Samantha Holeck
Coverage of Samantha Holeck in the Nexus archive.
- The pest that could devastate the American cattle industry was in Texas, but now it’s in New Mexico, too
The New World screwworm, a pest that infests open wounds of animals and threatens the cattle industry, has been confirmed in Texas and New Mexico. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is deploying sterile male flies to combat the outbreak and has established quarantine zones around infected areas. Cases include three calves, a goat in Texas, and a dog in New Mexico, with concerns about potential spread to wildlife like white-tailed deer.
- A flesh-eating cattle parasite spreads beyond Texas as new screwworm cases are found
Three new New World screwworm cases have been confirmed, including one in New Mexico outside Texas' main cluster, threatening the cattle industry and prompting USDA-led containment efforts. The USDA is deploying sterile male flies to combat the parasite, which infests wounds and risks fatal infections in animals.