Bird flu detected in Texas cow’s milk

U.S. officials said Monday that milk from cows in Texas and Kansas has tested positive for bird flu.

Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed that the influenza virus is the H5N1 A strain, which has been known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and occasionally infect humans. Influenza is affecting older dairy cows in these states and New Mexico, causing reduced milk production and appetite.

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The notice comes a week after Minnesota officials declared a poultry outbreak at a farm where goats were diagnosed with the virus. This is believed to be the first time the disease, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, has been found in cattle in the United States.

Commercial milk supplies are safe and pose low risk to the population, said the Ministry of Agriculture. Dairies can only supply milk from healthy animals; milk from unhealthy animals is diverted or destroyed. The agency noted that pasteurization also kills viruses and other bacteria and is a process required for all milk sold through interstate commerce.

“At this time, there are no concerns about the safety of the commercial milk supply or the risk this situation poses to consumer health,” the Department of Agriculture said in a statement.

The federal government explained that testing on livestock did not find any changes in the virus that would make it more likely to spread to people.

Three weeks ago, Texas producers became concerned that cattle were starting to suffer from what authorities called a “mysterious cow disease,” said Texas Department of Agriculture Director Sid Miller. Production dropped sharply and the cows were lethargic and not eating much.

“We’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said. “It’s like they have the flu.”

Experts say the cattle appear to recover on their own within seven to 10 days. This is different from outbreaks among poultry, where flocks of animals need to be slaughtered to eliminate the virus. Since 2022, the epidemic has killed approximately 80 million poultry on U.S. commercial farms.

So far, the virus appears to have infected about 10% of the cows in the affected herd, said Michael Payne, a food animal veterinarian and biosecurity expert at UC Davis’ Western Institute for Food Safety and Security.

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By MIKE STOBBE and JONEL ALECCIA/AP

The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The Associated Press is solely responsible for all content.