CFIA adds livestock information to HPAI webpages

Apr 23, 2024

Avian flu hasn’t yet been detected in Canadian livestock

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is now including livestock resources on its webpages about highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

This response comes after the United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed cases of bird flu in multiple dairy herds in the country.

As of April 23, herds in eight states have tested positive for avian flu.

“Affected cows are showing clinical signs that include a decrease in milk production or feed consumption and thicker consistency milk,” the CFIA says on its webpage. “The animals appear to recover after a period of illness.”

The CFIA encourages producers to stay on top of biosecurity measures and says veterinarians should watch for multiple signs in cattle. These include dry manure or constipation, a decrease in feed consumption and a drop in rumen motility.

Wild birds appear to be the main source of HPAI, the CFIA says.

But when the virus infects another animal, that can create challenges, said Scott Weese, a veterinarian and professor at the University of Guelph.

“Any time it moves into a different species, you’re creating more of an opportunity for that virus to change,” Weese told the Toronto Star. “And what we don’t want to do is to see it accumulate more and more factors that make it able to infect mammals, including us.”

The CFIA also wants consumers to know there’s no cause for concern for end products.

The pasteurization process kills the virus, and there’s no evidence that properly cooked beef could transmit the virus to humans.

Video: Secure Pork Supply Plan | Prepare to Protect Your Herd | U.S. Pork Producers

Join Jill Brokaw, a third-generation pig farmer and staff member of the National Pork Board, as she dives into the vital role of the Secure Pork Supply (SPS) Plan in preparing the U.S. pork industry for potential foreign animal disease outbreaks. This video is an essential watch for pork producers who are looking to safeguard their operations against the threats of diseases like foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, and African swine fever.

•Why Should Pork Producers Care?

An outbreak of foreign animal diseases in the U.S. could lead to severe restrictions and potentially result in industry-wide financial losses estimated between $15 to $100 billion. The SPS Plan is a collective effort to prevent such catastrophic outcomes by enhancing biosecurity, ensuring animal traceability, and promoting effective disease monitoring.

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Write a site-specific biosecurity plan that can serve as the first line of defense against potential outbreaks.

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Learn about the significance of tracking animal movement and how acquiring a premises identification number (PIN) and using AgView can facilitate this process. Disease Monitoring: Find out how continuous observation and reporting can keep your herd healthy and disease-free.

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The Secure Pork Supply initiative is more than a plan; it's a commitment to the resilience of our food supply and the livelihoods within the pork industry. By embracing these proactive measures, we can collectively enhance our preparedness for foreign animal disease outbreaks.