Puebla ramps up surveillance and training to curb livestock parasite outbreak

The Government of the State of Puebla, through its Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADR), has launched an intensified campaign to fight the livestock parasite known as the "gusano barrenador." With an investment of more than 18 million pesos and coordination with the federal agency SENASICA, the program installs 10,000 traps for the fly that spreads the parasite, expands a network of 18 transport checkpoints and eight itinerant routes, and has completed 17,400 vehicle inspections.

The effort includes extensive training: over 6,400 people have been educated on identification, sampling, treatment and reporting, and a recent workshop at the University Xicotepetl reached 100 veterinary students. Officials have also distributed informational leaflets and 75 suppression traps at markets and livestock fairs, and they continue the "Sin heridas no hay gusaneras" campaign urging producers to inspect animals daily for wounds that could host fly eggs.