Weekly Livestock-Equine News: August 3, 2026

USDA announces phased reopening of Mexico livestock trade

The Department of Agriculture announced a phased reopening of southern cattle ports, contingent on Mexico’s adherence to the Joint Action Plan. Beginning August 24, 2026, USDA will open the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry to cattle trade and initiate steps for subsequent openings at Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and Columbus, New Mexico. Every animal entering the United States through these ports will undergo a full USDA inspection to ensure it is free of any signs of New World screwworm.

Beef-on-dairy calves may be losing their price advantage: U Michigan study

This strong demand for beef-dairy cross calves will likely fluctuate as the cattle cycle changes supply fundamentals. When beef cow inventory numbers increase, beef-dairy cross calves could be positioned to take a larger relative drop in prices compared to beef calves because buyers will have the ability to be more selective in the animals they purchase.

Equine vesicular stomatitis virus now identified in 35 premises

Two new equine premises – both in Colorado – have been confirmed as positive for vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), bringing to 35 the number of VSV-affected premises identified since the 2025-2026 VSV outbreak began on Oct. 1, 2025. Sixteen of those premises are in New Mexico, 15 in Arizona and four in Colorado.

Kentucky funds advanced imaging study of vet-scratched racehorses

The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation approved funding for a study that will use advanced diagnostic imaging to evaluate racehorses scratched before competition for fetlock lameness. Researchers hope to better understand the injuries present in those horses and how imaging findings relate to their return to racing. Equine Medical Director George Mundy said that approximately 85% of fatal musculoskeletal injuries occur in the fetlock.

Combo therapy reduces incidence of EHM

Combining valacyclovir (an antiviral) with heparin (an anticoagulant) can significantly reduce the incidence of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), the severe neurologic form of EHV-1, according to research by a team at Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center. It also improved survival rates during naturally occurring outbreaks.

AI-powered Salmonella detection device could replace lab testing

Researchers from the University of Georgia observed that healthy, uninfected chicks exhibit normal daily activity cycles, known as circadian rhythms, while Salmonella-infected birds showed measurable differences in their activity patterns. This suggests that continuous monitoring of bird behavior using computer vision could serve as a digital biomarker for identifying flocks that may be infected with Salmonella.