Results for: Dairy Cattle

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), approximately one in five retail samples of commercial milk have exhibited traces of bird flu. This follows the initial detection of avian flu in Texan herds in March, which has since spread to over three dozen herds across eight states. However, the FDA emphasizes that milk remains safe to consume, based on current retail milk studies. To address the ongoing outbreak, dairy cattle must now undergo testing and receive negative results before crossing state lines. Herds carrying the virus have been identified in Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and South Dakota. The FDA also reports that egg producers are on high alert after chickens tested positive for the virus in Texas and Michigan, but the risk of human infection remains low.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) implemented a federal order requiring negative H5N1 bird flu virus tests for interstate cattle movement, laboratory reporting for positive cases, and herd investigations in infected farms. The order applies to lactating dairy cows initially. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed H5N1 RNA traces in milk products but emphasized that pasteurization eliminates the virus. Research suggests the PCR-positive milk may not contain live viruses. The National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) supports the findings. Despite resistance from some farmers, the USDA aims to improve information gathering and access with the order. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) faces challenges in investigating worker health on infected farms but explores wastewater surveillance for H5N1 detection.

U.S. agriculture officials have mandated testing of all lactating dairy cows for the bird flu virus (Type A H5N1) before crossing state lines. This move aims to monitor and control the ongoing outbreak that has impacted nearly three dozen dairy herds in eight states, primarily spread by wild birds. While health officials emphasize that the virus poses no known risk to humans or the milk supply, they have detected inactivated remnants of the virus in milk samples. The new testing requirement aligns with the ongoing efforts to understand the virus’s spread and prevent further escalation.