LOGAN — Avian flu, or bird flu, is spreading from birds to dairy cows in nine U.S. states. Scientists at Utah State University want to make sure the public has the facts.
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has received calls from the public regarding bird flu concerns, Baylee Woolstenhulme said. They have been “actively in communication” with farmers across the state.
“This virus does not kill dairy cows nor is it an infectious disease that means the USDA needs to implement a mandatory cull,” said Tom Baldwin, veterinary pathologist and director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Utah.
People can still safely enjoy pasteurized milk and well-cooked meat, said Bruce Richards, assistant professor of animal sciences and dairy specialist at USU Extension.
The standard milk pasteurization process is powerful enough to “inactivate” the flu virus, Baldwin said.
Even if a human becomes infected – a possibility if they come into contact with sick or dead animals infected with the virus – symptoms are mild. A Texas farmworker who contracted the virus in early April reported eye inflammation and nothing more.
Although humans have no major reason to worry, the virus remains a problem for livestock and other animals.
Farmers should look for a few things in their dairy cows to minimize outbreaks in the herd: soft feces, thicker manure, decreased milk production, thicker milk and low fever. If a cow has the flu, farmers should move it to a “hospital pen” and contact a veterinarian.
One thing farmers should not do is mass test for flu. If a cow appears healthy, testing it is a waste of time and laboratory supplies, said Carmen Lau, a pathologist at the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
“If you sell cows that cross state lines, you test them,” Baldwin said. “Or if it appears you have an outbreak, you need to get tested.”
Avian flu is especially a big problem for birds, Lau said. For chickens and some other birds, it can be fatal.
One or two isolated bird deaths in a backyard chicken coop are probably not the result of the flu. If more than 25% of a flock dies in a short period of time, chicken owners could face an epidemic.
“When you suddenly find 20 of them dead in one day, that’s bird flu,” Baldwin said.
As the summer months approach, the flu will be less of a problem, he said. Less bird migration through Utah and warmer temperatures will slow things down for a while. But a reversal of these conditions in the fall would likely lead to a new resurgence of the virus.
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