The cattle markets are rattled after a human case of New World screwworm was confirmed in the United States.
U.S. health officials say it was found in a human returning from an infected area.
The CDC confirms to Reuters that the patient was returning to Maryland from El Salvador.
NCBA says they were made aware of the situation, and says that luckily, no livestock were involved, and they do not expect any risk to the industry at this time.
Less than two weeks ago, USDA announced plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a sterile fly facility at Moore Air Base, which is less than ten miles from the Mexican border. That facility is expected to produce 300 million sterile flies each week.
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Fewer placements and historically low marketings point to tighter cattle supplies ahead, with Nebraska and Kansas gaining ground as Texas feedlots face supply pressure and the threat of New World Screwworm.
What is it like working cattle with an outbreak of New World Screwworm so close to home? Wayne Cockrell, with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, joined us on Wednesday to discuss.
“We believe that it is just a matter of days or weeks... before we see New World screwworm in Texas.”
With the latest detection just across the border, animal health officials on both sides are intensifying efforts to contain the outbreak before it spreads further north.
“Continue to help us push the New World screwworm back to the Darién Gap and hopefully towards eradication.”
“I don’t think we’re going to see cattle coming across the border at all because of that increase in their cases in Mexico.”
“We as NCBA, we’re not shocked to see that there is a human case.”
