The Friday, March 29th edition of EGG-NEWS reported on the initial diagnoses of bovine influenza-H5N1 infection among dairy cows in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico. During the past week, additional cases were confirmed in Ohio, Idaho and Michigan.
The report last week posed eight questions relating to epidemiology of infection among dairy cows and the duration of shedding in milk and recovery of the virus on oropharyngeal swabs and seroconversion in infected animals.
There have been no meaningful reports from APHIS, and it is hoped that the Agency is addressing obvious questions concerning animal-to-animal transmission, susceptibility and the characteristics of the virus. Given the rapid spread of the infection that now involves 12 herds among six states, it is anticipated that additional segments of the dairy industry will be involved.
Both the dairy industry and APHIS should be proactive in releasing information in advance of the opponents of intensive livestock production and specifically, the anti-dairy cohort who will be posting misinformation directed at establishing concern among consumers regarding fluid milk and dairy products.
There is evident concern over potential transmission by workers and feed delivery vehicles from and among dairy herds and commercial turkey and egg-production flocks in states where bovine influenza-H5N1 has emerged.