Farms.com Home › News

Protecting Livestock From the New World Screwworm

Oct 17, 2025

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Livestock owners work hard to keep their animals healthy, but even small wounds or injuries can create opportunities for parasites to cause serious health problems.

One of these parasites is the New World screwworm, which has recently appeared in areas close to the United States, raising concerns for nearby livestock.

Dr. Jennifer Schleining, a clinical professor and head of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and member of the AgriLife Research New World Screwworm Task Force, explains how livestock owners can identify and manage the parasite.

Digging Into The Details

New World screwworm is a type of fly whose larvae feed on living tissue, unlike most maggots, which feed on dead tissue. The flies lay eggs in open wounds and once the larvae hatch, they invade the tissue, causing pain, infection, and, if left untreated, death.

Source : tamu.edu

Video: Genomic Technologies and Public Trust - Dr. Ellen Goddard

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Ellen Goddard, Professor Emerita at the University of Alberta, discusses public acceptance of genomic technologies in pork production. She explains why disease resistance is viewed positively, how labeling affects trust, why farmers remain highly credible messengers, and how communication can shape consumer confidence around gene editing. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Not providing information is a choice that can affect long-term public trust."

Meet the guest: Dr. Ellen Goddard / ellen-goddard-11541138 is Professor Emerita at the University of Alberta and an agricultural economist. Her work focuses on consumer behavior, trust, livestock sectors, and public attitudes toward food technologies. She also specializes in economic modeling for pork, beef, and dairy systems. Learn more from Dr. Ellen Goddard on the Swine in Canada Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.