The current spread of Avian Influenza (H5N1) in the dairy industry has caused farms to reconsider bringing outside animals into the herd. Reevaluating and implementing biosecurity protocols can help ease anxieties about commingling cattle. The goal of any biosecurity program should be to keep animals and workers healthy by minimizing the spread of disease.
Introducing new animals
Before purchasing animals, farms should consider vet-to-vet contact and animal testing. Generally, herd-level tests (Johne’s Disease, Mycoplasma, bovine tuberculosis) should be evaluated before purchase. A physical, milk quality, and past health records should be collected before individual animals are brought to the farm.
Incubation times of many common pathogens differ from days to years. A 21-day period should capture most diseases that do not have an incubation period longer than a few months. Farm staff and the veterinarian should monitor the cows during a 21-day isolation period. If space is a limiting factor on the farm, new animals should be kept with the smallest group of cows and not housed with animals at higher risk for infection (i.e., calves and transition cows).
Daily management
Some of the most common dairy diseases are spread through direct contact or fecal–oral transfer. Keeping a clean environment, including feed and water areas, is key to preventing disease spread. Not only does this include facilities but also vehicles, tools, clothes, and boots. Storing feed to prevent wildlife access can help prevent disease contamination from pests. Having multiple pairs of boots or clothes for different animal groups (calves, parlor, or maternity pen) can effectively prevent the spread of disease and bacteria transfer.
Inhalation of aerosols is another common way to spread the disease. Separation is essential to prevention. Cows with a disease that can be spread through respiration droplets should be isolated from other animals with plenty of distance between pens so that the animals do not share the same airspace. Providing proper ventilation with humidity levels between 50 and 75% can also help prevent the spread of disease.
Disease risks are different for each farm. Biosecurity plans should be evaluated and changed as potential risks change. Whether trying to prevent new diseases from entering the farm or localizing disease on the farm, attention to detail is important. Protocols should be developed in both scenarios to reduce disease risk. Keeping detailed health records and performing routine testing can help prevent potential outbreaks.
For more on HPAI H5N1, read:
- Former USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety says Negative Beef Tests for H5N1 Came as “No Surprise”
- Cattle Markets Breathe Sigh of Relief After USDA Announces Ground Beef Samples Tested Negative For H5N1 Virus
- Ground Beef Tests Negative for H5N1, says USDA-APHIS
- FDA Says New Round of Tests Prove the U.S. Milk Supply is Safe From H5N1 Virus
