Farm Progress A warmer-than-normal winter has enabled New World screwworm to overwinter in Mexico. As it inches closer to Texas, the U.S. is committed to preventing the pest from destroying its herd and wildlife. High cattle prices may be a dream come true for Texas cattleman Stephen Diebel, but the resurgence of the New World screwworm and its recent unseasonal migration from Mexico make for sleepless nights for the fifth-generation rancher.
The pest crippled the livestock industry of his grandfather’s era, and thoughts of history repeating itself feel a bit like a nightmare — one he’s determined to help prevent.
“We’re seeing a northern progression [of NWS] in the months we didn’t expect,” Diebel said, who is also the first vice president of Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA). “It gives us pause as to what this spring may look like.”