# US screwworm case puts ranchers on alert, rallies cattle prices By Reuters

> USDA confirmed New World screwworm in a Texas calf, the first US case since 1966, after the pest moved north through Mexico. Feeder cattle futures initially dropped on consumer demand fears, then rallied more than 3%. USDA says it believes the case can be contained.

- Date: 2026-06-04 · published 2026-06-04T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude high
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/12084-us-screwworm-case-puts-ranchers-on-alert-rallies-cattle-prices-by-reuters
- Commodities: [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

A spreading outbreak could further shrink a US cattle herd already at its smallest in 75 years, tightening supplies and supporting feeder and live cattle prices. Losses of up to $1.8 billion are estimated for Texas if the pest spreads.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Linked price moves

| Commodity | Date | Window | Change % | z-score | Why linked |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2026-06-03 | 1 | +3.1% | 3.3 | Reuters reports feeder futures rallied more than 3% after an initial drop following the screwworm case, matching the size of the move via supply-risk repricing. |

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2025-06-02 | [How flesh-eating screwworms in cattle could raise US beef prices \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24157-how-flesh-eating-screwworms-in-cattle-could-raise-us-beef-prices-reuters.md) | +3.8% | +4.0% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-05-20 | [Ranchers herd it all as fewer cattle pressure beef prices; screwworm lurks - Dallasfed.org](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19198-ranchers-herd-it-all-as-fewer-cattle-pressure-beef-prices-screwworm-lurks.md) | -4.0% | -0.6% |
| FCATTLE | 2024-11-25 | [US suspends Mexican cattle imports after New World screwworm case \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/27346-us-suspends-mexican-cattle-imports-after-new-world-screwworm-case-reuters.md) | +1.0% | +0.9% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-05-11 | [US suspends Mexican cattle, horse and bison imports over screwworm pest \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24638-us-suspends-mexican-cattle-horse-and-bison-imports-over-screwworm-pest-reuters.md) | -0.4% | +4.6% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-06-09 | [Texas screwworm case drives cattle rally](https://feedsoft.ai/events/18947-texas-screwworm-case-drives-cattle-rally.md) | +3.1% | +3.2% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-06-02 | [How flesh-eating screwworms in cattle could raise US beef prices \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24157-how-flesh-eating-screwworms-in-cattle-could-raise-us-beef-prices-reuters.md) | +3.1% | +3.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2026-05-20 | [Ranchers herd it all as fewer cattle pressure beef prices; screwworm lurks - Dallasfed.org](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19198-ranchers-herd-it-all-as-fewer-cattle-pressure-beef-prices-screwworm-lurks.md) | -1.7% | -1.2% |
| LCATTLE | 2024-11-25 | [US suspends Mexican cattle imports after New World screwworm case \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/27346-us-suspends-mexican-cattle-imports-after-new-world-screwworm-case-reuters.md) | +1.6% | +3.8% |

## Sources

- investing.com: https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/us-screwworm-case-puts-ranchers-on-alert-rallies-cattle-prices-4727183

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.