US cattle quarantined after it was discovered they had blisters in their mouths do not have foot and mouth disease, preliminary tests by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) have indicated.
The herd of 40 was discovered at the border in Nogales, Arizona on Thursday of last week and immediately placed into isolation. The following morning Mexico closed its borders to all livestock trade with the US.
Describing Mexico’s actions as “premature”, Peter Fernandez, associate administrator for the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, said that none of the cattle had a temperature – usually a sure indicator of foot and mouth disease – and that the animals were even putting on weight.
Earlier this year, the Mexican government imposed tariffs on US beef after the country’s farmers complained they were being affected by a surge in US imports. US farmers are in opposition to the measures.
Mexico was the US’s biggest importer of beef in 2002, shipping in 349,900 metric tonnes and a total of 106,000 head of cattle.
