Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
On March 25, 2024, a mystery illness that had been impacting dairy herds in the Texas Panhandle, New Mexico and Kansas was officially diagnosed as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Also known as bird flu, the same strain has been affecting the U.S. poultry flock for the past two years. The Dairy Herd team is tracking the HPAI cases to keep you aware of any changes while providing information you can use to elevate your knowledge and what the evolving dynamics could mean to your operation.
Researchers detected infectious H5N1 virus in milking parlor air and wastewater systems while also identifying possible subclinical infections in cattle.
Cattle moving from unaffected states no longer have to test for H5N1 avian influenza first.
From the evolving H5N1 virus to the looming screwworm threat, discover why a line of separation is the new strategic foundation for safeguarding the U.S. milk supply in 2026.
This California dairy leverages “tech-forward” automation and data to build a robust biosecurity shield against HPAI, ensuring a resilient and mediocrity-free future for his herd.
Researchers are beginning to step back and look at the bigger picture, examining how the virus affects cows not only in the days and weeks after infection, but what it may mean for their health and performance long after.
California has lifted its HPAI-related ban on poultry and dairy cattle exhibitions, allowing shows to return to fairgrounds after more than a year.
Keeping birds away helps safeguard feed quality and reduce disease risk for your herd.
Officials have confirmed the first case of highly pathogenic avian flu in a Wisconsin dairy herd.
“We typically don’t see avian influenza until January or February,” says Rebecca Eifert Joniskan, president of the Indiana State Poultry Association. “This year we started October 9.”
Megin Nichols, the CDC’s director in the division of foodborne, waterborne and environmental diseases, explains the ties between human, animal and environmental health.
H5N1 is different than other new swine disease outbreaks because USDA has jurisdiction over H5 in any animal, so they have the regulatory authority, says Scanlon Daniels, DVM.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins says the agency is hyper-focused on poultry, but no vaccine is yet available. The agency has ‘separate work streams’ to address the virus in the ‘cattle and dairy’ industries, but dairy is not part of USDA’s primary focus for now.
The plan, announced by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, dedicates up to $500 million to help poultry producers implement biosecurity measures and up to $400 million in financial relief for farmers whose flocks are affected by avian flu.
USDA is working to get more eggs into the supply chain in the short-term, but U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says a team is focused on coming up with a long-term strategy to combat avian flu.
Spearheaded by National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, the plan prioritizes enhanced biosecurity measures and medication to control the spread of the virus and moves away from mass culling of infected flocks.
U.S. dairy cattle tested positive for a strain of bird flu that previously had not been seen in cows, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday, ramping up concerns about the persistent spread of the virus.
Toothless guidelines, inadequate testing and long delays in releasing data -- echoes of the missteps during the Covid-19 pandemic -- have squandered opportunities for containing the outbreak.
Sec. Mike Naig says the U.S. government is using what he describes as a three-legged stool approach to address the virus in the dairy and poultry industries.
2024 was a year that confronted APHIS with new challenges, forcing the agency to find new and creative solutions to animal and plant health threats, says APHIS Administrator Michael Watson.
The increased use of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) to treat pyrexia and pain in dairy cattle infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 prompted FDA to issue a warning to producers and veterinarians in October.
California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones has issued a statewide ban on dairy cattle and poultry exhibitions to combat the spread of H5N1 Avian Influenza. The ban will remain in place until the outbreak is under control—here’s what you need to know.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Jan. 3 that it will award $306 million to continue its H5N1 Avian Flu response.
Any existing herd health problems are amplified by HPAI H5N1, practitioners report. Some are asking regulatory agencies for more consistent testing and reporting protocols. They are also encouraging producers to invest dollars in better nutrition and cow comfort resources.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a State of Emergency to address bird flu in California dairy cattle, ramping up monitoring, quarantine efforts, and resource deployment.
Biosecurity New Zealand has placed strict movement controls on a commercial rural Otago egg farm, after testing confirmed a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza in chickens.
USDA announced on Oct. 30 the first reported case of H5N1 in a pig in an Oregon backyard farm.
National disease prevention relies on systematic monitoring and biosecurity to protect animal health, trade, and economic resilience against outbreaks like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.