife case in this situation, found in a hunter-harvested elk in Texas. New Mexico has also confirmed an infested cow. Screwworm larvae feed on living tissue, making them far more dangerous than the ordinary nuisance flies that circle the barnyard. They can turn a minor wound into a major animal welfare and production problem in short order.

For cattle producers, sheep and goat owners, horse folks, hunters, and even pet owners, the practical message is simple: look closely. Fresh wounds, navels on newborns, dehorning or branding sites, bites, scratches, and any damp or foul-smelling lesion should get attention fast. If larvae are present, do not play guessing games. Call a veterinarian or animal health authority and preserve samples if instructed.

This also matters because wildlife and livestock share more invisible fences than we like to admit. Deer, elk, feral hogs, coyotes, working dogs, and cattle all move through overlapping landscapes. A pest that shows up in wildlife can become a ranch problem before the gate latch even squeaks.

Good biosecurity is rarely glamorous, but it is cheaper than an outbreak. Keep wound care supplies handy, check animals during routine handling, maintain fly control where practical, and make sure everyone on the place knows what an unusual wound looks like. In livestock health, the best lasso is often just a sharp eye used early.