Vado, New Mexico – Multiple dairy farms across the United States are facing a concerning outbreak of bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed cases in Texas, Kansas, and Michigan, with additional presumed cases in New Mexico and Idaho, possibly marking the spread of the virus to at least five states. This marks the first instance of bird flu being detected in dairy cattle, as reported by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The recent cases in dairy cows follow an incident where young goats contracted bird flu on a Minnesota farm. Bird flu primarily affects the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems of birds and can prove fatal to avian populations. Although it typically spreads from wild birds to commercial poultry, backyard flocks, terrestrial mammals, marine mammals, and humans, officials maintain that the risk to the public during the current outbreak remains low.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most human infections have occurred following unprotected exposure to infected poultry. Initial testing has shown that the strain of the virus found in Michigan is similar to the strains in Texas and Kansas, with no changes detected that would increase transmissibility to humans. Federal and state officials assure consumers that the outbreak of bird flu among livestock should not significantly impact dairy product availability and prices.
Commissioner Sid Miller of the Texas Agriculture Department emphasized the focus on understanding how the avian virus is transmitted to livestock and reassured the public that the nation’s commercial dairy supply is not expected to be threatened. The USDA has stated that the contamination is too limited to warrant a milk recall, as dairies are mandated to discard or divert milk from affected cows, only processing milk from healthy cows for human consumption.
Pasteurization, a requirement for milk crossing state lines commerce, effectively eliminates bacteria and viruses, including the influenza virus. The Food and Drug Administration warns against consuming raw, unpasteurized milk due to the potential health risks it poses. Despite the loss of milk from infected cows, federal officials anticipate minimal impact on the commercial dairy supply, as dairy prices are not expected to rise significantly.
The USDA suspects that dairy cows were infected with the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, believed to have been introduced by wild birds such as pigeons, blackbirds, and grackles. While the possibility of cow-to-cow transmission is not ruled out, the focus remains on testing sick livestock and unpasteurized milk samples. Good biosecurity measures, including limiting animal movement, pre-movement testing, and isolating sick cows, are recommended to prevent further spread of the virus.