There are growing concerns among cattle farmers about a threat to their livestock.

It's a parasite called, quote, New World screw worm that thrives on open wounds on animals.

There are now a small number of cases in the United States and Kentucky.

Farmers are preparing in case it spreads further.

Our Laura Rogers has more from Warren County in south central Kentucky.

Where Baby Jo Kenneth Lowe is an Angus beef producer with the seed stalk operation that aims at improving genetic quality.

Cattle you see out in the countryside, a lot of times they'll go buy a bowl from someone like us to breed their cattle.

They're tested for their genetics and evaluated, so you have a reasonable expectation of what those calves are going to be like.

As for expectations, his concerns have recently shifted from the weather up.

Until 2 or 3 weeks ago, especially here.

We were really, really worried about drought to.

A fly called New World screw worm on the move north from South and Central America, and Mexico and to the southern United States.

A newborn calf, something like an exposed navel, is where it's really prevalent.

Sewer calving in the at a time of an outbreak, you know, would be a big, big concern.

New world screw worm is a parasitic fly that lays eggs in open wounds and abrasions.

When those eggs hatch, they feed on living tissue.

Or quite this to a maggot.

Basically, you know, maggot will thrive on dead flesh.

The New World screw worm will thrive on live flesh.

We can't control flies.

We can control.

Cattle.

Lowe, already de worms is heard three times a year, and he's had conversations with his veterinarian about prevention and treatment.

If it comes to that.

There's products on the market that are very effective that our vets are familiar with, that we're very familiar with that.

If we have an issue with New World through Worm in Kentucky, we have the treatments, we have the knowledge of the product to use it.

It just becomes a labor challenge for the producers.

While the risk remains low.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture and USDA are working to spread awareness, urging people to monitor their animals for symptoms.

It will kill our animals and it will create a problem.

And so what we are trying to work through is with the USDA, through our state vets office, and putting together the best protocol possible, that if we were to get a case in Kentucky, how do we deal with it?

Commissioner shell says protocols are in place and they provided them to surrounding states and the ones currently affected.

So that they know what our policies are going to be on bringing cattle or animals into the state.

There's a lot of research that goes into it.

There's a lot of planning that goes into it.

So when there's an outbreak, how do you contain that area and prevent the spread and eliminate the population?

The good news is consumers shouldn't lose confidence in our food supply.

In no way does it affect the meat in the grocery store, the meat you buy from a local producer.

Consumers.

The only thing they need to think about it is that we might be working a little harder to put beef on the plate.

It's not affecting the quality or the safety of that beef.

Commissioner shell says there's a division of Emergency Management within the office of the State Veterinarian to limit the potential impact of diseases like this one.

We're one of the quickest states when it comes to quarantining, closing down those issues because we have two goals, one, we want to limit the exposure and impact to our general public as much as possible when something like this arises.

But two, we want to get farmers back to work as quickly as possible.

Farmers like Joe can, at low, who's keeping a watchful eye on his cattle and his vet on speed dial.

We know what to look for and how to take care of the cattle.

And if anything looks like something we haven't seen before, guess what?

They're going to get a phone call about it.

For Kentucky edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you Laura.

This parasite isn't just a cattle problem.

It can also affect other livestock along with pets, wildlife, and very rarely, people.

The only reported cases in the U.S.

are in Texas and New Mexico.