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Willacy County dipping vat is now open to the public

published: January 10th 2020

Austin, TX – The Texas Animal Health Commis-sion (TAHC) is pleased to announce, the Willacy County dipping vat is open and ready to receive cattle for fever tick treatment.
     “The TAHC hopes the new dipping vat will provide cattlemen near, and within the Willacy County fever tick quarantine area, a convienent way to protect and treat their herds for fever ticks,” said Dr. Angela Daniels, Assistant Executive Director for Animal Health Programs. “We are excited to provide this additional service to the community, and we are thankful for the support of the county and local producers.”
    The vat is located at 25833 Zinnia County Rd, Santa Monica, TX 78569 and dipping services will be provided by appointment only. To book an appointment, call 956-443-6609 (Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm).
    When fever ticks are discovered in an area, cattle and other livestock are subject to prescribed and systematic treatment. Dip-ping vats are one of the treatment methods used by federal and state animal health officials as a way to eradicate cattle fever ticks.
    Dipping vats are elongated trenches with a drop-off entry on one end with a ramp at the exit end so that, once immersed or “dipped,” cattle can walk out of the vat. Dipping vats are filled with water-based solutions containing pesticides at concentrations sufficient to eliminate ticks.
    For additional dipping vat locations in the Permanent Quarantine Zone (counties along the Texas-Mexico border) contact the USDA-APHIS Cattle Fever Tick Eradica-tion Program at 956-726-2228. For information on dipping vats located outside the Permanent Qua-rantine Zone, contact the TAHC at 512-719-0700.
    For more information about cattle fever ticks and the current situation, visit https://www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/feverticks-pests/#feverticks.
SLS