Bird flu hits U.S. dairy farms

After investigating a disease that mainly affects older dairy cows Texas, Kansas and New Mexicothis Monday, March 25, the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S. Department of Agriculture), Food and Drug Administration (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared the causative pathogen to be highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (highly pathogenic avian influenza), which was detected in laboratory samples taken from some affected cows.

This is Highly pathogenic avian influenza affecting dairy cows identified for first time According to Animal Health, this is the second time highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in ruminants, since it was recently detected in goats. Earlier this month, poultry from a Minnesota farm tested positive for the H5N1 virus for the first time after the H5N1 virus was found in goats. While it is too early to conclude that highly pathogenic avian influenza is the cause of illness in all affected cows, this finding marks an important step toward identifying the cause.

“HPAI detected for the first time Cows in Texas and Kansas Emphasize the importance of adhering to biosecurity measures, disease surveillance, and immediate veterinary involvement when problems arise. A complete evaluation, including collection and submission of laboratory samples, and timely reporting to state animal health officials when appropriate, is very important. American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is committed to providing veterinarians with the latest information and guidance to protect the health and safety of the animals in their care,” said Lina CarlsonAVMA President.

The HPAI virus was discovered in Samples containing unpasteurized milk Oropharyngeal swabs were obtained from one dairy farm in Texas and two dairy farms in Kansas, as well as from another dairy farm in Texas. HPAI testing began on Friday, March 22, as affected farms also reported findings wild birds dying on their land, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the presence of the virus on Monday. Additional testing, including genome sequencing, is underway to characterize the HPAI strains associated with the detection.

Dairy and meat product safety and public health

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed no security issues

Regarding the commercial supply of milk, this situation is also not considered to pose a special risk to the health of the general consumer.

State and federal guidelines have been established to ensure the safety of dairy and meat products.It is standard practice on the farm to Processing of milk for human consumption Milk comes exclusively from healthy animals, while milk from animals affected by health problems is diverted from the food supply.

Furthermore, the process pasteurizationis a mandatory step for all milk entering interstate commerce, It effectively eliminates pathogens, including viruses such as influenza. Additionally, preliminary tests by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory found that the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in cows does not undergo any changes that would make it more easily transmitted to humans.

“While the discovery of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cows is relevant to the health of these animals and the production of their herds, it is important to remember that, according to the USDA, FDA, and CDC, risk for our food supply and Public numbers remain low” Carlson added.

Advice for livestock farmers and their veterinarians

After testing, it is recommended rancher That Keep an eye on your animals Detect signs of disease. The first signs observed in the current outbreak are reduced feed consumption and milk production. Affected dairy farms have reported that approximately 10% of their cows are sick, and to date there have been no confirmed deaths of cows due to highly pathogenic avian influenza.this Most cattle recover within two to three weeks

and provide supportive care.

AVMA urges ranchers Report any illness immediately Or report the herd death to a veterinarian, who can coordinate with state animal health officials for further investigation and response.

State and federal agencies are moving quickly to conduct additional HPAI testing, including Viral genome sequencingto better understand the current situation, the AVMA is working closely with the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), veterinarians, and state and federal authorities.