Addressing concerns about the discovery of New World Screwworm in Tom Green County, local officials held a press conference at San Angelo City Hall Tuesday afternoon.
Updates on the county, state and federal response were provided, along with contact information and an upcoming NWS program later this month from Texas A&M AgriLife.
Mayor Tom Thompson began by asking folks to remain calm.
“I think it’s a time that we understand that, as San Angelo, we don’t need to have a knee-jerk reaction,” he said. “This is very fluid. We’re in the infant stages of how the state of Texas, Tom Green County, and the city of San Angelo respond to this.”
He added that they will address concerns about not just livestock but companion animals as well.
“We are also the epicenter for the largest sheep and goat auction in the United States, so there’s questions that we need to get out to producers,” he said. “We don’t have a timeline on the end of this, I mean, New World screwworm is going to be here for quite a while.
“At this point, people need to start looking at how they manage and control their livestock, how they’re doing their breeding programs, at ways to control this, at least for the next year or two.”
Disaster declaration to ease path to assistance
After a brief message from Tom Green County Judge Lane Carter, Emergency Management Coordinator Jose Rivera took the microphone. Rivera holds the position for not only the county but San Angelo as well.
He gave a quick rundown of the screwworm discovery Friday on property north of town between Great Creek and Carlsbad. By that evening, both the city and county decided to declare the infestation as a local disaster.
“The local disaster is a formality that must be issued and signed by our mayor and our judge to ensure that our locals are receiving the state and federal resources they need to combat the situation,” Rivera said.
He later clarified that the declaration isn’t a guarantee of reimbursement.
“What that disaster declaration does is tell the governor and our state and federal partners we have an issue in San Angelo, Tom Green County, and we need your help,” Rivera explained.
Stopping the spread
The way to combat the spread of New World Screwworm is through the production of sterile male NWS flies since the female of the species mates only once.
Rivera said sterile flies have been dropped in the community and that fly traps are being placed in the area as well.
“I want to speak to the livestock owners. If you suspect your livestock to be infected with this fly, it is very important that you please report that to the Texas Animal Health Commission,” Rivera said. “That means you’re going to get the resources you need at no charge.”
The city also has a local website for connecting people to resources as well: www.sanangelo.gov/screwworm.
No shutdown for livestock business
Rivera said he doesn’t want fear to steer people away from reporting.
“This isn’t going to shut business down,” he said. “We have been assured by our state partners that livestock business will continue to happen in our community. Livestock will continue to move. Livestock will continue to be sold and purchased in our community.”
There is a 12-mile radius surrounding the point where the infestation was discovered.
Dr. Jake Thorne, the assistant professor and sheep and goat specialist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office in San Angelo, said that anyone seeking to move livestock from that zone can only do so after approval by Texas Animal Health Commission inspectors.
“That inspection is free of charge, but it is required for movement of those animals,” Thorne said. “They will require having official IDs for those animals, and their destination will also be a part of that information.”
Owners are required to contact an inspector at least two days prior to movement.
“If you need an inspection, the number right now is 737-292-9983,” said Thompson.
Thorne added that if the livestock are not going directly to slaughter, then they are likely going to need a systemic treatment. He cited Dectomax, an injectable dewormer, as one example.
Pets are susceptible
The danger from NWS isn’t limited only to livestock. Wildlife, outdoor pets and even people — though rare — can be hosts.
“When it comes to dogs, per the Texas Animal Health Commission, dog owners should be informed about what protective steps they need to take,” Thorne said. “That really is a discussion they have with their veterinarian.”
He said currently there are no regulations regarding the movement of dogs in and out of infested zones.
A dog that had been to Mexico was the source of the infestation report in Andrews County, according to the USDA.
Education on the way
“There’s a lot of questions now, and those questions are going to persist,” Thorne said. “On June 29 here in the Concho Valley, there is going to be an extension program at 5:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds that is going to cover a lot of the discussion around New World screwworm.”
Representatives from Texas Animal Health Commission, local veterinarians and AgriLife Extension personnel will conduct that free educational event. Those who wish to attend are asked to RSVP with the Tom Green County Extension office by June 26.
AgriLife Extension is also offering a free inspector course. Those who take the four-hour training and meet other requirements can be certified as inspectors.
“People all understand the ramifications of this pest in livestock and warm-blooded animals,” Thorne said. “But at the same time, it’s not a reason to panic.
“We have tools in the toolbox, we have strategies to deal with this situation, and being informed about those options and those strategies is one of the best things livestock owners and folks in the community can do.”
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: West Texas officials outline what to know about New World Screwworm
Reporting by Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News / San Angelo Standard-Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News | USA TODAY Network
