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.
Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas are participating in the voluntary pilot program. Additional testing for the virus is also underway in aged raw-milk cheese, cream cheese, butter and ice cream.
Floodwaters breached levees in parts of Iowa on Tuesday, with more flooding anticipated for Wednesday. The damage to row-crop and livestock operations is likely significant, according to state officials.
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.
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.
According to FDA, the additional testing confirms the safety of the commercial milk supply with what it calls substantial data. The tests were done on 297 samples of milk from 38 states.
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 agency will provide reimbursement for testing at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network laboratory.