Cooperative Activities With Mexico 



Between 19 li! and 1954 over $100,000,000 

 was spent by the jj:overnnionts of Mexico and 

 the United States in joint efforts to ei'iidieate 

 foot-and-mouth disease. Few investmenls have 

 been more profitable. It has been estimated that 

 the amount spent is equivalent to 1 year's losses 

 were the disease introduced into the United 

 States. There have been no recurrences of the 

 disease in Mexico since April 1954. The re- 

 sults indicate the effectiveness of a strenuous 

 campaifrn by two neijrhbor Nations in success- 

 fully completing a ta.sk that many thought 

 impossible. 



Activities in recent years have been carried 

 out under authority of the Mexico-United 

 States Commission for the Prevention of Foot- 

 and-Mouth Di.sease. The Sub-Secretary of Ag- 

 riculture for Livestock, foi- the Republic of 

 Mexico. Dr. Daniel Mercado, sorves as Director 

 of the Commission. A small jrroup of Mexican 

 and American veterinarians still have the re- 

 sponsibility of checking reports anywhere in 

 the country of animals suspected of being af- 

 fected with a vesicular condition. 



A number of vesicular conditi(jns occurring 

 in Mexico durinjir 1959 were diajrnosed through 

 serological techniques as New Jersey type ve- 

 sicular stomatitis. Most of the cases were 

 along the United States-Mexican border. The 

 condition was also diagnosed during the same 

 period on a number of ranches on the United 



States side of the river. During 19(50, vesicu- 

 lar stomatitis was diagnosed in Central and 

 Southei'n Mexico. 



Excellent cooperation is extended l)y dllicials 

 of the Mexican Department of Agriculture and 

 by Mexican members of the Commission in 

 carrying out cooi)erative act ivit it's. 



in 1959 arrangements were made with the 

 Mexican Department of Agriculture for con- 

 ducting a preliminary .screwworm survey cov- 

 ering 300,000 square miles of northeastern 

 Mexico, in conjunction with a similar survey 

 being made in the Southwestern United States. 

 A group of Mexican and American veterinar- 

 ians and technicians interviewed veterinarians 

 with the Mexican Department of Agriculture, 

 veterinary practitioners, oiiicers of cattlemen's 

 associations, local government ofticials, packing 

 and slaughter house personnel, ranchers, and 

 farmers. The purpose of the survey was to 

 determine the incidence and relative abundance 

 of .screwworms ; the effects of climate, terrain, 

 livestock practices, and other factors on the 

 screwworm population in the different areas; 

 and the existence, if any, of natural barriers to 

 fl\- migration. 



In e.ssence, the study .sought to determine the 

 feasibility of a joint Mexico-United States 

 screwworm eradication effort. The results of 

 the survey are indicated in the report on .screw- 

 worms. 



■^ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1961 59409I 



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