MEXICO CITY (RFD-TV) — A new livestock checkpoint in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, stopped a calf carrying New World screwworm—and the larvae were already dead.
Under Mexico’s reinforced rules, all animals receive a double treatment (ivermectin plus a larvicidal bath). Inspectors treated and checked the full load of 85 head and found no other cases.
This most recent case was discovered 170 miles south of the border, in a shipment of more than 80 animals. Mexico’s ag ministry says this was the second confirmation in two weeks.
The infected animal was a calf, but no other livestock was infected with screwworm. Mexican officials say that when the pest was discovered, it was already dead, primarily due to mandatory treatments in Mexico.
A detection was reported last month, located closer to the US, just 70 miles south of the Texas border. Officials said this incident is separate from the Sept. 20 detection in Sabinas Hidalgo, which was officially declared inactive on Oct. 5 after tracing, wound care for thousands of animals, trapping, and sterile-fly releases.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Border controls and mandatory treatments in Mexico, plus a new U.S. tool (Dectomax-CA1), are tightening the net on screwworm. Mexico’s tougher, two-step treatment and added checkpoints are catching cases before they can spread—good news for producers near the border.
On the U.S. side, regulators have conditionally approved Dectomax-CA1 (doramectin injection) for the prevention and treatment of screwworm in cattle, with 21 days of reinfestation protection. The move is meant to get producers a tool now while full-effectiveness data are finalized. Label restrictions and withdrawal times still apply, and veterinarians are urging the targeted use of these products as part of an integrated parasite control plan to help prevent animals from developing resistance to treatments.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says she has been in touch with Mexican officials. As a result of this latest detection, the USDA will send crews to the region to deploy traps and release more sterile flies. Rollins says the USDA’s number one goal remains keeping the U.S. herd safe and secure.
Dairy farmer and Discover Ag co-host Tara Vander Dussen joined us to discuss the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, her experience at the signing, and what’s next for her family and farm.
January 21, 2026 12:42 PM
·
Analysts say a Supreme Court decision on tariffs could reshape protein markets, strain U.S.-China trade, and force farmers to rethink global demand strategies.
January 21, 2026 12:03 PM
·
Alan Bjerga with the National Milk Producers Federation joined us to review new policies and regulations supporting the dairy industry and what they mean for the year ahead.
January 20, 2026 03:25 PM
·
Despite rising costs and growing food insecurity, meat demand remained strong in 2025 as higher-income consumers offset cutbacks elsewhere. Economists break down the K-shaped economy, upcoming USDA cattle reports, livestock production outlooks, and renewed debate over beef imports and country-of-origin labeling heading into 2026.
January 20, 2026 02:47 PM
·
Corn growers are turning to ethanol, E15 expansion, and export markets to help absorb record supplies and stabilize prices. Farm leaders discuss low-carbon ethanol demand, flex-fuel vehicle challenges, input costs, and the role of USMCA as producers look for market relief in the year ahead.
January 20, 2026 02:04 PM
·
Livestock strength is carrying the farm economy, while crop margins remain tight and increasingly dependent on risk management and financial discipline.
January 19, 2026 05:00 PM
·
Protein-driven dairy growth is boosting beef supply potential, creating an opening to support rural jobs and ground beef availability.
January 19, 2026 01:00 PM
·
RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.
January 17, 2026 05:00 PM
·
The Midland County Junior Livestock Show in West Texas features a competitive steer showcase highlighting top-quality cattle and the accomplishments of driven youth exhibitors.
January 16, 2026 01:48 PM
·
