USA, TEXAS — Farmers in the Panhandle, which is also known as “Cattle Country,” are dealing with another blow after the worst wildfire in Texas history.
Two dairy farms in Texas and two farms in Kansas have found cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in their cows. This is also known as the “bird flu.”
Scientists say they think this is the first time the sickness has been found in livestock.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed cases of bird flu on Monday. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), and the USDA are all working together to keep a close eye on things, according to a statement from TDA Commissioner Sid Miller.
“The most important thing for animal health professionals and agriculture agencies is to understand how the avian virus gets from birds to livestock,” Miller said. “This outbreak is worrying, but it doesn’t look like it will put our country’s commercial dairy supply at risk right now.”
Miller says that about 10% of the animals on the farms that are affected have signs. The infected cows don’t make much milk, and the TDA said that milk from sick cows must be collected separately and can’t get into the food supply chain.
Affected dairy cows are separated from other cows, which is a standard practice for any animal health problem.
Gary Joiner, who is in charge of communications for the Texas Farm Bureau, said that the Panhandle has better biosecurity so that tests can be done and the cause of the spread found. Joiner said that viruses like avian flu are killed when milk is handled.
“Consumers should have a lot of faith that milk products are safe,” Joiner said. “Farmers are only letting staff onto their property and making sure that buckets and food that wild birds could get to are clean. They are also making sure that animals don’t come into contact with wild birds.”
The exact way cows got the disease from wild birds is still unknown, but there is currently no proof that the illness can be passed from cow to cow. Joiner told me.
Joiner said, “Right now, dairy farmers are helping veterinarians and state and national health officials get as many samples as they need to keep looking into this situation and find answers.”
Joiner said that infected cattle get better in 10 to 14 days.
Danny Wolf, owner of Gainesville’s Spring Creek Farms, told WFAA that he’s keeping a close eye on things but isn’t worried that his dairy cows are in danger.
“Everybody’s pretty healthy,” said Wolf, who has been a farmer for three generations. “Right now I think it’s pretty safe, but just to be safe, I’m being careful about who I let into and out of the farm.”
Farmers who raise dairy cows and vets should tell the USDA, the State Animal Health Commission, or the Texas A&M lab when a cow is sick.
The National Veterinary Services Laboratories did the first tests, which showed that there isn’t a high risk to the public right now.