Editors note: HPAI was confirmed in a dairy herd in Idaho on April 2. A previous version of this story stated that the herd’s positive test results for bird flu were still pending.
In late March, bird flu was reported in dairy cattle for the first time. Since then, a human and more than one million chickens have added to the count of positive cases in the United States.
The USDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed on March 25 the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza, HPAI, in two dairy herds in Texas and two dairy herds in Kansas that had cattle exhibiting symptoms of the disease, according to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
This came after the detection of bird flu in juvenile goats on a Minnesota farm where poultry had recently contracted the virus, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
By March 29, the USDA announced that their National Veterinary Services Laboratories also confirmed the presence of HPAI in a Michigan dairy herd that recently received cows from Texas.
On April 1, the USDA and APHIS confirmed the detection of HPAI in a dairy herd in New Mexico and five additional dairy herds in Texas, followed by the April 2 confirmation of HPAI in a dairy herd in Idaho.
These cases mark the first time that bird flu has been detected in dairy cattle and the second time the virus has been detected in a ruminant, herbivorous grazing or browsing artiodactyls, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
What is bird flu?
Avian flu, a disease caused by a family of flu viruses primarily transmitted among birds, affects more than 100 bird species and spreads quickly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The two groups of Avian influenza viruses are low pathogenicity avian influenza, LPAI, which is often seen in wild birds, and HPAI, found mostly in domestic poultry. LPAI viruses cause mild or no disease while HPAI causes severe disease and high mortality rates in infected birds, according to the CDC.
These viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds and can infect domestic poultry and other bird animal species. Infected birds can shed avian influenza A viruses in their saliva, feces and nasal secretions. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with the virus as it is shed by birds or through contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus from infected birds.
Both LPAI and HPAI A viruses have caused mild to severe illness in infected humans, according to the CDC.
How many herds of dairy cattle have contracted bird flu?
To date, the USDA has confirmed the detection of HPAI in seven dairy herds in Texas, two in Kansas and one in Michigan, New Mexico and Idaho each.
Texas man tests positive for bird flu
On April 1, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported a human case of bird flu in Texas.
The infected man is identified as a person who had direct exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with the disease. Prior to bird flu testing the week prior, the man’s only reported symptom was eye inflammation. At this time, the man is being treated with oseltamivir, and antiviral drug.
The Texas Department of State Health Services says the man’s positive case of bird flu does not change the risk for the general public, which remains low.
The CDC reports that this is only the second human case of H5N1 flu in the U.S. and the first linked to an exposure to cattle.
Bird flu spreads to chickens
On April 2, Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., the country’s largest producer of fresh eggs, announced the detection of bird flu at one of its facilities in Parmer County, Texas.
The positive detection of HPAI resulted in the culling (selective slaughtering) of approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets (a hen that is less than one year old), about 3.6% of the company’s total flock as of March 2, the Mississippi-based company announced.
Due to the cases of bird flu, production at the facility has been temporarily halted as Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. follows USDA protocols to remedy the issue. The company is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize consumer disruption, a statement said.
Details on bird flu, Delaware cattle:Herds of dairy cattle have tested positive for bird flu. Will milk, dairy prices go up?
What do bird flu cases mean for dairy prices?
“There continues to be no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply because products are pasteurized before entering the market, or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” said the USDA.
Dairies are required to send only milk from healthy animals into processing for human consumption and milk from impacted animals is being “diverted or destroyed so it does not enter the human food supply.”
The USDA adds that pasteurization continues to remain efficient at inactivating bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk. Pasteurization is required for any milk entering interstate commerce for human consumption, the agency said.
The USDA continues to promote the hazards of drinking unpasteurized, raw milk, which can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to consumers, and recommends that the industry does not manufacture or sell raw milk or raw/unpasteurized milk cheese products made with milk from cows showing symptoms of illness.
“Milk loss resulting from symptomatic cattle to date is too limited to have a major impact on supply and there should be no impact on the price of milk or other dairy products,” said the USDA. “Further, the U.S. typically has a more than sufficient milk supply in the spring months due to seasonally higher production.”
The USDA reports that the FDA is currently not aware that any milk or food products from symptomatic cows is entering interstate commerce. Milk from infected cows being used to feed calves is recommended to be heat treated to kill harmful bacteria and viruses before calf feeding.
What do bird flu cases mean for egg prices?
As for eggs, a person cannot contract bird flu from eggs that are cooked and stored properly, according to the CDC.
According to the FDA, the likelihood that eggs from infected poultry are found in the retail market is low, and proper storage and preparation further reduce the risk, due to the safeguards in place when HPAI is detected in the U.S. and the rapid onset of symptoms in positive cases.
Cooking poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked food are key ways to prevent any food safety hazard, said the FDA, and continue to practice safe cooking techniques remains advised.
In late 2022, avian influenza severely impacted chicken farmers, and consumers, in what was known as “eggflation.”
Fifty-eight million birds across 47 states were impacted, according to the USDA, and as of February of 2023, commercial layer facilities reported egg supply that was reduced by around 7.5% per month.
The average cost of egg prices in December of 2022 was $4.90 as a result, a 70% increase from the year before.
Bird flu impact on Delaware cattle
On April 2, the Delaware Department of Agriculture issued a control order restricting the movement of dairy cattle into Delaware.
The order states that:
- No dairy cattle from an affected herd, as described above, shall be allowed to move into Delaware until further notice. If any cattle from an affected premises exhibit these signs, all cattle on the premises shall be restricted.
- Dairy cattle outside the Delmarva Peninsula require a signed health certificate within 48 hours of entry. Upon arrival, all dairy cattle will be quarantined for 30 days.
Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys’tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.
Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys’tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.
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