The Texas Animal Health Commission has established new entry requirements for livestock and fowl moving into Texas from states affected by New World screwworm, according to an Oct. 1 news release from the agency.
The commission said its executive director issued an order setting requirements for all livestock, exotic livestock, fowl and exotic fowl coming from New World screwworm-affected states outside Texas. According to the agency, the additional movement requirements are intended to prevent the potential introduction or spread of the pest to new areas of the state.
The release said the order applies to a state where the screwworm has been detected and where an infested zone, quarantine area or control area remains active.
In addition to all existing and applicable Texas entry requirements, specific protocols are required before animals move into the state in several scenarios, the agency said. Those include animals originating within an infested zone, animals originating outside an infested zone, and animals moving to a Texas slaughter establishment from an infested zone. The slaughter scenario covers both direct movement from an out-of-state premises of origin and indirect movement through a livestock market. A fourth scenario covers Texas-origin animals returning to Texas from an out-of-state infested zone.
The commission said the requirements for each scenario are listed in the executive director order, which was issued Oct. 1 and is posted on the agency’s website. The agency said the added requirements for susceptible animals entering Texas from affected U.S. states pair with existing safeguards to protect Texas animal agriculture.
According to the release, the order is issued under Chapters 161 through 168 of the Texas Agriculture Code and applicable regulations in Chapters 31 through 60 of Title 4, Part 2, of the Texas Administrative Code. The agency said the order is effective immediately and will remain in effect until modified.
Producers and others moving animals into Texas can review the full scenario-by-scenario requirements in the order on the commission’s website, the agency said. Media inquiries may be directed to TAHC Communications at public_info@tahc.texas.gov or 512-719-0750.