Preventing Screwworms Require Behavior Change

Even with current protocols in place, stopping the spread of screwworms means cattle farmers need to change their ways. Meanwhile, Belize is staying vigilant and closely monitoring trade relations between the U.S. and Mexico.

 

On the phone: Fermin Blanco, Country Representative, OIRSA

“It’s a change of practices that the user has to adopt now because, since it was eradicated in the early nineties, the management of cattle has changed.  But now with this new pest, everything has changed again and we have to treat all wounds in animals, even when you brand, when you do ear-tagging, when you dehorning, all those practices now, you have to kill those pests that you past to the animals so as to avoid the pests because the pest is attracted by blood.  So if it’s around and there is a wound then they will definitely go there.  So prevention is the best method and we just have to see what happens with the trade relations between the US and Mexico to see what would be the permanent sanitary measure that would be imposed to Mexico.  So we have to be vigilant and we need to update ourselves as to what is happening.  That might have repercussions on our trade.”