Avitrol Medium Corn Chops (11649-6)
$598.00Looking to repel pest birds? Look no further than Avitrol's Active Corn Chops. Corn ground to a medium gives the taste of corn but little enough for smaller species such as sparrows ingest.
If you're in agriculture, you already know this truth: it’s not just about growing crops or raising livestock—it’s about protecting what you’ve built from forces you can’t always see coming. And right now, the threat isn’t just economic or environmental. It’s microbial. The spread of animal diseases like bird flu and screwworm is no longer a “what if”—it’s a reality knocking on the door of farms across the U.S.
Screwworm Takeover
Recently, the USDA announced plans to resume cattle imports from Mexico by the end of 2025, after halting them due to the spread of the New World screwworm. This parasite doesn’t just target cattle—it infests wildlife, pets, and in rare cases, even humans. The maggots burrow into living tissue, leading to disfigurement or death if not controlled.
This is not just a concern for import/export professionals—this is a warning shot for the entire livestock industry. The USDA is closely monitoring Mexico’s surveillance efforts to ensure this pest doesn’t find its way north. As agriculture professionals, that’s our cue to double-check our own surveillance and sanitation protocols.
Bird Flu: The Ongoing Threat You Can’t Ignore
While the world watches screwworm movement, another enemy continues to creep quietly through American farms: bird flu. Since 2022, this virus has killed over 173 million birds and, more recently, jumped to infect more than 1,000 dairy herds since 2024.
Let that sink in.
We’re now seeing bird flu in cattle. And it’s not slowing down—only shifting targets. Seventy people have tested positive, mostly farm workers. So now it's not just livestock and poultry at risk, it's also the people tending to them.
USDA's chief veterinary officer, Dr. Rosemary Sifford, has set a year-end goal to halt the spread in dairy cows. But here's the reality: even the USDA admits biosecurity lapses are fueling the problem. It’s spreading inside the gates, not just from wild birds.
Summer Isn’t Time to Relax
Historically, bird flu transmission slows in the summer months. This year is no different—USDA expects a "quiet" season thanks to a drop in wild bird introductions.
But that doesn’t mean we relax.
Because bird flu isn’t just a seasonal event anymore. It’s a year-round concern, especially now that it’s infecting multiple species and crossing state lines via animal transport, contaminated feed, and—most quietly—your everyday pest birds.
Why Birds Are Still the Most Dangerous Carriers
If you take one thing from this, let it be this: birds are the original and still most dangerous disease vectors in agriculture. Whether it’s pigeons contaminating feed silos or migratory species landing near livestock operations, one infected bird can trigger weeks of chaos, costs, and culling.
That’s why integrated bird control should be part of every operation’s biosecurity plan. Not just a deterrent—but a frontline defense. Tools like Avitrol, used strategically and lawfully, help manage bird pressure without harming the environment or your bottom line.
Final Thoughts: It's Not Just a Farm Problem—It's a Systemic Risk
The USDA is doing its part. But prevention doesn’t just start with policy—it starts at the gate to your facility. If we want to stay ahead of the next outbreak, we must treat bird management with the same seriousness as cattle quarantine or feed safety.
Every poultry grower, dairy operator, and facility manager should ask: What are we doing today to stop tomorrow’s outbreak?
Because in this business, once you see the symptoms, it’s already too late.
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