SIOUX COUNTY, Iowa (Iowa Media Wire) — There is another case of bird flu that has been found in a Sioux County dairy herd, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced Wednesday.
Officials said this is the eighth detection of bird flu among Iowa dairy herds. This marks the sixth case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) to have been found in dairy herds located in Sioux County. There were also cases of bird flu found in Plymouth and O’Brien counties.
Doc McDowell with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship told Iowa Media Wire 9 that this most recent case was detected in a herd of 100 dairy cattle.
HPAI affects both wild and domestic bird populations in addition to lactating dairy cattle. While the virus can be fatal to domestic bird populations such as chickens and turkeys, dairy cattle should recover with supportive care. Dairy herds are not culled like poultry flocks.
On Monday, officials announced that HPAI was detected in one of the largest dairy farms in the state. The herd had about 10,000 dairy cattle.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is strongly encouraging Iowa poultry producers and dairy farmers to increase biosecurity measures to protect their flocks and herds. The release noted that there are recommendations available. For dairy herds, click here. For poultry and livestock farms, click here.
The release noted that there is no concern about the safety of milk or dairy products for consumers. The process of pasteurization ensures that products are safe to enjoy. Consumers should still handle eggs and poultry products by cooking them to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.