We don’t say this lightly, but this one matters for your herd. On June 3, 2026, the USDA confirmed a case of New World Screwworm (NWS) in a 3-week-old calf in Zavala County, south Texas. It’s the kind of news we’d rather share early so you can stay ahead of it.

Here’s what every cattle and livestock owner should know:

• What it is: A parasitic fly that lays its eggs in live, warm-blooded animals.
• Why it’s dangerous: The larvae burrow into living tissue, causing serious, fast-growing wounds.
• How fast it moves: Left untreated, an infestation can kill an animal in under a week.
• How it spreads: It thrives in warm temperatures and travels through infested animals moving from place to place.

Report mammals and birds with the following signs:

• Irritated behavior
• Head shaking
• The smell of decay
• Presence of fly larvae (maggots) in wounds

The good news? Prevention and early treatment make a real difference, and we’re here to help you protect your animals.

Our recommended products at Cherokee Feed & Seed:

• Norbrook’s Noromectin (ivermectin) — a trusted option for prevention and treatment.
• Aspen’s Ivermax (ivermectin 1% sterile injectable) — now available under an FDA Emergency Use Authorization for NWS.
• Dectomax-CA1 is the only nonprescription product conditionally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for prevention and treatment of infestations caused by New World screwworm larvae in cattle, and prevention of reinfestation for 21 days. This conditional approval applies to beef cattle, female dairy cattle less than 20 months of age, pregnant beef cows, newborn calves not intended for veal and bulls. Dectomax-CA1 has a short, 35-day withdrawal period. Please note: We do not carry it at the store but would be happy to special order it for you.

Interested in exploring more Conditionally approved products? Check out Animal Health International’s guide. 

Don’t wait until you spot a problem. Check your animals regularly, treat any open wounds quickly, and stock up on what you need now.

Stop by and talk with our team at North Fulton Feed and Seed. We’ll help you find the right products and answer your questions, neighbor to neighbor.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 6th, 2026 at 7:07 pm and is filed under News&Update. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.