Bird flu detected in Ohio dairy cattle

WOOD COUNTY — A cattle herd that a northwest Ohio dairy operation got from Texas likely has bird flu, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA).

The ODA said on Tuesday that it “received a presumptive positive test result of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in an Ohio dairy cattle herd is awaiting confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL).

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The test was received from a dairy operation in Wood County, which had received cows on March 8 from a Texas dairy.

The Texas dairy that sent the cows later reported a confirmed detection of HPAI.

“Ohio’s animal health officials were notified when the livestock began showing clinical signs compatible with sick, lactating dairy cows in other states,” the ODA said.

Federal agencies have also detected bird flu in dairy herds in Texas, Kansas, Idaho, New Mexico, and Michigan.

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“According to the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease and Prevention, there is no concern about the safety of commercially pasteurized dairy products due to both federal animal health requirements and pasteurization and the public health risk associated with HPAI remains low,” the ODA said.

At this time, no quarantines or movement restrictions on livestock are being issued.

More information can be found at the USDA’s website.

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