Livestock trade resumed Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Santa Teresa Livestock Crossing in New Mexico. The Santa Teresa port is the second U.S. port to reopen as USDA gradually restores cross-border cattle movement following restrictions related to New World screwworm.
Historically, Santa Teresa is the highest-volume U.S.–Mexico livestock crossing, accounting for roughly 43% of all Mexican cattle imported into the U.S.
Strict Screening Triggers Day 1 Rejections
While state officials initially anticipated 1,000 head to cross on Day 1, only 408 head crossed Thursday, with an average weight of 600 to 700 lb.
According to New Mexico State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Holeck, there were 686 head presented to the pre-export inspection facility (PIF) where SENASICA performed its inspection.
“More than 200 cattle were rejected for reasons such as castration sites that were not yet healed and presence of ticks (all dead but they had not been removed from the cattle),” she says. “The remaining cattle were presented to USDA for further inspection. After additional rejections due to issues such as lameness, the final total of 408 head were crossed into Santa Teresa.”
Holeck notes some of the cattle were going to feedlots in Texas and others were going to facilities in New Mexico where they will likely be resorted and sent to other feedlots or stocker operations. More than 700 head were scheduled for inspection at the PIF on Friday.
EID Protocols and Veterinary Workflow
“The biggest challenges are implementing the new protocols for collection of electronic identification and complying with the new requirements to move cattle from the port of entry to their next destination,” Holeck explains. “I was very pleased with the success of capturing the electronic IDs. The construction of the alley and incorporation of the necessary equipment was accomplished within days and worked extremely well.”
She adds, “We still need to work through some finer details of efficiently relaying information to the veterinarian who is completing the electronic certificates of veterinary inspection, but this is to be expected as this is a completely new protocol for everyone. With that being said, this was accomplished quite well yesterday, and I anticipate the process will get smoother as everyone becomes accustomed to the new process.”
Next Up: Columbus Port of Entry
The first crossing to reopen was the Douglas, Ariz., port on Aug. 24. If Santa Teresa’s opening proceeds smoothly, attention will turn to the port at Columbus, N.M., which has been discussed as next in line.
While early trade estimates projected 200,000 to 250,000 head crossing before year-end, market analysts caution the actual pace will be much more measured.
“Santa Teresa is the biggest port, but it’s going to start slow as well, and it’ll take it a while to get up to speed,” says Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock market economist. “We don’t have that many weeks left before we get into the holidays. Between Douglas and Santa Teresa, we might get 100,000 to 125,000 head of cattle across by the end of the year.”
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