Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
On March 25, 2024, a mystery illness that had been impacting dairy herds in the Texas Panhandle, New Mexico and Kansas was officially diagnosed as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Also known as bird flu, the same strain has been affecting the U.S. poultry flock for the past two years. The Dairy Herd team is tracking the HPAI cases to keep you aware of any changes while providing information you can use to elevate your knowledge and what the evolving dynamics could mean to your operation.
Megin Nichols, the CDC’s director in the division of foodborne, waterborne and environmental diseases, explains the ties between human, animal and environmental health.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is now endemic in waterfowl, reassorting and circulating this foreign animal disease that poses an undeniable challenge for the U.S. livestock and poultry industries.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins says the agency is hyper-focused on poultry, but no vaccine is yet available. The agency has ‘separate work streams’ to address the virus in the ‘cattle and dairy’ industries, but dairy is not part of USDA’s primary focus for now.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins confirms those payments will be released before the March 21 current deadline in an exclusive interview with Farm Journal on Thursday morning. She also outlined the timing of the $1 billion just announced to combat avian flu.
2024 was a year that confronted APHIS with new challenges, forcing the agency to find new and creative solutions to animal and plant health threats, says APHIS Administrator Michael Watson.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Jan. 3 that it will award $306 million to continue its H5N1 Avian Flu response.
With recent outbreaks of H5 influenza in poultry and dairy populations, what is the impact on “secure” plans for the livestock sector?
Highly pathogenic avian influenza and African swine fever are two high-priority research areas that will be funded through a $17.6-million investment by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to protect the health and welfare of agricultural animals.
The USDA said it will expand bird-flu testing of beef entering the food supply as part of its response to the ongoing outbreak among dairy cattle, adding that U.S. beef and dairy products remain safe to consume.
Shared employment, housing and movement of employees between facilities are possible factors. Such insights could potentially be leveraged to address biosecurity needs in the state and others as well, the agency says.
This is the third human case associated with the virus. Last week the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a plan to produce 4.8 million doses of a vaccine for human use to counter H5N1.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Friday that the H5N1 virus was discovered in meat from a single cull dairy cow as part of testing of 96 dairy cows.
No H5N1 flu virus was found after cooking ground beef to medium to well done, USDA said in a briefing on Thursday after conducting a study as it addresses concerns over an outbreak of the disease in dairy cattle.
The cattle markets breathed a sigh of relief after USDA announced negative test results for H5N1 in ground beef. And a former USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety says is unlikely to be found in beef in the future.
The outbreak of the HPAI H5N1 virus in dairy has sent cattle prices on a rollercoaster ride. The market digested both good and bad news this week, but one analyst cautions volatility will continue into summer.
USDA-FSIS said it collected 30 samples from “states with dairy cattle herds that had tested positive for the H5N1 influenza virus at the time of sample collection.” No virus particles were found to be present.
Federal officials are seeking to verify the safety of milk and meat after confirming the H5N1 virus in nine states since late March. The public health risk is low, but is higher for those exposed to infected animals.
The livestock industry needs a comprehensive, cohesive plan to address the virus. Producers, their employees and veterinarians need clear answers and support from U.S. agricultural leadership, moving forward.
Colombia has restricted the import of beef and beef products coming from U.S. states where dairy cows have tested positive for H5N1 as of April 15, according to USDA.
USDA is now ordering all dairy cattle must be tested prior to interstate travel as a way to help stop the spread of HPAI H5N1. This comes a day after FDA confirmed virus genetic material was found in retail milk samples.
Steve Troxle, state commissioner of agriculture, said he is waiting for more diagnostic information from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory and will work collaboratively with North Carolina dairy farmers.
The American Association of Bovine Practitioners is making the name change, as it more accurately reflects the issue.
Kay Russo, DVM, Novonesis technical services manager for dairy and poultry, emphasized the situation is rapidly evolving and more clarity will come with time as researchers learn more.
Sid Miller, commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, says the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza impacting beef cattle in the state’s panhandle – where dairy cows have been infected – is minimal.
Ohio has become the sixth state where dairy cattle have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu.
Livestock producers and veterinarians are urged to practice good biosecurity practices to prevent transmission of the disease. Five states have also issued restrictions on dairy cattle movement.
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture announced that HPAI, known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, has been found in dairy cattle in Idaho.