The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirms that cow-to-cow transmission plays a role in the spread of avian flu amongst dairy herds. Yet, the exact mechanism of how this elusive virus maneuvers itself remains a puzzle. Farmers and veterinarians, who have been on the edge of their seats waiting for confirmation on the virus’s transmission, now have a crucial lead to aid them in better controlling the spread.
Over the past month, dairy herds in as many as eight states tested positive for the virus. Even a dairy worker in Texas wasn’t spared. Wild migratory birds, once believed to be the original source of the virus, still raise eyebrows. But the USDA’s investigation into cow infections has uncovered cases where the virus spread was linked with movements of cattle between herds.
“There is also unsettling evidence that the virus spread from dairy cattle premises back into nearby poultry premises through an as-of-yet unknown route,” says our source from the USDA.
Despite these findings, the USDA has notably refrained from imposing quarantines to restrict cattle movement around infected dairies, a common practice with chickens and turkeys around infected poultry farms. The department is leaning on the expectation that minimizing cattle movement, testing those that must be shipped, along with adhering to stringent safety and cleaning practices on farms, should eliminate the need for harsh regulatory restrictions.
