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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided another update today on the emerging disease in dairy cattle that is causing decreased lactation, low appetite, and other symptoms.
USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has now confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy herds in Michigan, Texas, and Kansas. Presumptive positive test results were also received for additional herds in New Mexico, Idaho, and Texas and USDA has shared that they will provide updates if those tests are confirmed positive by NVSL. Spread of symptoms among the Michigan herd also indicates that HPAI transmission between cattle cannot be ruled out. Read the full release from USDA.
Per USDA, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or consumer health as products are pasteurized prior to entering the market. Pasteurization has been proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk.
DATCP encourages producers that notice unusual clinical signs in their cattle to work with their herd veterinarian. To report herds with unexplained symptoms, veterinarians should contact DATCP at (608) 224-4872 (business hours) or (800) 943-0003 (after hours and weekends).
Current import rules for cattle can be found on the DATCP: Cattle & Bison Movement webpage. It is important to check requirements prior to importing animals from any state, as requirements can change. Requirements such as official identification and certificates of veterinary inspection (CVIs) help ensure all cattle entering Wisconsin are healthy prior to import.
DATCP encourages producers to practice good biosecurity, including minimizing animal movements and isolating new additions to the herd. Further information on biosecurity practices can be found on the DATCP: Basic Biosecurity webpage and SecureMilkSupply.org.
Additional Resources:
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Division of Animal Health
https://datcp.wi.gov
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