United States – Colorado set new guidelines today that will force dairies to test their milk supplies for bird flu on a weekly basis, according to the state Department of Agriculture. The specter of avian flu remains a dominant issue across the country, as reported by The Hills.
State Veterinarian’s Insights
Colorado State Veterinarian Maggie Baldwin added, ‘At this point, Colorado has been unable to halt the spread of the disease after it was found in the state’s bird population after three months.’
“I have witnessed severe adverse effects of this disease on not only our dairy sector but also on our poultry sector,” she said in a statement. “This helps us get the backing of the dairy and poultry industries, and we believe this is the next logical step to safeguard these important sectors in our state. ”
Impact on Public Health and Agriculture
H5N1 bird flu is harmless to human beings but has caused havoc to poultry and cattle in the country in the past one year. The current outbreak has infected 11 people after getting into contact with infected livestock.
Over 100 million poultry across the country have been affected by the current strain of avian flu, as highlighted by the CDC. About 168 dairy herds have also been infected.
Milk surveillance will assist Colorado in monitoring and responding to cases of the disease in cattle. The milk obtained from infected animals can be safely consumed since pasteurization of milk eliminates any infective agents.
Response to Chicken Population Outbreak
The testing requirement resulted from an outbreak of the disease in the state’s chicken population. Avian flu killed approximately 70% of Colorado’s chicken population.
“Mandatory surveillance of highly pathogenic avian influenza across all of Colorado’s Grade A commercial dairies is a critical next step to tamping down the virus and protecting the food system,” state Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg said in a statement, as reported by The Hills.
The state added Colorado ranked as having the most avian flu cases in the United States.