Biosecurity and Health Checklists
Download: New World Screwworm Surveillance Protocols for Texas
This page is not a downloadable protocol and does not claim to carry official instructions. It explains what surveillance for New World screwworm generally involves and how a Texas dairy can prepare a practical routine.
Where do the official screwworm protocols live?
Rules and response plans for a livestock pest like New World screwworm come from animal health agencies, and they can change quickly. The authoritative pages are at USDA APHIS and the Texas Animal Health Commission, and you should read those before relying on anything summarized here.
This site is independent and not affiliated with either agency. Treat any figures, dates or case counts you see repeated online as unverified until you find them on an official page.
Rules may differ for border states and for animals that travel, so always check the current notices.
What does surveillance mean on a dairy?
Surveillance is organized looking. It includes regular inspection of animals, recording what you find, reporting anything unusual and cooperating with trapping or sampling if officials ask. For a dairy, the daily routine of milking and moving cattle already creates many chances to look closely.
The key habit is to look at wounds, navels of newborn calves, and moist areas on every animal, and to write down what you see. A note that says nothing unusual is also useful, because it shows the check was done.
Training matters more than paper. Walk the crew through what a wound looks like at different stages, and make it normal to speak up. Nobody should be nervous about reporting something that turns out to be harmless.
Build your own farm checklist
A checklist keeps the work consistent when staff change. Keep it short and put it where the crew will actually see it, such as the milk house wall or the fresh pen gate. Review it with new hires on their first day.
Ask your herd veterinarian to read it over. Your vet knows your animals and can tell you what to add, such as how to photograph a wound for a quick consult.
- Inspect fresh cows, calves and any animal with a wound daily.
- Record the date, animal ID and what you saw.
- Isolate animals with suspicious wounds and call your vet.
- Know the state animal health reporting number.
- Keep fly control and wound care supplies stocked.
What to do if you suspect a case
Separate the animal, take clear photographs if you can do so safely, and call your veterinarian right away. Do not treat and hope; early reporting is how officials contain a pest before it spreads between farms.
Write down what you saw, when you first noticed it, and where the animal has been. Have the herd records ready, since officials will likely ask. Keep calm and follow instructions from the agency and your vet, not from social media posts.
Why movement and purchasing records matter
When a pest or disease is being tracked, officials need to know where animals have been. Keep records of purchases, sales, shows and any cattle that travel to or from other farms, including dates and origins.
Buying replacement heifers is a common way a dairy brings in risk. Ask sellers about origin and health history, and keep the paperwork. The dairy herd care guide covers general herd health practices that complement this.
Talking with your vet and with neighbors
Your veterinarian is your first call and the person who will most likely talk to state officials on your behalf. Build the relationship before an emergency, and make sure they have current contact information for the farm and its owners.
Neighbors from Stephenville to the Panhandle can share what they hear from official sources. Avoid passing along rumors, and point people to the agency pages. Your Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office is another trusted contact for plain-language updates.
Keeping up with changes
Protocols can tighten or relax as conditions shift. Set a reminder to check the agency pages, and subscribe to alerts from your Texas Farm Bureau county office or your dairy cooperative if they offer them. For trade and border questions, the CBP and Foreign Agricultural Service pages explain how animal health affects movement across borders.
For broader reading, the farm safety guide covers protective equipment and handling. Over at farm.FM, the dairy section and news page cover livestock issues, and there is a farm.FM story on screwworm and cattle for context.
Sources and further reading
- USDA APHIS: animal and plant health
- Texas Animal Health Commission: animal disease rules
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Texas extension service
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: import and export rules
- USDA Foreign Agricultural Service: export markets and trade data
- Texas Farm Bureau: state farm organization
Ask locally: Call your herd veterinarian, then the Texas Animal Health Commission, if you see wounds or larvae you cannot explain.