United States: The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has put forward a proposal that would allow farmers to conduct bulk testing of milk from their dairy cows for avian influenza, as opposed to testing individual cows before receiving clearance to transport them across state boundaries. This information comes from state and industry officials as well as agency documents.
The transmission of the virus to bovine species and two dairy workers since late March has heightened worries about a potential pandemic. Government authorities are striving to control the disease’s spread while limiting economic repercussions for the agricultural sector.
In late April, the USDA mandated that lactating cows must test negative for the virus before being transported across state lines. They later asserted that this measure likely prevented the virus’s spread to new states.
As of Wednesday, the USDA reported 2,492 pre-movement tests, though this figure does not correspond to the number of individual animals tested.
According to documents the USDA sent to industry officials this week, a pilot program for bulk milk testing might commence in June for farmers who opt to participate, which Reuters obtained.
Agricultural authorities in six states informed Reuters on Wednesday that they were examining the USDA’s proposal for the program, which had not been previously disclosed. The USDA declined to comment.
“With the backing and involvement of farms, the USDA initiative could diminish the threat of H5N1 in dairy herds, lessen the risk among farm workers, and safeguard our nation’s commercial milk supply,” the International Dairy Foods Association conveyed in a statement to Reuters.
The USDA has identified the H5N1 avian flu virus in cattle across nine states. The US Food and Drug Administration has estimated that 20% of the US milk supply shows signs of the virus, suggesting a broader spread is probable.
Farmers argue that testing milk from bulk storage tanks provides a means to collect a representative sample from all cows within a herd, proving more efficient than testing individual animals.
According to USDA documents dated May 24, bulk tanks of milk from individual herds would need to show three consecutive weeks of negative test results to demonstrate the herd is free of avian flu and qualify for the new program.
Farmers would then need to submit weekly milk samples from bulk tanks to maintain their status, as per the documents. Continued negative results would obviate the need for additional testing before shipping cattle between states.
The USDA noted that disease-free status could be established in states or regions if sufficient farmers participate. If a herd tests positive within the program, there would be an epidemiologic investigation and an evaluation of movement for animals deemed low-risk, according to the documents.
Veterinarians stated that the program would predominantly benefit large dairies that frequently transport animals.
However, Gail Hansen, a veterinary and public health consultant, cautioned that three weeks of bulk tank milk testing is insufficient to confirm a herd is free of avian flu. She explained that samples from healthy cows could dilute those from a few infected cattle when their milk is mixed in the tank.
“It might provide a misleading sense of security,” Hansen remarked.
State officials expressed concerns about the logistics of the proposed program. Texas officials mentioned that while the USDA had informed state animal health officials about the program, final implementation details have not yet been provided.
The initiative aims to assist in controlling the disease among cattle but could have adverse market effects for farmers, according to Bret Marsh, Indiana’s state veterinarian.
“Indiana’s primary concern is: How will the collected information be utilized? Any detection in Indiana could place us in the affected-state category, subjecting Hoosier producers to increased restrictions from other states,” he stated.
Michigan, which has reported more cattle infections than any other state, is interested, according to Tim Boring, director of the state’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“One fundamental precaution here is to restrict animal movement,” he said. “The last thing we want is to transfer sick cattle among different farms, thereby propagating the disease further.”