1. Secretary Naig Confirms Iowa's completion of USDA pseudorabies response protocol
IowaAgMatters
June 17, 2026
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig confirmed today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) has successfully completed the Pseudorabies (PRV) response protocol outlined in the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (USDA APHIS) program standards. The second round of testing did not reveal any additional cases, confirming the Pseudorabies virus did not spread.
"Thanks to a strong, coordinated effort, this situation has been resolved, and we were able to successfully contain and eradicate the Pseudorabies virus from Iowa. I appreciate the support of our partners who were instrumental in helping us mount a swift and effective response, and to the affected producers and local veterinarians for fully cooperating and completing testing in a timely manner," said Secretary Naig. "This situation is a great reminder that we must always be prepared to respond to animal health threats and can never get complacent in our efforts to keep these diseases out of our herds. As Secretary, I will continue to protect Iowa's livestock industry and the livelihoods of our hard-working farm families."
2. Could Liver Abscesses Begin Earlier Than We Thought?
Research in beef-on-dairy cattle is challenging long-held assumptions about when these costly lesions develop.
By Andrea Bedford
Bovine Veterinarian
June 17, 2026
As beef-on-dairy cattle become a larger part of the U.S. fed cattle population, research is ongoing to better understand the health challenges that may accompany these animals through the production system. One issue receiving increased attention is liver abscesses, a condition associated with reduced performance, carcass losses and significant economic costs.
It is now believed the true impact of liver abscesses may begin long before harvest. During a recent Beef on Dairy Dialogue webinar, Kendall Swanson, professor of beef production systems at North Dakota State University, discussed emerging evidence on how liver abscesses may increase maintenance requirements and reduce growth efficiency throughout the feeding period, raising new questions about when abscesses develop and how they affect beef-on-dairy performance.
Traditionally, liver abscesses have been measured at harvest, where condemned livers and carcass trimming provide visible evidence of their economic impact. Swanson suggests those losses may represent only part of the story. By increasing maintenance requirements and redirecting energy toward inflammation and tissue repair, liver abscesses may reduce performance throughout the feeding period.
Full text: https://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/could-liver-abscesses-begin-earlier-we-thought
3. Arkansas Implementing Animal Entry Requirements to Prevent Screwworm Spread
Arkansas Advocate intends to show how state government affects the lives of everyday Arkansans so they can make informed decisions about themselves, their families and their communities.
By Ainsley Platt
Successful Farming
June 18, 2026
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that warm-blooded animals from states with confirmed New World screwworm detections - including household pets - cannot enter the Natural State without a recent veterinary inspection.
Animals entering Arkansas from an infested zone "will be restricted according to established federal NWS (New World Screwworm) guidance," the department said in a press release. A state entry permit* will also be required.
[*See: https://ar.accessgov.com/animal-health-division/Forms/Page/animal-health-division/entrypermit/1 ]
"All warm-blooded animals entering Arkansas from an infested state (but not from an Infested Zone) must be accompanied by an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (iCVI) dated within 7 days of entry," the state agriculture department said. "The certificate must include the statement: 'All animals in shipment were inspected and found free of evidence of NWS infestation.'"
4. Expert: It's time to vaccinate US dairy cattle against bird flu
By Anthony Stitt
Helio.com
June 15, 2026
Gregory C. Gray, MD, MPH, FIDSA, wants to get the word out: The time is now to vaccinate U.S. dairy cattle against bird flu.
"While vaccines in poultry are an active area of investment, it now seems of paramount importance to additionally employ similar strategies in U.S. dairy cattle," Gray, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at The University of Texas Medical Branch, and colleagues wrote in a commentary published in The Journal of Infectious Disease.
Gray
Since the beginning of the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) in U.S. dairy cattle in March 2024, more than 1,141 herds in 20 states have tested positive for the virus - the vast majority in 2024.
There have been 71 human cases of H5N1 linked to the outbreak, including two deaths, although no human-to-human transmission has been documented and the CDC continues to categorize the risk to the public as low.
H5N1 has circulated among the world's birds for decades, occasionally jumping to people, but the U.S. outbreak was the first time the virus was ever detected in cattle. Gray and colleagues said vaccinating dairy cattle against bird flu would reduce viral shedding, protect farm workers from occupational exposure and avoid a "broader spillover risk" to humans. Ultimately, cattle vaccination could avert future pandemics, they said.
5. California Quarter Horse Tests Positive for WNV
EDCC Health Watch
TheHorse.com
June 17, 2026
On June 5, a 12-year-old Quarter Horse gelding in San Luis Obispo County, California, tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The horse has an unknown vaccination history and began displaying neurologic signs on May 30. He is now recovering.
This is California's first confirmed equine WNV case of 2026.
Full text: https://thehorse.com/1145415/california-quarter-horse-tests-positive-for-wnv/
New World screwworm: Ranchers' views from both sides of the border [webinar]
Farm Progress
Announced June 17, 2026
Webinar details:
Date: June 23, 2026
Time: 12:00 pm CDT
The New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasitic fly eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, has re-emerged. The USDA suspended live cattle imports from Mexico, disrupting the integrated North American beef supply chain.
This Farm Press webinar will host two ranchers, one from Mexico and one from Texas, to get their boots-on-the-ground perspectives on how the issue, which continues to bring challenges to ranchers, has affected their operations, their responses and what they'd like to see happen next.
Speakers:
Shelley E. Huguley, Senior Editor-Farm Progress
Alejandro Estrada
CEO
Atotonilco Ranch, Durango, Mexico
Jason Farmer
Jason Farmer Livestock, Rowena Packing, Jason Farmer Transportation
Registration: https://www.farmprogress.com/livestock/new-world-screwworm-ranchers-views-from-both-sides-of-the-border
New World Screwworm Webinar Series - Kansas State Univ.
A series of 3 webinars, held: June 16, June 23, June 30th.
12 noon - 1:30 PM CDT
Via Zoom; no fee but registration is needed. If you missed the June 16th session, it is now available (upon registration) on the website below*.
June 16 speakers:
New World Screwworm Past and Present
Dr. Cassandra Olds, Assistant Professor
K-State Dept. of Entomology
This session will provide an overview on the biology of the New World screwworm, discuss it's impact on cattle in Kansas prior to eradication and a look this could look like in the future.
Current Situation in the U.S. and Our Response
Dr. Sara McReynolds
Assistant Animal Health Commissioner
Kansas Dept of Agriculture (KDA)
This session will provide an overview of what we know today and our coordinated response.
June 16th webinar recording and slides:
https://agmanager.info/news/recent-videos/new-world-screwworm-webinar-1-june-16-2026
*Register for the next two webinars: https://agmanager.info/events/new-world-screwworm-webinar-series