US Races to Contain Deadly Screwworm Threatening Cattle Supply

The US Department of Agriculture is racing to contain the deadly New World screwworm after a case was detected in Texas, where a broader outbreak could threaten an already-small domestic cattle herd.

The flesh-eating parasite was confirmed on Wednesday in a three-week-old calf in South Texas, marking the first detection in the US in nearly a decade. The screwworm’s presence in the country marks the latest obstacle to the Trump administration’s efforts to tackle record-high beef prices.

The key to preventing a bigger outbreak will depend on fencing in the screwworm fly, which has been gradually spreading north through Mexico ...