Southwest Livestock Exchange owner Jimmy Speer wants one message to cut through the confusion swirling around the first confirmed New World screwworm (NWS) case in his area: This is not another COVID-style lockdown.
“The story here is, you’re in a restricted zone,” Speer says, stressing, “this is not a quarantine.”
He explains the restrictions are in place to prevent movement within the infected zone — approximately 12.4-mile radius from the confirmed case — until inspectors can visually check the animals.
Located in Uvalde, less than 30 minutes from the first confirmed case, Speer explains he’s been fighting two battles — the screwworm itself and the misinformation spreading almost as fast. He says rumors have been circulating that sale barns are shutting down, cattle can’t move and the region is effectively locked up.
“That’s been probably the most confusing thing — people not knowing what they can do and what they can’t do,” Speer says. “The word has got to get out to everybody. This is not a quarantine. This is a restricted area with movement in it.”
A Pest, Not a Disease
When the first case was confirmed June 3, Speer says his initial reaction was disbelief at the location.
“We were surprised that it was as far inland away from the border as it was,” he says. “Nobody has really figured out how it jumped 72 miles to where we’re at.”
But even as the situation developed, Speer was careful to frame it correctly for his customers and community.
“It’s not a disease that we’re dealing with — it’s a pest.”
That distinction matters and dictates how producers should respond. A disease can mean widespread culls, sweeping quarantines and industry-wide shutdowns. A pest — even a serious, destructive one like NWS — is manageable with vigilance, proper treatment and clear protocols.
The Sales Go On
The Thursday after the first confirmed case, Southwest Livestock Exchange hosted its regular cattle sale. Speer brought in two extra inspectors, started checking animals at 6:30 a.m. and pulled all cattle originating from Zavala County for additional scrutiny.
“We inspected everything,” Speer explains. “We’re fortunate we’re not running a lot of cattle right now — we only had 200 cattle last week — it made it a lot easier to inspect everything the way it should be inspected.”
The outcome surprised even Speer.
“My buyers were sitting in there, and everyone bought cattle, and the cattle market — we called it $5 to $6 higher,” he explains. “We all thought it would be different than that. We were betting men, and it didn’t happen. We’re just grateful that the market’s going to stay where it’s at.”
On Tuesday, the barn shifted to its weekly sheep and goat sale. All animals were visually inspected, and any animal showing abrasions, cuts or sores was sent home — not because it necessarily has NWS, but out of an abundance of caution.
He also made it clear the main highways running through restricted areas remain open and operational.
“You can come through those restricted areas,” he explains. “Our main highways come through those areas. We ask you to stop at all livestock checkpoints, tell them where you’re going and where you’re coming from.”
Sheep and Goats: A Parallel Concern
While much of the public conversation has centered on cattle, this region is also sheep and goat country — and order buyer Coy Mock, who drives 2 hours to Uvalde every Tuesday, says the NWS threat applies equally across all species.
“Most of what you hear about screwworm is in cattle, but at the same time, especially in our area, there’s more sheep and goats,” Mock says. “They are going to target both of them just as much — goats as they will cattle.”
Mock says his phone has been ringing constantly with questions from producers and packing houses alike.
“Is this going to affect the market? Should I still buy stuff? What are you doing to doctor them? Is the market going to collapse? Do I need to sell out?” he says, rattling off the questions he’s fielded.
His answer to the sell-out question has been consistent — “Don’t.”
“Right now is a lower market. It’s not smart to sell out just because there’s screwworm in the area,” he says. “It doesn’t mean you need to sell your whole herd. I think it would be a dumb decision to sell out in a low market like this because of screwworm being announced in Texas. Just take care of your stock.”
The Social Media Battle
Both Speer and Mock point to social media as the double-edged sword regarding NWS. It’s where misinformation travels fastest — but also where the most people can be reached with corrections.
Speer confirms he’s had to take to Facebook multiple times to push back on false reports.
Mock echoes the concern.
“Social media is how everybody’s going to find out information, figure out what it can do and what they should do about it,” he says. “That’s where the sale barns and people in this industry should really get out there more and let people know the facts — that it’s okay, they’re inspected, the barns are safe.”
The economic stakes of getting the message right are high.
Tools in the Toolbox — And Gaps to Fill
Speer is pushing the state to approve one more tool — the dipping vat. Southwest Livestock Exchange already operates a vat certified for fever tick treatment, a facility where cattle are fully submerged in a chemical solution.
“Those cattle completely go in, they’re completely submerged — they go under the water and come back out,” Speer explains. “It’s a simple process.”
He’s asked the state to expand approval for sale barns with existing dipping infrastructure to use it for screwworm treatment as well — offering producers a certified clean bill of health before animals leave the facility.
On parasite control more broadly, Speer cautions against over-reliance on any single product.
When asked how this outbreak compares to the screwworm era of the 1960s, Speer acknowledges the parallels but points to progress.
“They did not have what we have today,” he explains. “We have more tools in the toolbox than they had in the ‘60s.”
The labor challenge, though, is real. With fewer cowboys than in decades past, eyes-on-the-ground detection is harder to achieve. Speer says several of his customers are trying to secure H-2A agricultural workers from Mexico to help but are facing a three-month wait on paperwork
Don’t Let Fear Drive Decisions
Mock put it plainly for the producers: “As long as you’re tending to your herd and it looks normal, you’re fine. There’s no need to stress about it. If you get it, doctor it, do what needs to be done.”
Speer summarizes his message to customer and fellow livestock producers:
