USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has heightened import restrictions on animal products from Mexico since detection of New World Screwworm in a Mexican cow on Nov. 22. It has also intensified efforts in Central America to contain the spread of New World screwworm. Animal health experts say it’s warranted as it’s a significant threat to U.S. animal health.
“It can have a huge impact, certainly an economic impact, because it decreases the health and wellness of our livestock,” says Jennifer Koziol, associate professor of food animal medicine and surgery, Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine. “We’re thinking about loss of animal use, and certainly thinking about our wildlife populations that could be decimated by this disease.”
The pest can infest any warm-blooded animal, including humans.
“The screwworm fly lies its eggs in an open wound on the animal,” Koziol says. “These larvae or worms just eat the flesh of that animal. It can be devastating to any animal that becomes infected with screwworm.”
Koziol advises producers to monitor herds, especially in the southern U.S., and use preventative measures, including sterile fly introduction or animal health products.
“It looks like Doramectin has about a 28-day efficacy period against this,” she adds. “Ivermectin is similar. We’re looking at those products and how we can use them as an aid in preventing disease.”
According to APHIS, it appears this case is isolated, which leaves the cattle industry asking when will the border restrictions ease for Mexican cattle and product imports.
Koziol says the border could likely open after Christmas or around the first of January.
“We’re working really hard to set up some pre-export pens that APHIS will go in and OK and feeling very good about the protocols set in place,” she adds.
Impact on Cattle Prices
Market analysts say when the border reopens it might hurt cattle prices in the South more than the North.
“They could break a little bit, but I think the reality of the deal is it looks like there’s enough people out there who believe that ownership is the key when it comes to having some cattle around them as tight supplies are very, very tight of yearling-type steers,” says Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek. “That’s going to still put a prop underneath the thing because the cash index is so strong.”
The price impact will likely be short lived.
Read more: New World Screwworm: Latest Update from USDA-APHIS
