A September screwworm update removed some Texas movement limits

What happened

In its September 21 update, USDA said Texas released screwworm Zone 11 and changed the boundaries of Zone 04.

The main points

• State and federal specialists agreed the affected areas met the requirements for releasing a zone.
• The changes removed some screwworm-related movement requirements for livestock and pets in the affected areas.
• Rules for movement between states and for international exports still applied, and other Texas zones remained in place.
• The announcement directs owners to the Texas Animal Health Commission’s map for the latest boundaries and requirements.

Why it matters to your ranch

An older zone announcement cannot establish the rules for a particular ranch today; the current official map is the place to check.