Covering Ag since 1981. The faces, places, markets and issues of dairy and livestock production. Hard-hitting topics, market updates and inspirational stories from the notebook of a veteran ag journalist. Contributing reporter for Farmshine since 1987; Editor of former Livestock Reporter 1981-1998; Before that I milked cows. @Agmoos on Twitter, @AgmoosInsight on FB #MilkMarketMoos
WASHINGTON – While 30-day detections of ‘bird flu’ in dairy have dropped to 59 herds in just 8 states (down from 116 in 12 states cumulatively), two epidemiologic studies published recently shed more light on dairy biosecurity risks.
Nationally, epidemiologic data were available for slightly more than half of the dairy herd premises affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), known as Bovine Influenza A / H5N1 in dairy cattle. These data reveal linkages reported June 8th in a National Brief, which reported “no genomic or epidemiologic evidence that wild birds are spreading H5N1 to cattle, but it cannot be ruled out.”
In fact, the key takeaway is that H5N1 spread in dairy cows — between states — is linked to cattle movements, not to independent wild bird introductions, with further local spread between dairy farms occurring in some states.
A similar epidemiologic investigation looked at Michigan data, alone. Published June 13, this report also showed that migratory waterfowl were not culprits in independently spreading H5N1 to cattle in Michigan.
Both Briefs note the disease spread between dairy cattle herds is likely multi-faceted with both direct and indirect transmission. Biosecurity remains the key to mitigation.
The National Brief reveals more than 20% of farms with HPAI detections in the data set had moved cattle into the herd within 30 days of clinical signs, and 60% of those farms continued to move cattle after the onset of clinical signs.
The linkages revealed by the Michigan report show it began via movement of infected cattle from a Texas herd, before H5N1 had been detected in that herd. It is then believed to have spread to other herds through cattle movement and other direct and indirect transmission.
Other linkages were discussed, such as visitors, shared vehicles and equipment and shared workers. (Fig. 4 below)
Employees working at more than one dairy farm or working at both dairy and poultry farms, and employees from one dairy or poultry farm sharing housing with employees working on a different dairy or poultry farm have also been noted in the epidemiologic linkages.
Operations sharing equipment and livestock trailers (62% of affected premises) have also been implicated in disease transmission as only 12% of those operations reported cleaning trailers between uses.
The National Brief reports more than 20% of the affected dairies have chickens or poultry present with nearly all of those farms observing sick or dead poultry.
In the national investigation, researchers report that more than 80% of affected farms have cats present, with over 50% of these farms observing sick or dead cats. However, the Brief provided no data — one way or the other — on whether the HPAI H5N1 genotype B3.13 was detected in cats on these premises.
The Michigan study, on the other hand, confirmed the HPAI H5N1 genotype B3.13 in wildlife and other somewhat domestic species on affected dairies.
Despite collecting a large number of samples from wild birds and animals on these dairies (such as cats, racoons, opossums, foxes, pigeons and starling), the number of individual animals and species detected was small. Whether they were affected by their access to cattle or are fomites in transmission to cattle is hard to say, particularly since the large sampling yielded only a small number of confirmed findings in comparison to the larger numbers of cows confirmed on these affected farms.
Both Briefs indicate risk from manure appears to be low, but more research is needed.
Status of H5N1 in dairy herds (cumulative with last date of detection noted) as of June 12, 2024
By Sherry Bunting, Farmshine, June 14, 2024
WASHINGTON – Bovine Influenza A / H5N1, known in birds and domestic poultry as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), has spread to dairy herds in three more states — Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming.
As part of emergency response plans, as many as 16 states, including Pennsylvania, are rolling out voluntary bulk tank monitoring programs as supported by USDA’s May 31 announcement for a federal pilot program.
As of June 12, 2024 (updated to June 21), there are no detections of H5N1 in dairy herds and no active HPAI in poultry flocks in Pennsylvania.
The USDA APHIS website confirmed 93 detections in dairy herds in 12 states since March 25, of which 47 have been confirmed in the past 30 days (as of June 12) in just 8 states (in order of most recent detection): Idaho, Minnesota, Iowa, Wyoming, Texas, Michigan, South Dakota, and Colorado.
Of the other four states, Ohio and North Carolina are beyond 60 days since detection. Kansas and New Mexico reached 60 days on June 16.
During the monthly Center for Dairy Excellence call on June 12, Pennsylvania State Veterinarian Dr. Alex Hamberg said herd detections in other states have come primarily from “either sick cows or through epidemiologic tracing from positive farms.”
“It appears this is still a single bird to cow spillover that occurred in late 2023 and was not found until early 2024, so it spread out from there, and we’re now trying to catch up,” he said.
“Equipment, people, and cattle — that’s how this spreads. I can’t stress this strongly enough,” said Dr. Hamberg. Iowa is testing cattle close to positive poultry operations to provide data on species transfer risk.
Hamberg announced a Pennsylvania bulk tank monitoring program, supported by USDA. “This will be voluntary. The goal is to provide data of the status of the virus in Pennsylvania, or more likely the lack of it,” he said.
“We also need this data for quicker response time, and to protect nearby poultry farms. Even more important, is to provide a platform to engage concerned consumers and stakeholders to show we are addressing this proactively, that we are looking for it, that we have a plan, have it under control, and that pasteurized dairy products continue to be safe and wholesome,” he explained.
The status-enrollment period is three weeks, during which bulk tank and other samples will be taken. After three consecutive weeks of negative results, the dairy farm would achieve enrolled monitored herd status and continue weekly bulk tank samples thereafter to maintain that status.
An enrolled monitored herd with negative status would be able to move cattle without pre-movement testing, according to Dr. Hamberg.
“We are flying the plane while building it,” he said, noting early enrollment in the voluntary bulk tank testing program has already begun, so the testing can begin during the week ending June 21.
Those interested in enrolling can email RA-Ag_StateVet@pa.gov or call 717-307-3258. Or, to complete a web form for enrollment, go directly to this link
“We will then get back to you with an enrollment packet,” said Hamberg.
Hamberg said the May Exhibition Quarantine Order does not go into effect unless HPAI reaches dairies in Pennsylvania. However, effective now: Dairies within 3 kilometers (1.7 miles) of an HPAI-infected poultry flock cannot show dairy cows at fairs and shows. Currently, there are no active poultry infections in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Ernest Hovingh, director of the PADLS said testing is currently well under capacity and prepared to handle bulk tank monitoring.
Status of H5N1 in dairy herds (cumulative with last date of detection noted) as of June 4, 2024
By Sherry Bunting, Farmshine, June 7, 2024
USDA announced new actions and $824 million in emergency funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to focus on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) known as Bovine Influenza A in dairy cattle, which is the H5N1 virus.
Call it what you will, these funds target HPAI in dairy cattle through data collection, surveillance, diagnostics, as well as vaccine research, and food safety studies to better understand and mitigate outbreak risk.
In the May 31 announcement, USDA also launched a new Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program to monitor the health of dairy herds and allow enrolled farms to move cows more quickly, while providing on-going testing that would expand USDA’s herd surveillance capabilities.
Dairy farms that enroll in the recently announced voluntary monitoring program would sign Herd Monitoring Plan Agreements to do weekly bulk tank testing, enabling them to move dairy cows across state lines without doing the individual pre-movement testing – as long as their weekly bulk tank tests show three consecutive weeks of negative results, and as long as they agree to continue the tests weekly going forward.
As of June 5, 2024, the APHIS website shows 82 total HPAI detections in dairy herds in 9 states since the first detection in Texas on March 25.
Topping the list is Michigan with 24 detections, the most recent on May 31. Idaho saw a slew of new detections over the past 10 days with 19 total, the most recent on June 3. Texas has had 16 detections, the most recent on June 3; followed by South Dakota with 5 detections, the most recent May 31; and Colorado with 4, the most recent May 22.
States that have seen no new detections since April include New Mexico (8) and Kansas (4) with their last new detections on April 17; Ohio and North Carolina each only had one dairy herd detection on April 2 and April 9, respectively.
According to USDA, the new voluntary monitoring program will enable the Department to increase its monitoring and surveillance of herds that are currently not known to be infected.
APHIS is working with state animal health officials to identify states that want to participate in a pilot phase of the program. Producers from participating states can start enrolling this week (June 3), by contacting their State Veterinarian and signing a Herd Monitoring Plan Agreement.
USDA says high participation will help them establish state and/or regional “disease-free statuses” that could further ease compliance with the current Federal Order.
Those herds not enrolled in the pilot program would continue to follow the interstate testing and movement requirements published in the Federal Order. More specific guidance on the new voluntary monitoring program, including how to enroll and how to obtain and maintain a herd status, will be made available on the APHIS website in the future or by contacting state animal health officials.
USDA expects to see increased testing, yielding increased positive detections, through this voluntary monitoring, which they will analyze to learn how HPAI may spread between herds.
To-date, three people who worked with infected cows (two in Michigan and one in Texas) have tested positive with the H5N1 influenza. The symptoms were similar to pinkeye, and they recovered in a few days.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has already put $200 million in additional funds into surveillance, testing, PPE, and vaccine development with indications they will ask Congress for more ‘bird flu’ funding.
Authorities still deem the risk to the general public as very low because pasteurization deactivates the virus, and no detections have been found in any retail meat samples. In addition, milk from sick cows is discarded and cattle at beef plants are inspected.
The $824 million will also support anticipated diagnostics, field response, other necessary surveillance and control, surveillance in wildlife (APHIS), work by the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) in developing vaccines for HPAI in cattle, turkeys, pigs, and goats, and food safety studies conducted by ARS and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The Secretary is authorized to transfer funding from available resources including the CCC to address emergency outbreaks of animal and plant pests and diseases. The new $824 million is focused primarily on dairy cattle in addition to previously approved $1.3 billion in emergency funding to address nationwide HPAI detections in wild birds and commercial poultry operations.
States are moving to issue their own additional emergency response plans. In Pennsylvania, for example, the Department of Agriculture recently issued its General Quarantine Order for the Exhibition of Dairy Cattle, which would apply to all dairy cows traveling to shows and exhibitions. This would ONLY take effect IF a detection is confirmed anywhere in the state. It would apply to all dairy cows traveling to shows and exhibitions.
If that happens, the Order would require testing through the PADLS system within 7 days of the date of arrival at any animal exhibition grounds. Prior to arrival those dairy cows would have to be part of a biosecure assembled group for 30 days prior to testing with no new cattle added to that assembly.
Other quarantine measures are also detailed in the Pennsylvania Order, but again, would only be implemented IF HPAI is detected in dairy cattle in Pennsylvania.
Michigan issues emergency order and prohibits cow shows; now has HPAI detections in more dairies (14) than any of the other nine states.
By Sherry Bunting, May 17, 2024
WASHINGTON — The Biden Administration announced new actions and $200 million in funding on May 13th to “combat highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).”
These announcements appear to be the start of incremental expansion of federal surveillance and control of dairy, livestock and food industries to a level not seen before, but apparently planned for over the past two decades.
USDA said it is separately taking steps to make funding available through the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) to compensate eligible producers with positive herds, who had milk production losses.
(Note after press: National Milk Producers Federation announced May 16 that it has been awarded funding by the USDA APHIS Disease Preparedness and Response Program supporting two NMPF and FARM projects advancing dairy cattle disease preparedness, but the press release did not provide a dollar amount.)
H5N1 was first detected in lactating dairy cows on March 25, 2024 in the Texas Panhandle, where a syndrome was noticed in February marked primarily by reduced feed intake, reduced rumination, 20% drop in herd level milk production, colostrum-like changes in milk appearance, and dry tacky manure.
New detections have spread to 49 dairy herds in 9 states, as of May 15. They are: Michigan (14), Texas (13), New Mexico (8), Idaho (5), Kansas (4), Colorado (2), Ohio (1), North Carolina (1), and South Dakota (1).
Product testing continues to confirm that pasteurized retail milk and dairy products are safe, according to the CDC and FDA. In addition, as expected, meat tests show no trace of virus. The primary concern, especially for states with poultry and dairy farms, is the potential for spread from dairy to poultry. Cattle recover from the virus, poultry do not.
USDA will control approximately $98 million of the funding announced May 13th, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will oversee $101 million in funding from budgetary appropriations. The Administration says it plans to ask Congress for more.
According to HHS, “public and animal health experts and agencies have been preparing for avian influenza outbreak for 20 years.” The department said this funding “capitalizes on the influenza foundation that has been laid over the last two decades.”
Within the new funding structure, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is monitoring the virus to detect changes that may increase human risk and releasing PPE from the “strategic stockpile.” The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working with USDA to sample-test retail milk and dairy products across the country and to evaluate vaccine platforms. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is providing supportive science.
In short, the HHS funding will be used to expand testing capacity of the national laboratory system; scale up and expand surveillance among animal and human populations; release PPE for states to distribute to farmworkers and others; beef-up animal electronic identification systems; and streamline contact tracing, not just for cattle and poultry, but people too.
Funds are also being directed to make or procure over one million additional influenza tests, evaluate ‘candidate virus vaccines’ and develop new ones, continue testing retail milk and dairy product samples, evaluate vaccine platforms, and scale up community surveillance through testing of patients with respiratory symptoms in a variety of care environments as well as monitor public waste treatment systems for viral load.
On the USDA side, direct funding will be available to affected dairies (up to $28,000 per affected dairy) to prevent the spread in the following ways:
— Up to $2000 per month per affected premises for distribution of PPE, which includes agreeing to facilitate worker participation in surveillance studies and monitoring. Separate incentives up to $100 per employee will be paid for their participation.
— Up to $1500 per month per affected dairy to develop and implement ‘secure milk supply’ enhanced biosecurity plans that USDA APHIS has already developed as a framework for disease outbreak over the past 20 years.
— Up to $2000/month per affected premises to implement heat treatment of waste milk before disposal.
— Up to $10,000 per affected premises to compensate for veterinary treatment costs.
— Offset costs of shipping samples for testing (up to $50 per shipment and up to two shipments per affected premises per month). Funds will also be provided to farms that install inline milk testing and monitoring equipment.
Testing through National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) Labs is already free of charge to both the unaffected dairies doing premovement testing and affected dairies testing samples from symptomatic and asymptomatic cows.
After a quiet 10 days in terms of new detections, APHIS added 10 new ones to the chart on the day before the Biden Administration announcements, backdated May 8-11, and three more on May 14, all in just four of the affected states: Michigan, Texas, Idaho and Colorado. No new states have emerged since April 25.
In addition to the April 25 Federal Order on pre-movement testing for interstate shipment of lactating dairy cows, reported previously in Farmshine, USDA is now urging states to take stronger action in restricting movement of dairy cattle within their state borders, especially states with positive HPAI herds.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has already issued its “HPAI Risk Reduction Response Order” – designated as a “Determination of Extraordinary Emergency” Order.
Michigan now has the highest number of HPAI-detected dairies (14), surpassing Texas (13), where the first HPAI detections were reported. Michigan has also seen the highest number of poultry flock losses due to HPAI depopulations.
The Michigan Order mandates that, “All lactating dairy cattle, and those in the last two months of pregnancy, are prohibited from being exhibited until there are no new cases of HPAI in dairy cattle in the State of Michigan for at least 60 consecutive days.” In addition, no dairy cattle of any age may be exhibited from an infected premises until further notice.“
The Michigan Order also requires ALL dairy and poultry farms – whether or not they are confirmed HPAI detections — to designate a biosecurity manager, designate secure area perimeters that limit points of access, establish cleaning and disinfection practices for individuals and vehicles that include deliveries of feed and supplies, and provide training for employees.
Logbooks must be kept maintaining records of all vehicles and individuals who have gotten out of those vehicles and crossed identified access points on Michigan dairies – and their reason for doing so — which must be made available to examiners upon request.
Ag Moos 