Poultry World quotes US officials as confirming that the H5N1 bird flu strain has been found in dairy cattle in three US states – Texas, Kansas and New Mexico. This is the first time that cows have tested positive for bird flu, although the virus has affected other mammals including seals, sea lions, bears and foxes.
“Based on the findings from Texas, wild birds are thought to be the cause of bird flu in the cattle. Wild birds spread the virus through their faeces and oral secretions, and with birds migrating during the spring and summer months, there are often increased farm cases reported,” Poultry World said.
“Initial testing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories has not found changes to the virus that would make it more transmissible to humans, which would indicate that the current risk to the public remains low.”
Only milk from healthy animals is allowed to be sent into processing for consumption and, in addition, pasteurisation makes it safe for consumption.
“Experts have highlighted that there are no issues with the milk supply and there is currently no concern when it comes to consumer health.”
The publication quoted Thijs Kuiken, a bird flu expert and professor at Rotterdam Erasmus MC in the Netherlands, as asking why similar bird flu infections had not been seen in cattle in Europe, despite massive outbreaks in wild and domestic birds there.
“This raises the question of whether cases have been missed here,” he said, advocating random tests to see whether European cows had bird flu antibodies in their blood.
“We should also investigate suspected cases of illness among cows in recent years, but also, for example, sudden drops in milk production. And just pay close attention.”
Since 2020, HPAI H5N1 has been circulating among wild birds, which has regularly caused outbreaks and fatalities in poultry farms and spread throughout almost the entire world, causing animal deaths and economic damage, Poultry World says.
