Dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas test positive for bird flu
MIKE STOBBE and JONEL ALECCIA
Updated Mon, March 25, 2024
FILE - Dairy cattle feed at a farm on March 31, 2017, near Vado, N.M. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday, March 25, 2024, that milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas has tested positive for bird flu.
(AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)
Milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas has tested positive for bird flu, U.S. officials said Monday.
Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and to occasionally infect people. The virus is affecting older dairy cows in those states and in New Mexico, causing decreased lactation and low appetite.
It comes a week after officials in Minnesota announced that goats on a farm where there had been an outbreak of bird flu among poultry were diagnosed with the virus. It's believed to be the first time bird flu — also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza — was found in U.S. livestock.
The commercial milk supply is safe and risk to people is low, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dairies are required to only allow milk from healthy animals to enter the food supply, and milk from the sick animals is being diverted or destroyed. Pasteurization also kills viruses and other bacteria, and the process is required for milk sold through interstate commerce, the agency said.
“At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” the USDA said in a statement.
The federal government said its tests in the cattle did not detect any changes to the virus that would make it spread more easily to people.
Dairy farmers in Texas first became concerned three weeks ago when cattle started falling ill with what officials called “mystery dairy cow disease," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said. Milk production fell sharply and the cows were lethargic and weren't eating much.
“We hadn't seen anything like it before,” he said. “It was kind of like they had a cold.”
The state's animal health commission began an investigation that included tests for bird flu, spokeswoman Erin Robinson said. Based on findings from Texas, USDA officials think the cows got the virus from infected wild birds.
Experts say livestock appear to recover on their own within seven to 10 days. That's different than bird flu outbreaks in poultry, which necessitate killing flocks to get rid of the virus. Since 2022, outbreaks in have led to the loss of about 80 million birds in U.S. commercial flocks.
So far, the virus appears to be infecting about 10% of lactating dairy cows in the affected herds, said Michael Payne, a food animal veterinarian and and biosecurity expert with the University of California-Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security.
“This doesn’t look anything like the high-path influenza in bird flocks,” he said.
Bird flu was detected in unpasteurized, clinical samples of milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas. The virus was also found in a nose and throat swab from another dairy in Texas.
Officials called it a rapidly evolving situation. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are involved, along with officials in the three states. Another dairy-heavy state, Iowa, said it is monitoring the situation.
Dairy industry officials said that producers have started enhanced biosecurity efforts on U.S. farms, including limiting the amount of traffic into and out of properties and restricting visits to employees and essential personnel.
Bird flu previously has been reported in 48 different mammal species, Payne noted, adding: “It was probably only a matter of time before avian influenza made its way to ruminants.”
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Bird flu detected in cows at two Kansas dairy farms. Milk is safe to drink, feds say
Eduardo Castillo
Mon, March 25, 2024
Cows at two dairy farms in Kansas tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly known as bird flu, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday.
Public and federal health officials are investigating the illnesses but say it does not impact milk that is sold in Kansas grocery stores, according to a USDA news release.
“There is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” the USDA said.
Testing was done Friday on dairy cows in Kansas, Texas and New Mexico after reports from farms that found dead birds on their properties.
“Initial testing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories has not found changes to the virus [HPAI] that would make it more transmissible to humans,” the USDA said. “Which would indicate that the current risk to the public remains low.”
Milk from sick dairy cows will be destroyed so it does enter the public food supply chain.
HPAI usually does not infect humans, although there have been rare instances when it did, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Agencies investigating the matter include the USDA, CDC, U.S. Food and Drug Administration among other state veterinary and public health officials.
Investigation into avian flu among cows happening in New Mexico
Fallon Fischer
Mon, March 25, 2024
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state veterinary and public health officials, are investigating an illness among primarily older dairy cows in New Mexico, Texas, and Kansas.
The illness, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), is causing decreased lactation, low appetite, and other symptoms in cows, according to the USDA.
New Mexico State Veterinarian Samantha Uhrig said there have been no positive cases of HPAI in New Mexico at this time. Officials are focusing their investigation on dairy cows in the eastern part of the state.
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As of Monday, March 25, unpasteurized, clinical samples of milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas, as well as a swab from another dairy in Texas, have tested positive for HPAI. Based on findings from Texas, the detections appear to have been introduced by wild birds.
According to the USDA, the current risk to the public remains low and there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply. Federal and state agencies are working to conduct additional testing for HPAI, as well as viral genome sequencing. Farmers and veterinarians are asked to report cattle illnesses quickly so officials can monitor potential additional cases and minimize the impact to farmers, consumers and other animals.
The New Mexico Livestock Board said it is aware of the situation and is working with other local, state and federal agencies. The NMLB encourages dairy producers limit the amount of traffic into and out of their properties and restrict visits to employees and essential personnel only.
Veterinarians in New Mexico are being urged by the NMLB to check with other states on receiving requirements of all cattle prior to shipment. New Mexico producers and veterinarians who observe symptoms of (HPAI) are strongly encouraged to contact the New Mexico Livestock Board.
Click here to see the full news release from the USDA.
'Bird Flu' found at three Texas dairy farms, one in Kansas
FOX 26 Digital Staff
Mon, March 25, 2024
Texas - A mysterious ailment infiltrated the Texas Panhandle, leaving the agriculture sector in a state of bewilderment until officials discovered what it was.
On Monday, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller disclosed that the United States Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, along with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), confirmed the mysterious disease plaguing the region as a strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly referred to as Bird Flu.
According to officials, three dairies in Texas and one in Kansas have tested positive for ‘Bird Flu’ causing the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to remain on high alert.
"This presents yet another hurdle for our agriculture sector in the Texas Panhandle," Commissioner Miller emphasized. "Protecting Texas producers and the safety of our food supply chain is my top priority. The Texas Department of Agriculture will use every resource available to maintain the high standards of quality and safety that define Texas agriculture."
Texas's state economy gets $50 billion of its earnings from the state's dairy sector and Texas ranks fourth in national milk production.
Cows at a dairy Farm in Cambridge, Wisconsin, US, on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. Joe Biden wanted a show of strength and found it in a union hall in Wisconsin -- a state Democrats learned the hard way that they can't ignore, and one where the president sent his strongest signal yet of a reelection bid.
Photographer: Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesMore
The commissioner reassures consumers that dairy products remain unaffected by HPAI due to the pasteurization protocols and other safety measures.
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"There is no threat to the public and there will be no supply shortages," said Commissioner Miller. "No contaminated milk is known to have entered the food chain; it has all been dumped. In the rare event that some affected milk enters the food chain, the pasteurization process will kill the virus."
According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, cattle affected by 'Bird Flu' will exhibit flu-like symptoms such as fever and abnormal milk consistency, such as thick and discolored, leading to a significant reduction in milk production averaging between 10-30 pounds per cow throughout the herd.
Farmers are urged to promptly notify their herd veterinarian if any cattle display symptoms of the condition.
Texas dairy farms are strongly advised to implement standard biosecurity practices, including limited access to essential personnel, thorough disinfection of incoming and outgoing vehicles, segregation of affected cattle, and disposal of contaminated milk. Furthermore, sanitizing all livestock watering equipment and isolating water sources from potential contamination by waterfowl.
Economic repercussions persist as severely impacted herds may see a staggering 40% decline in milk production for seven to 10 days until symptoms subside. Enhanced biosecurity measures are recommended across dairy facilities nationwide to prevent the disease from spreading any further.
"Unlike affected poultry, I foresee there will be no need to depopulate dairy herds," Miller said. "Cattle are expected to fully recover. The Texas Department of Agriculture is committed to providing unwavering support to our dairy industry."
The commissioner reassures consumers that dairy products remain unaffected by HPAI due to the pasteurization protocols and other safety measures.
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"There is no threat to the public and there will be no supply shortages," said Commissioner Miller. "No contaminated milk is known to have entered the food chain; it has all been dumped. In the rare event that some affected milk enters the food chain, the pasteurization process will kill the virus."
According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, cattle affected by 'Bird Flu' will exhibit flu-like symptoms such as fever and abnormal milk consistency, such as thick and discolored, leading to a significant reduction in milk production averaging between 10-30 pounds per cow throughout the herd.
Farmers are urged to promptly notify their herd veterinarian if any cattle display symptoms of the condition.
Texas dairy farms are strongly advised to implement standard biosecurity practices, including limited access to essential personnel, thorough disinfection of incoming and outgoing vehicles, segregation of affected cattle, and disposal of contaminated milk. Furthermore, sanitizing all livestock watering equipment and isolating water sources from potential contamination by waterfowl.
Economic repercussions persist as severely impacted herds may see a staggering 40% decline in milk production for seven to 10 days until symptoms subside. Enhanced biosecurity measures are recommended across dairy facilities nationwide to prevent the disease from spreading any further.
"Unlike affected poultry, I foresee there will be no need to depopulate dairy herds," Miller said. "Cattle are expected to fully recover. The Texas Department of Agriculture is committed to providing unwavering support to our dairy industry."
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