Farmscape for March 5, 2026

As part of its February eNewsletter, the Swine Health Information Center has outlined details of a newly released New World screwworm fact sheet.
Identified in November, 2024 in Mexico, New World Screwworm, is now approximately 70 miles from the U.S. border.
To familiarise pork sector stakeholders with this pest, the Swine Health Information Center has released a New World screwworm fact sheet.
SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says, while the pest is not currently found in the United States, it is important to be on the active lookout, especially in areas close to the U.S. Mexico border.

Quote-Dr. Lisa Becton-Swine health Information Center:
New World Screwworm is a parasitic fly that deposits eggs in open wounds and leads to a condition called myiasis.
When these eggs hatch into larvae the larvae then burrow and feed off of living tissue creating very painful wounds in the animals that they infect.
This fly can be attracted to and affect any mammal including swine and even humans.
This is a risk for any type of production because the fly can get in and it's attracted to any type of wound and if left untreated, this can also lead to the death of the animal.
This fact sheet has been a collaboration between the Swine Health Information Center and experts at the Texas A&M University.
Our goal was to make a swine specific fact sheet that can outline the life cycle of the fly, provide pictures to show what identification of these various life stages look like and also describe what potential infestation may look like, clinical signs and links and descriptions of how to report this to state animal authorities but also to be able to manage wounds and treatment of animals.

Dr. Becton says animals that have wounds that don't heal or produce a fowl odor, are not eating or are not feeling well should be reported immediately to animal health officials.
The New World screwworm fact sheet can be accessed at swinehealth.org.
For more visit Farmscape.Ca.
Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is produced on behalf of North America’s pork producers