Following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement that a confirmed case of New World screwworm (NWS) was detected in Zavala County, Texas, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is taking steps to protect livestock the potential spread of this invasive pest.
“NWS has not been detected in Tennessee, but we want to be proactively working to prevent the establishment of this pest in Tennessee,” State Veterinarian Samantha Beaty said. “Livestock, pets and even wildlife are vulnerable. This parasite can have a tremendous negative impact on our animal populations and associated industries. Early detection is our best defense. Our priority now is to prepare — to ensure surveillance, movement controls, and response plans are in place so that if we do detect NWS, we can act swiftly to protect the health of Tennessee’s animals and our agricultural industries.”
The State Veterinarian has instituted a temporary order implementing more stringent requirements for warm-blooded animals moving out of an infested area into Tennessee. These stricter requirements ensure that animals are thoroughly inspected and prophylactically treated prior to movement and allow officials to effectively implement other control measures.
In addition to the temporary order, the State Veterinarian’s Office is focused on implementing enhanced surveillance measures and providing outreach and education related to prevention, management and treatment.
Source : tn.gov