The Swine Health Information Center is highlighting resources to help address New World Screwworm and will cohost a New World Screwworm webinar next week.
In response to the detection of New World Screwworm in Texas in June, the Swine Health Information Center is making New World Screwworm resources available to livestock producers and veterinarians and, in collaboration with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, cohosting a “New World Screwworm Response Planning, Available Resources and Outreach Strategies for Pork Producers” webinar August 4th.SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says there are nine active cases and 33 inactive cases as of July 26th, primarily in Texas with one in New Mexico.
Quote-Dr. Lisa Becton-Swine Health Information Center:
It really is important to continue to monitor the situation, especially as it is evolving, because it can help determine where in Texas and what counties are being affected, as well as what other movement and or restrictions that may be placed within those counties.But it's also important to continue to monitor for clinical signs of potential New World Screwworm infestation, which can include non-healing wounds with a bad odor, signs of pain in an animal or licking and biting at wounds.
This can be something to look at, especially for production practices, including castration of male pigs, ear tagging and other things that may create a potential wound. There are several different resources that have been developed since New World Screwworm was first detected.Some of those are available for Texas Animal Health, as well as USDA.
USDA's site, screwworm.gov, has an extensive amount of information for producers, veterinarians and other stakeholders, including a weekly status update of where the infestations are identified.There's a lot more information as well included for treatments, for different approved products and withdrawal times. As well, SHIC has a swine health fact sheet for New World Screwworm.
Dr. Becton says early identification and treatment will reduce any potential spread of the fly so it's important for producers to work with their veterinarians if there are suspected cases.To access SHIC's New World Screwworm resources or to register for the August 4th webinar visit swinehealth.org.
Source : Farmscape.ca