Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Gratiot Dairy Herd

May 23, 2024

By Jennifer Holton

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Tim Boring announced the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in an additional dairy herd from Gratiot County. Testing through the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory detected this case. Samples have been sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories for additional confirmatory testing.

Regardless of species, biosecurity remains the best tool available to combat HPAI. On May 1, 2024, Director Boring issued the Determination of Extraordinary Emergency HPAI Risk Reduction and Response Order. In addition to other protocols, the order requires all dairy operations in Michigan to adopt enhanced biosecurity measures, collectively reducing the risk of introducing this virus on to farms. On May 3, 2024, additional guidance was issued to help producers enact these requirements, which went into effect on May 8, 2024.

In addition to these requirements, following a few key steps can also be fundamental to protecting the health and vitality of Michigan's dairy cattle:

Delay or stop incoming or returning animals from herds with unknown or suspect health status.
Isolate all animals that are new or returning to your farm.
Monitor the health of your animals daily.
Contact your veterinarian if there are ever any animal health-related concerns or if you would like to develop a secure food supply plan.
Sick animals should have dedicated equipment and be cared for after tending to healthy animals first.
Clothing, footwear, and equipment worn/used around sick animals should not be worn/used around other animals until they are cleaned and disinfected. Use an EPA-registered disinfectant effective against avian influenza.
Do not share tools, equipment, trailers, etc. with other farms.
Clean and disinfect the interiors of trailers used to haul animals from other operations.
Limit non-essential visitors to your farm.
If individuals have recently been on a poultry farm, they should not visit a dairy operation, and vice versa.
Require or provide clean clothing and footwear to those entering your farm.
Use hand-washing stations and provide gloves to those working on your farm.

As part of the disease response, MDARD is working with the herd's veterinarian to monitor the health of the animals and conduct trace investigations. MDARD continues diligently working with local, state, and federal partners to quickly respond to reports of HPAI to mitigate the spread of the disease and provide outreach.

Source : michigan.gov

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.