Update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1)
In the last 30 days, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1, in:
- 21 cases in poultry in eight states.
- One case in livestock in one state.
Access the lists of detections in poultry and livestock.
To date, there have been no H5N1 detections in livestock in Wisconsin. Access the list of recent poultry detections in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin and the National Milk Testing Strategy
With help from industry partners, Wisconsin is sampling milk at the farm level for the mandatory USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) with the goal of testing each farm approximately every month. DATCP expects to continue to be able to utilize samples that are already collected for routine milk testing to streamline the testing process.
On September 12, DATCP shared that Wisconsin has achieved unaffected Gold Status under the USDA APHIS NMTS. This designation reflects successful statewide implementation of monthly milk sampling and testing for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI/H5N1) across nearly all licensed dairy farms in the state. As a result of this achievement, Wisconsin will transition to a reduced testing frequency while maintaining the state's commitment to ongoing surveillance pursuant to the NMTS. DATCP expects to continue to be able to utilize milk samples through existing, routine sampling.
Access the updated September 14-20, 2025 milk testing numbers on DATCP's website. To date, more than 18,000 milk samples have been tested as part of the NMTS. H5N1 has not been detected in any of the PCR samples. These tests represent nearly all licensed dairies in Wisconsin, with remaining verifications underway to ensure complete statewide reach. The DATCP H5N1 in Dairy Cattle webpage will continue to be updated weekly as the testing continues.
Biosecurity and Monitoring
It is important to emphasize biosecurity as fairs and shows continue through the summer:
H5N1 Protocol: What to Do if H5N1 Is Confirmed on Your Dairy Farm
DATCP created a resource document in case of a detection of H5N1 on a dairy farm. The document is intended to serve as a general reference for industry, but individual needs and response actions may differ for H5N1 detections depending on the operation and specific circumstances. Access the H5N1 Protocol: What To Do if H5N1 Is Confirmed on Your Dairy Farm document.
Human Health Precautions
Human cases of H5N1 have been reported following exposure to infected animals. Access the confirmed cases and exposure sources for human infections.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) advises those working with animals to take precautions and wear PPE per CDC guidance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the public health risk from H5N1 detections remains low.
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