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    Update on Dairy Herd

    ​On Monday, March 25, highly pathogenic avian influenza (more technically referred to as Influenza A) was detected in two dairy herds in Texas and two dairy herds in Kansas. Since then, the disease has been confirmed in dairy herds in multiple states. 

    The disease has not been identified in PA at this time.

    Updates​​

     

    Update on Moving Animals

    The USDA and partners have advised veterinarians and producers to 1). Test animals before necessary movements. 2) Limit animal movement as much as possible.

    If movement must occur, the agency recommends PCR testing animals prior to movement and isolating animals after movement for a minimum of 21 days before integrating them with the rest of the herd. Work with your regular veterinarian to create an isolation and integration plan.

    How to Protect Your Cattle

    Robust biosecurity protocols are critical to preventing and managing Bovine Influenza A on dairy farms. According to the latest federal update the spread of clinical illness among the Michigan herd also indicates that HPAI transmission between cattle likely can occur. The USDA and partners have advised veterinarians and producers to:

    • Practice good biosecurity.
    • Limit wild bird exposure.
    • Limit traffic into and out of farm properties.
    • Restrict visits to employees and essential personnel.
    • Test animals before necessary movements
    • Minimize animal movements.
    • Isolate sick cattle from the herd. Among the dairies whose herds are exhibiting symptoms, the affected animals have recovered after isolation with little to no associated mortality reported. 

    Dairy cattle are likely infected by droppings from wild birds carrying the virus. Infection can be spread through movement of people, on their clothing, gloves, soles of their shoes; on vehicle tires, animal trailers and other equipment, in addition to contaminated water, and through the movement of other animals.

    According to the National Milk Producers' Federation (NMPF), bovine influenza A virus is easily killed by many disinfectants. Keeping equipment, clothing and footwear clean helps protect cattle from many viruses and bacteria. Click here for a list of EPA registered disinfectants that kill HPAI. 

    No Concern About Safety of Commercial Milk Supply

    There continues to be no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply because products are pasteurized before entering the market. Dairies are required to send only milk from healthy animals into processing for human consumption. Milk from impacted animals is being diverted or destroyed so that it does not enter the human food supply. In addition, pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk. Pasteurization is required for any milk entering interstate commerce for human consumption. FDA's longstanding position is that unpasteurized, raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to consumers. The FDA is reminding consumers of the risks associated with raw milk consumption in light of the HPAI detections.
     
    Feeding Calves With Milk From Cows Showing Symptoms

    If milk from cows showing signs of illness, including those infected with bovine influenza A or exposed to those infected with bovine influenza A, is intended to be used to feed calves, FDA strongly encourages that it be heat treated to kill harmful bacteria or viruses, such as influenza, before calf feeding. 

    Working With Your Veterinarian

    Producers should continue to closely monitor their cattle for illness, including decline in milk production, and immediately separate sick animals. If you observe clinical signs in your herd consistent with this outbreak, contact your veterinarian immediately.

    Veterinarians who observe these clinical signs and have ruled out other diagnoses on a client's farm should contact the state veterinarian and follow the guidelines provided, including submitting a complete set of samples to be tested at a diagnostic laboratory.

    Producers are urged to work with their veterinarian to practice enhanced biosecurity measures. More information on biosecurity measures can be found here. ​​

    ​Avian influenza, commonly known as “bird flu,” is caused by an influenza type A virus. Avian influenza viruses occur naturally in wild birds, especially waterfowl and shore or wading birds. Wild bird species (such as ducks and geese) can carry and spread avian influenza viruses without becoming ill. However, since 2022, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been affecting wild waterfowl as well as domestic poultry species. HPAI in birds is very contagious and can cause serious disease and high mortality in domestic poultry such as chickens, quail, pheasants, guinea fowl, and turkeys. 

    There are many species that are potentially susceptible to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). In addition to birds and poultry, H5N1 viruses have been detected in some mammals (see HPAI Detections in Mammals​. Infection may cause illness, including severe disease and death in some cases. AI has recently been reported by USDA in juvenile goats and dairy cattle.

    For more information on AI, click here. 

     

    The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is encouraging all Pennsylvania dairies to enroll in the voluntary Lactating Dairy Cow Health Monitoring Program. This program will provide critical data on the health status of dairy cattle in Pennsylvania to ensure that our state remains free of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Enrolled farms will benefit by no longer being required to individually test cattle prior to interstate movement. Testing will be performed at no cost to producers, and the Department or USDA will provide necessary sampling supplies upon enrollment. The enrollment form​ must be signed by the producer and their accredited veterinarian and returned to the Department by email at (RA-ahds@pa.gov.), by fax (717-787-1868), or mail at the address below. 

    Program sampling and submission guidelines for veterinarians are available here​.

    For questions about the program, please contact the Department at 717-307-3259 or RA-ahds@pa.gov.

     

    Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services

    Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

    2301 N. Cameron St.

    Harrisburg, PA 17110

     

    PPE Letter
     (From the PA Deparmment of Agriculture and PA Department of Health)

     

    H5N1 Bird Flu

     

    Current Status in Pennsylvania

    On Saturday, April 15, 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed the state's first positive case of HPAI in domestic poultry. It was found in a flock of commercial layer chickens on a Lancaster County poultry farm. State and federal government, and private poultry industry representatives remain on high alert and are taking strict measures to protect Pennsylvania’s poultry industry.

    For information on biosecurity visit the USDA's website here USDA APHIS | Defend the Flock Program.

     

    To determine the location of your farm relative to an active control area or surveillance zone in PA, click here. 

    Updates on cases in wild and domestic animals can be found on the USDA website.​

     

    Prevention

    Biosecurity is vital for anyone who owns or works with poultry – whether on a commercial farm, in the wild, or at a hobby/ backyard farm. You should take proper steps to keep HPAI and other animal diseases from infecting your flock or spreading to other flocks. The best way to protect your birds is to follow good biosecurity. Having a biosecurity plan in place, and following that plan daily, is vital to protect Pennsylvania’s poultry.  

    If you don’t already have your premises registered with the department, please do so, and include current contact information. If you already have your premises registered with us, please make sure we have current contact information so we can reach you. Premise ID allows us to find your premises on a map in the event of a disease outbreak, and we can warn you if your flock is at risk due to a nearby infected flock.  

    Reporting Requirements

    If you suspect your poultry is infected with avian influenza, please report your concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services at 717-772-2852, option 1.

    Sick or dead wild birds should be reported to the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 833-PGC-Hunt or pgc-wildlifehealth@pa.gov.

    Subtypes of Avian Influenza

    There are many different subtypes of influenza A viruses. These subtypes differ and are classified based on a combination of two groups of proteins on the surface of the influenza A virus: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1-H16), and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1-N9). Many different combinations of “H” and “N” proteins are possible. Each combination is considered a different subtype, and can be further broken down into different strains. Avian influenza viruses are further classified by their pathogenicity—the ability of a particular virus strain to produce disease in domestic chickens.  HPAI virus strains are extremely infectious, often fatal to domestic poultry, and can spread rapidly from flock to flock. Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus strains occur naturally in wild migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, usually without causing illness.

    The avian influenza viruses that cause concern in poultry and wild birds are HPAI viruses and any virus designated as H5 or H7, because H5 and H7 viruses have the capability to convert from LPAI to HPAI. HPAI is considered a notifiable avian influenza (NAI), and when found in a country, the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) must be alerted.

     

    Other States’ HPAI Pages

    Those with domesticated poultry affected by HPAI:

    Pennsylvania’s Neighboring States

    USDA Resources

    Additional Resources