Animal Health Officials Work Together to Prevent New World Screwworm Spread

US, MEXICO DEAL WITH CHALLENGES

The NWS poses challenges to each country’s livestock and rural economy. Mexican Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegue and IICA Director General Manuel Otero agreed to work together to prevent and control the pest within Mexico. As part of this agreement, they will use financial resources to support these actions. Improvements will be made to the offloading and inspection bay at their Federal Verification and Inspection Point in Cosamaloapan, in the Mexican state of Veracruz.

Simmons said sterile male screwworm flies will be used to help control areas where the disease is found. They will drop these sterile males into those areas. Since female flies only mate once, they will die after mating with the sterile males and no eggs will be laid. These flies are produced at a rate of 100 million per week at a Panama facility.

STRICT PROTOCOL MUST BE FOLLOWED

“We want to continue to trade Mexican feeder cattle but have to ensure no New World screwworm or other diseases cross the border, so it is important for the protocol to be followed,” said Simmons.

The protocol includes cattle being kept in group lots and penned accordingly on the Mexican side. There they will receive an ivermectin injection in case NWS is present that can’t be seen. After three to five days, they will be moved to the next pen and dipped in a wormer solution and inspected and examined for wounds. Once they are inspected by trained and authorized veterinarians of both Mexico and the USDA at the last check pen, the cattle will be allowed to cross the border according to Simmons. She said they may only be able to move the cattle in smaller groups up to 500 at one time to be sure the process is efficient and effective, including having health certificates when they are ready to move.

CATTLE MOVE IN SMALLER AREAS

As part of the protocol signed between the countries, Mexico identified and prepared pre-export inspection pens in San Jeronimo, Chihuahua, and Agua Prieta, Sonora, which were approved by APHIS. Until the process is running smoothly, only two ports of entry will be used for live cattle and bison, at Santa Teresa and Douglas.

IICA said it is committed to strengthening livestock production in the Americas and highlight the importance of international cooperation to tackle the challenges facing the agriculture sector.

“We want to make sure this disease doesn’t come to the United States, and we want to get it controlled back to having the biological border. We have had good meetings with Mexico, and they are working with us to make this happen,” Simmons concluded.

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at [email protected]

Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal

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