Avian flu in cows prompts USDA mandates
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requiring new mandates after Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (HPAI) H5N1 was discovered in dairy cattle.
On April 29, a Federal Order is going into effect to try and reduce the spread of the avian flu. The order will encompass the following things:
For lactating dairy cattle –
Prior to interstate movement, dairy cattle are required to receive a negative test for Influenza A virus at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory
Owners of herds in which dairy cattle test positive for interstate movement will be required to provide epidemiological information, including animal movement tracing
Dairy cattle moving between states must meet condition criteria specified by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
Bison moved from Yellowstone to Taos Pueblo
Reporting –
Laboratories and state veterinarians must report positive Influenza A nucleic acid detection diagnostic results (e.g. PCR or genetic sequencing) in livestock to APHIS
Laboratories and state veterinarians must report positing Influenza A serology diagnostic results in livestock to APHIS
At least 33 cattle in eight states, including New Mexico, have been confirmed to have HPAI.
