DES MOINES, Iowa (Iowa Media Wire) — A case of bird flu has been found in an O’Brien County dairy herd.
A release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said this is the first reported case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in an Iowa dairy herd. There have been more than 80 cases of the bird flu being found in dairy farms in South Dakota, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, Kansas, Idaho and Colorado.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) detected the case of HPAI, with final testing being done by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames.
As this is the first dairy case of bird flu in Iowa, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will be announcing more response measures soon.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said that it wasn’t a surprise that bird flu was found in Iowa given the size of the state’s dairy industry and the spread of HPAI.
“While lactating dairy cattle appear to recover with supportive care, we know this destructive virus continues to be deadly for poultry,” he said. “Our team at the Department has been preparing for this possibility and will soon be announcing additional response steps to protect our flocks and herds.”
He added that the state is working to protect farmers, while farmers need to increase their biosecurity defenses.
“Poultry producers and dairy farmers should immediately take steps to harden their biosecurity defenses, limit unnecessary visitors, and report symptomatic birds or cattle to the Department,” Naig said. “This remains an evolving situation and we will continue to be in close communication with stakeholders, USDA, and other states as we evaluate our response. Our top priority is to protect our livestock and the farmers and people who care for them.”
The virus found affecting a Sioux County commercial chicken laying operation is consistent with the variant affecting dairy producers in other states. Testing on a Cherokee County turkey flock to determine if it is the same flu variant has not been completed yet. Officials are investigating how the bird flu was introduced to the Iowa flocks and dairies, the release states.
Poultry producers are asked to watch their flocks for any signs of HPAI and to contact their veterinarian and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship if necessary. Signs of HPAI include the following:
- Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs
- Lethargy and/or lack of energy and appetite
- Decrease in egg production
- Soft, thin-shelled and/or misshapen eggs
- Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks
- Purple/blue discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs
- Difficulty breathing
- Coughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose)
- Stumbling and/or falling down
- Diarrhea
Poultry producers and dairy farmers are encouraged to increase their biosecurity practices to help protect their flocks and herds.
As the bird flu also affects dairy cattle, dairy producers are asked to also watch for signs of sickness and reach out to their herd veterinarian and officials if they see any of the following signs in their cattle:
- Decrease in food consumption with a simultaneous decrease in rumination
- Clear nasal discharge
- Drop in milk production
- Tacky or loose feces
- Lethargy
- Dehydration
- Fever
- Thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk
There were two cases of dairy workers in Texas and Michigan who contracted the disease, but the CDC said the threat to humans remains low.
More information about HPAI can be found on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website.