Meoqui Launches Veterinary Inspections to Combat Cattle Pest
The municipality of Meoqui in Chihuahua, Mexico, under the leadership of Mayor Miriam Soto, has initiated a veterinary inspection program to curb the spread of the screwworm in livestock. This initiative is conducted in collaboration with the National Service for Agro-Alimentary Public Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) and the state government. The program, named "Médico visita mi establo," provides free inspections and advice to livestock producers and backyard animal facilities in the region.
Nora Elia Meza, the municipal director of Rural Development, explained that this operation aligns with broader zoosanitary actions in the state. Recently, 2.5 million sterile flies were released in the municipalities of Parral and Coronado to contain a detected outbreak. Technical teams are visiting dairy farms, meat production units, and family properties with sheep, goats, or pets to examine all warm-blooded animals.
Authorities have highlighted the operational risk that myiasis poses to dairy basins, noting that the larvae feed on living tissue in open wounds, causing fever, weight loss, and a significant decline in milk production. Livestock owners are advised to prioritize the inspection of newborn calves, as the exposed umbilical area is highly susceptible to parasite entry.
To encourage timely reporting, the government assures that reporting suspected cases will not lead to animal culling or punitive quarantines on ranches. The protocol aims to immediately isolate affected cattle, collect larval samples, and apply curative and deworming treatments without economic harm to producers.
The municipality has also sought the support of the rural community to protect the biological control strategy, urging them not to eliminate the larger green flies, which are sterile specimens released to disrupt pest reproduction. The combination of free inspections, health education, and collaboration from dairy farmers is crucial to safeguarding the productivity of the primary sector in Chihuahua.
