A flesh-eating parasite that had been kept out of U.S. livestock for decades has been detected in Texas, threatening the nation’s cattle industry and food supply at a time when prices are already high.

The case of New World screwworm was confirmed in a 3-week-old calf in La Pryor, near the U.S.-Mexico border, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said late Wednesday.

The parasitic fly’s larvae feed exclusively on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals.

While the fly is capable of infecting humans and pets, such cases are rare and pose little risk to the broader public, according to experts....

The primary weapon against screwworm is a decades-old technique that has eliminated the parasite from the U.S. in the past — releasing sterilized male flies into affected areas. Since female flies generally mate only once, those that pair with sterile males are unable to produce offspring.

In a bid to contain the spread of the parasite, USDA said it has begun releasing sterile flies in the area and is investing heavily in new sterile flies production facilities in Texas.