Bird flu has been confirmed in a second herd of dairy cattle in Iowa, this time in Sioux County. The news comes just a couple days after authorities announced the state’s first case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza detected in a dairy herd in O’Brien County.
Now, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is requesting resources from the United States Department of Agriculture and announcing additional response measures.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued the following statement on Friday:
According to a press release from IDALS, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is asking the USDA to aid affected dairy and poultry farmers and to assist in disease research and response to combat the threat to Iowa poultry and dairy farms.
Secretary Naig’s is asking the USDA to help back Iowa farmers by:
Providing compensation for cull dairy cattle at fair market value.Providing compensation for lost milk production at a minimum of 90 percent of fair market value.Revise poultry indemnity tables to better reflect the fair market value of the impacted birds and/or eggs.Present a streamlined and timely process for farmers to be compensated for lost production and to receive indemnity.
He’s also asking for help with the state’s response efforts, requesting the USDA:
Authorize additional epidemiological strike teams to assist with both poultry and dairy in Iowa.Provide additional USDA Wildlife Services personnel to assist in the surveying of disease in wildlife around Iowa poultry and dairy facilities.Accelerate funding for research to strengthen and enhance producer mitigation strategies.
Additional State Response Measures include updating existing protocols to include testing of dairy farms around infected poultry sites, providing a better understanding of the possible spread of the virus and improving response capabilities.
No restrictions of milk shipments are planned, as officials say there’s no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products.
There’s no movement restrictions on dairy cattle at this time but a USDA federal order regulating the interstate movement of lactating dairy cattle will stay in effect. Dairy farmers and poultry producers are strongly advised to incorporate comprehensive biosecurity protocols on their farms.
Meanwhile, with the fair and exhibition season quickly approaching, officials are considering more requirements for exhibition participants.
About HPAI
HPAI is a viral disease that affects both wild and domestic bird populations as well as lactating dairy cattle. HPAI can travel in wild birds without those birds appearing sick, but is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys. With supportive care, dairy cattle recover with little to no mortality associated with the disease.
Heightened Biosecurity
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is strongly encouraging Iowa poultry producers and dairy farmers to bolster their biosecurity practices and protocols to protect their flocks and herds. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has biosecurity recommendations for dairy herds to utilize. In addition, the Department has numerous other biosecurity resources for poultry producers and livestock farms to reference on its website.
Farmers or farm workers who interact regularly with both dairy and poultry or who interact frequently with other farm workers in poultry or dairy, should take extra precautions to limit possible transmissions.
Suspected Cases in Dairy
If dairy producers suspect cases of HPAI, they should contact their herd veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.
Clinical signs of HPAI in dairy may include:
Decrease in food consumption with a simultaneous decrease in ruminationClear nasal dischargeDrop in milk productionTacky or loose fecesLethargyDehydrationFeverThicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk
Suspected Cases in Poultry
If poultry producers or those with backyard birds suspect signs of HPAI, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.
Clinical signs of HPAI in birds may include:
Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signsLethargy and/or lack of energy and appetiteDecrease in egg productionSoft, thin-shelled and/or misshapen eggsSwelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocksPurple/blue discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legsDifficulty breathingCoughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose)Stumbling and/or falling downDiarrhea
Food Safety
It remains safe to enjoy poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always properly handle and cook eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165F. It is a longstanding practice that only milk from healthy animals may enter the food supply. There is no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products. Pasteurization has continually proven to successfully inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk.
Public Health
Though recent cases of HPAI were confirmed in dairy workers in Texas and Michigan, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to believe the threat to the general public remains low. Any questions related to public health should be directed to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services at alex.murphy@hhs.iowa.gov. There are no known human cases in Iowa.
List of Confirmed Cases
As HPAI detections are confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, those cases are added to tracking websites located on the USDA APHIS website.
