Animal Health Branch-CDFA

04/06/2026

04/04/2026

Although it hasn't arrived in the United States yet, New World Screwworm (NWS) is getting closer to our southern border. After traveling abroad, always check animals. In birds and animals, NWS is excruciating and can be fatal.

Keep an eye out for NWS maggots, which eat living tissue by burrowing into wounds.
Signs of NWS in animals include:
Larvae or eggs visible in wounds
Wounds with discharge and odor
Wounds that enlarge or deepen over time
Behavioral signs of irritation (head shaking or rubbing)
Signs of pain (depression, irritability, loss of appetite, or isolation)

If you think your animals may have NWS, get in touch with your veterinarian.

04/02/2026

Biosecurity Tip!
Animal producers and farm visitors should think about the health and safety of our community farm animals. Diseases can easily hitch a ride on people, equipment, or vehicles to a farm. Some diseases can make people sick too.

If you are planning on visiting fairs or farms, you could see signs similar to this one shown. If you see a sign like this, DO NOT PROCEED. Get authorization before setting foot on any farm. All farm visitors should follow farm biosecurity protocol. This may include wearing Personal Protective Equipment (gloves, shoe covers. etc.) and checking in and out on a sign-in sheet. Also make sure to wash your hands before and after handling any animals.

If you are a producer or fairground, make sure you have similar signs as a reminder for your employees and visitors. We can all do our part in keeping our community animals healthy!

03/31/2026

For the safety of life, we practice biosecurity and promote the practice on all farms. Infectious diseases can be carried by animals or into the environment by even the tiniest insects or speck of dust. Trucks, tools, people, bugs, wildlife, feed, waste and water all can carry infectious particles.

Learn more about biosecurity by visiting our .

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/Animal_Health/Biosecurity.html

03/28/2026

Wild birds and marine mammals along the Central Coast have been found to have contracted avian flu. The risk of spreading illness to the public remains very low but people should avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife.

If you see a wild animal that needs help, please contact the appropriate organization listed above (weblinks in our Linktree).

Enhance biosecurity practices if you have birds, especially if you live near or visit areas where wild birds migrate. The most current situation updates can be found in the .

03/28/2026

Wild birds and marine mammals along the Central Coast have been found to have contracted avian flu. The risk of spreading illness to the public remains very low but people should avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife.

If you see a wild animal that needs help, please contact the appropriate organization listed above (weblinks in our Linktree).

Enhance biosecurity practices if you have birds, especially if you live near or visit areas where wild birds migrate. The most current situation updates can be found in the below.

https://pandemicinsights.ucdavis.edu/h5-marine-outbreak

03/26/2026

Washing hands is one of the most effective ways of preventing foodborne and zoonotic diseases. We strongly recommend washing hands with soap and water before and after handling animals such as livestock, poultry, and pets. If using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, first remove manure, feathers, and other materials from your hands because disinfectants will not pe*****te organic matter like caked-on dirt.

03/24/2026

Cattle, sheep, goats, equines, pigs, dogs and cats, and wildlife species can get tuberculosis (TB), and it is a zoonotic disease. This means it can spread from animals to humans, most likely through consuming meat or unpasteurized milk products from an infected cow. California achieved Accredited Free status as of August 8, 2016, for bovine tuberculosis (TB).

You may not think about animal health standards. However, these standards shape what we eat and how we stop disease outbreaks. Animal health affects our health. To learn more about tuberculosis in animals, visit the link below.

https://www.msdvetmanual.com/generalized-conditions/overview-of-tuberculosis-in-animals/overview-of-tuberculosis-in-animals

03/24/2026

This is Zuma, a female Montezuma quail, our star in the pic for the . The lady Montezuma quail has the same brown and white coloring that the males have but much more subtle. This makes them better at hiding from predators.

Females lay about 200-300 eggs a year, depending on their age and maturity. They start laying eggs at 6 to 8 weeks of age. Their eggs are cream colored to white, unlike the spotted or blue eggs of other quail. Fun fact: both parents incubate their clutch of eggs.

📸 Credit: MTSOfan via Flickr

03/23/2026

🌱 During Women’s History Month and the International Year of the Woman Farmer, we’re proud to highlight women like Isabel Rosas Garcia, who are shaping the future of agriculture in places like the Salinas Valley. 💚🚜

As we also celebrate National Celery Month, it’s a reminder that California’s fields, home to crops like celery—thrive because of the dedication of farmers and farmworkers who nourish our nation every day. 🥬

Read Isabel’s inspiring story and watch the video by Resource Conservation District of Monterey County on CDFA's Planting Seeds blog:
https://plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov/wordpress/index.php/2026/03/23/farmer-isabel-rosas-garcia-growing-produce-and-community-in-the-salinas-valley/

Pictured: Isabel Rosas demonstrates her farm and celery harvest during the Latino Farmer Conference in Monterey County.