On March 29, 2024, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was first confirmed on a Michigan dairy farm. Since then, HPAI has been confirmed in 28 other dairy herds across the state. Policies, laws and testing requirements have changed over the past year but a few things remain the same:
- A farm biosecurity plan cannot guarantee prevention but it is a critical piece of risk reduction
- Disease outbreak response plans help farmers proactively approach new or worsening outbreaks
- MSU Extension has many resources to assist dairy producers
HPAI is a viral infection affecting poultry and dairy herds. Affected cattle display several clinical signs including reduced feed intake and rumen motility, decreased milk production, thicker concentrated colostrum-like milk that can be discolored, abnormal or loose manure and fever. Although few cattle die from HPAI infections, the impact of an outbreak on a dairy farm is challenging. An analysis of an HPAI outbreak on a Michigan farm led by Zelmar Rodriguez and colleagues estimated the net cost of the outbreak was $504 per affected cow or $158 per cow in the herd.
Source : msu.edu