Effective Jan. 21, 2025, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will allow the importation of equids from Mexico with additional measures to prevent the introduction of New World screwworm (NWS). This decision comes after Mexico detected NWS on Nov. 22, 2024, leading to a temporary suspension of livestock imports. NWS is a harmful pest that can cause severe damage to animals.
APHIS and Mexico’s National Service for Health, Safety, and Food Quality (SENASICA) have collaborated to create an import protocol for equids from NWS-affected regions. Equids will undergo NWS preclearance inspections and treatment, as well as examinations for screwworm during the required import quarantine. The protocol and health certification documents are available on the APHIS website.
Equids must be inspected for NWS infestation by an approved veterinarian and treated with ivermectin or an equivalent product within three to five days before entering import quarantine. They will also be inspected by a SENASICA veterinarian before quarantine entry, with any visible wounds treated at that time. APHIS will conduct NWS examinations on the first and last days of the seven-day import quarantine, and animals with NWS infestation will not be eligible for import until treated and cleared of the pest.
