By Cassandra Garrison TAPACHULA, Mexico (Reuters) -On a scorching afternoon in the rural heartland outside Mexico's southern city of Tapachula near the Guatemala border, rancher Julio Herrera calls his herd back from an afternoon of grazing.

Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the big losses in the cattle market on Thursday were tied to concerns ahead of USDA's New World screwworm (NWS) announcement. Grains are bouncing on value and technical buying.

The Trump administration is partnering with Texas to rapidly build defenses against an invasive pest known as the New World screwworms that threatens livestock and even humans.

The first-ever Highland cattle show at the Iowa State Fair drew throngs of interested fairgoers to the Pioneer Livestock Pavillion on Friday.

Cattle and beef markets are very complex and impacted by many things. At any point in time, some factors will be more important and receive lots of attention while others are temporarily ignored. With cattle markets dominated by cattle inventory and cyclical dynamics, the following items are flying under the radar.

The U.S. has suspended live cattle imports from Mexico due to concerns about the New World Screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite found in southern Mexico.

The U.S. cattle supply crunch is being exacerbated by the ban on Mexican cattle imports.

U.S.-based beef-packers will continue to reel from low cattle availability for about three or four quarters, with gradual improvements of the U.S. cattle herd happening gradually from late 2027, JBS managers said on Thursday.

James Bigley explains how the US-Canada trade war is affecting cattle and beef prices. ‘Slap in the Face’: Court Ruling on Gun Law Sparks Fury