CORYELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — A screw worm found in one cow in Southern Mexico has halted cattle imports to the United States for two months, pushing already record-high cattle prices even higher.
Blayr Barnard, owner of Barnard Beef and Cattle Co., said the parasite has a devastating impact on livestock.
“In the 70’s, it hit the U.S. and was an enormous issue because it kills cattle,” she said.
“Think about them scratching themselves on a piece of barbed wire. The housefly then lays hundreds of eggs, and those eggs burrow into the animal and kill it. Basically, it just completely kills the host, growing exponentially. That is why there is a big concern if one of those gets into the U.S. cow herd. There are still a lot of people who remember how bad that was for the U.S.”
The parasite was reported by Mexico in November. Both countries have since taken steps to prevent the parasite from spreading across the border, but the impacts are rippling through the cattle industry.
“It is one big economic system, and it's all connected," Barnard said. "So, really, the only person benefiting from this right now is the cow-calf producer. The importers, the Mexican cow-calf producers, the U.S. importers, the feeders, the stockers – it's all of that. It is just being passed down the line."
Barnard said she expects consumers will soon feel the effects, too, as beef prices rise at the grocery store.
For now, there is no clear timeline for lifting the ban.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it is working with Mexican authorities to contain the parasite and is urging producers along the southern border to monitor their livestock and pets for signs of infection.
