In today’s Beef Buzz, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays spoke with Dr. Rod Hall, Oklahoma’s State Veterinarian, who continued his conversation about concerns about the potential arrival of the New World screw worm in the United States. Oklahoma State Veterinarian Dr. Rod Hall expressed serious concern over the potential arrival of the New World screwworm, emphasizing that Oklahoma may not be able to control its own regulatory fate if the pest makes its way into the state. “That’s exactly right, Ron,” Hall said. “I’ve been in contact with some of our states that we send a lot of cattle to… if once we get it in Oklahoma, they will consider the entire state to be affected.” He noted that some states will require Oklahoma cattle to be inspected and issued health certificates within five days — a sharp contrast from the standard 30-day window.
Dr. Hall underscored the importance of a coordinated plan between regulators and the cattle industry. “It’s important that my team and I have a good plan,” he said, “but it’s also very important that we work with the industry to make that plan as effective as it needs to be, while still allowing people to stay in business as best we can.” He added, “We can’t restrict industry so much that we kill our business,” acknowledging the need for balance between biosecurity and economic viability.
When asked about the seasonal outlook, Hall shared a cautiously optimistic view, pointing to Oklahoma’s winter climate as a natural defense. “I believe ground temperatures, or soil temperatures of less than 46 degrees, kill the larvae,” he explained. “There certainly are times in the winter where that soil temperature gets colder than that… I think there is a good chance that we might have three or four months out of the year that we could reduce or relax the restrictions to a certain extent.”
In terms of preparation, Hall stated that resources and product lists are being developed and made available to producers. “We have a link to a list that USDA has of products that are effective against this,” he said. While many commonly used fly products work, he warned, “some of them aren’t effective for long enough periods of time… we have to continue to really monitor our stock for wounds and maggots all the time.”
Lastly, Hall stressed that early detection and management will be key to minimizing the spread of the pest. “People need to be seeing their livestock and if they see a problem, they need to take care of it right away,” he urged. “The sooner we find out about it… the better it’ll be for everyone.” He concluded with a clear message to the industry: dealing with the screwworm may be inconvenient, but “it will be necessary for us to get rid of the pest.”
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
