((Automated translation by Reuters, please see disclaimer https://bit.ly/rtrsauto))
(Added case in South Dakota dairy herd in second paragraph) by Tom Polansek
U.S. dairy farmers are increasing their defenses to try to stem the spread of bird flu: they are banning tours, cutting down trees to discourage wild birds from landing, and disinfecting vehicles that enter their land.
South Dakota on Thursday became the eighth state to discover the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a dairy herd, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported infections in North Carolina, Texas , Kansas, Ohio, Michigan, Idaho and New Mexico.
The first cases appear to have been introduced into herds in Texas and Kansas by wild birds, but the USDA said transmission between cattle was also possible. Agricultural officials in Michigan and Ohio said infected herds in those states received cattle from Texas.
Reuters spoke to seven dairy farmers in five states, who said they are increasing safety and cleaning procedures, with three going beyond government recommendations.
“Think of our farm as a gated community for cows,” said Karen Jordan, who raises about 200 dairy cows in Siler City, North Carolina. “Only the most essential person can pass through the gate
Even before the outbreak in North Carolina ( ), Karen Jordan, 64, said she was limiting the number of visitors who could unwittingly carry contaminated bird droppings on their boots or vehicles. She also began cutting down around forty small trees to avoid attracting wild birds during spring migration.
The first confirmed case in a dairy herd on March 25 and the second human case in two years on April 1 have heightened concerns in the United States about the spread of the virus to animals and people. Avian flu has decimated poultry flocks around the world since 2022 and infected mammals such as seals, foxes and skunks.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the risk to humans remained low, but asked states to plan for testing and treatment for potentially affected agricultural workers.
REDUCTION IN MILK PRODUCTION
While bird flu is deadly for poultry, cows seem to recover from it. According to the USDA, avian flu outbreaks in dairy herds primarily affect lactating cows, reducing milk production and prompting farmers to isolate sick animals while excluding their milk from the food supply.
U.S. dairy production has reached nearly $60 billion in 2022. Dairy farmers now fear a drop in demand for milk and cheese, after the USDA reported the presence of bird flu in untreated milk samples. pasteurized, although agricultural officials say pasteurized milk is safe.
DCSK24 milk futures prices fell as infections spread last week, before the market rebounded. Beef cattle futures also fell on fears of falling demand, although there have been no confirmed cases of the virus in cattle raised for meat.
The USDA has not issued a quarantine order for infected dairy cow herds, but last week recommended minimizing livestock movements and testing milk samples from lactating cows if they must be displaced. Producers were also asked to monitor livestock for disease, isolate newly added cows and keep wild and domestic animals, such as cats, away from farm buildings to reduce the spread of the virus.
The agency advised farmers to pay “special attention to good milking practices, such as disinfecting equipment.” In interviews with Reuters, animal health authorities raised the possibility that machines milking may play a role in the spread of infections among cows, although this has not been confirmed.
“We cannot rule out other possible modes of HPAI transmission, including equipment,” the USDA said in an email.
Seven state and industry officials said farmers face challenges because of uncertainty about how the virus spreads and the exposure of open-air barns to wild birds.
Idaho, North Carolina and more than a dozen states that have not confirmed cases in cattle have imposed additional requirements on shipments to protect their herds.
Nebraska, the second-largest U.S. livestock producer after Texas, on April 1 began requiring producers to obtain permits to bring breeding dairy cows into the state so officials can better track movements animals.
Texas advised producers to monitor their herds and keep sick animals at home. Kansas has recommended limiting livestock movements but has not imposed additional restrictions, said Justin Smith, the state’s animal health commissioner.
“These dairies have a lot at stake,” Mr. Smith said in an interview. “If they have concerns about these moves, they should re-evaluate them, rather than asking me to re-evaluate them
Yogurt maker Danone DANO.PA said it was advising its suppliers to isolate livestock that may have been exposed to the virus and report any cases to local authorities.
TIRE DISINFECTION
In Fort Branch, Indiana, Steve Obert, 61, asks drivers to spray the wheels of their trucks with disinfectant before letting them onto his farm. He raises about 1,200 cows that produce milk for Dairy Farmers of America, a cooperative of more than 6,000 farms.
Mr. Obert, who is also executive director of the industry group Indiana Dairy Producers, said large farms face increased risks, in part because they keep large stocks of animal feed that attract wild birds likely to be carriers of the virus.
Large dairies often ship heifers, or female cows that have not yet given birth, to other states to be impregnated before returning to their home farm for milking, he said. added.
Mr. Obert, who ships cows to Kentucky, said he trusts Indiana’s decision not to impose new restrictions on livestock movements, but he added: “As a producer, you you’re sitting at the same table as the other producers: as a producer you’re on the edge of your seat and you’re like, “I hope we’re not behind”
In Rockford, Illinois, Brent Pollard, a 43-year-old farmer who supplies milk to the Prairie Farms cooperative, isolated a Wisconsin calf he bought for his daughter for 21 days.
No cases have been reported in Wisconsin, but Shelly Mayer, 58, said she monitors dead birds at her dairy near Milwaukee and works to keep water tanks free of bird droppings and other contaminants.
Farmers also try to keep wild birds away from feed supplies, but it’s difficult.
“The dairy farm is sort of a giant bird feeder,” said Jamie Jonker, chief science officer for the National Milk Producers Federation.