United States: A dairy farm in Kansas will soon start testing their dairy herd voluntarily for bird flu. Kansas is one of four states involved in a new program from the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Earlier in March, H5N1, also known as bird flu, was found in milk samples from two Kansas dairy farms. Since then, no other positive cases have been reported in the state.
The KDA mentioned that one dairy farm has already decided to take part in the voluntary testing, and others are showing interest. According to a national rule from the United States Department of Agriculture, any lactating dairy cow must test negative for bird flu within seven days before crossing state borders.
Monitoring and Surveillance Measures
In Kansas, a veterinarian must confirm that it is symptom-free before relocating an animal inside the state. However, a dairy farm must begin testing their bulk milk on a weekly basis in order to become a monitored herd.
Voluntary Participation and National Regulation
Dr. Justin Smith, the KDA’s animal health commissioner, stated that if the results of the bulk milk testing are confirmed negative after three weeks, the herd will be placed under monitoring. At that point, the individual testing can be discontinued in favour of weekly bulk milk testing as a means of ongoing surveillance.
Veterinarians and the KDA, Dr. Smith, continue, “still don’t know exactly how the exposure happens,” but they claim that the herds that do have it have several possible sources. This covers taking it up while in transit, from people, or when interacting with other animals.
“It is evident that there is some degree of cow-to-cow transmission, whether it occurs through direct nose-to-nose contact or through our spread.”
Regional Participation and Continued Monitoring
Farms in Nebraska, Texas, and New Mexico have agreed to take part in voluntary testing as well. Since March, Kansas has yet to have a successful case.
Participating dairy farms that pass clean milk tests will only be required to test individual animals after relocating their herd within or between states.