Preparing for New World Screwworm: UNL Research Supports Nebraska and National Preparedness

Written by: Georgina Bingham

The northward spread of New World screwworm (NWS), followed by renewed U.S. detections in 2026, has heightened concern about a pest capable of causing severe, sometimes fatal injury to livestock, wildlife, pets and other warm-blooded animals. The potential economic consequences are substantial: USDA estimates that an outbreak comparable to the 1976 Texas event could cost livestock producers about $732 million annually and the broader economy $1.8 billion.

For Nebraska, preparedness has particular importance. The state is home to approximately 6.15 million cattle and calves, the second-largest inventory nationally, including 2.8 million cattle on feed, ranking first nationally. Livestock and livestock products generated approximately $20 billion in Nebraska cash receipts in 2024.

UNL researchers are supporting national preparedness and response through interconnected projects spanning rapid molecular diagnostics, field-deployable LAMP assays, conventional and AI-enabled trapping, insect behavior, attractants and repellents, and new management approaches targeting essential insect metabolic pathways. Work with the closely related secondary screwworm provides an important system for safely developing and testing these tools.

The challenge extends beyond cattle. NWS can affect horses, companion animals and wildlife, while movement of animals can connect risks across regions. USDA notes that wildlife can disperse the pest across wide areas and state lines, reinforcing the importance of surveillance beyond livestock production systems.

Our work connects UNL and UNMC researchers with USDA scientists, the University of Texas at Arlington, industry partners, and colleagues in Mexico and Costa Rica. By combining national and international expertise with Nebraska’s strengths in livestock systems, diagnostics and emerging surveillance technology, we aim to provide producers, veterinarians and animal-health officials with practical tools for earlier detection and faster response, protecting Nebraska agriculture and contributing to national NWS preparedness.