Federal agencies confirmed Monday that dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas have become sick with highly pathogenic avian influenza.
The disease spread by wild birds has ravaged the poultry industry since 2022 and animal health officials recently confirmed bird flu in a Minnesota goat. These discoveries highlight the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species.
However, research shows mammals to be dead end hosts of HPAI, meaning they can’t pass the disease to other animals. USDA has confirmed that affected dairy cows do not appear to be transmitting the virus to other cattle within the same herd, those cattle are expected to make a full recovery.
Scientists have not found changes in the influenza virus that would make it transmissible to humans so there is no threat to human health, furthermore commercial milk supply remains safe due to both federal animal health requirements and pasteurization.
At present Avian Influenza has not been detected in beef cattle but ranchers are encouraged to consider biosecurity protocols that would limit the exposure of their animals to pathogens carried by wild birds. The Montana Stockgrowers Association suggests ranchers enhance biosecurity by isolating new animals from the main herd for a period of time and monitor and report cattle illnesses quickly.
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NCBA, DTN, USDA, MSGA, ASI
