HPAI H5N1 Virus in Dairy Cattle – What We Know

In March 2024, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1), commonly referred to as bird flu, was confirmed in domestic U.S. livestock for the first time in a dairy operation in Texas. Since then, the virus has spread to 172 dairy operations across 13 states, raising widespread uncertainty throughout the dairy and livestock markets. Industry participants have raised concerns about the outbreak's potential impact on consumer perception and demand for dairy and meat products, though government agencies reiterate that the national food supply remains safe. Expana is closely monitoring the...

Penn State Tests Dairy Herd for Bird Flu in Support of State Surveillance Effort

Animal health experts in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have announced that — out of an abundance of caution — they will test the University’s dairy herd for highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, under a voluntary state testing program.

The announcement comes amidst an outbreak of bird flu that has affected dairy cattle in more than a dozen states since March. As of July 19, the virus had not been found in Pennsylvania dairy herds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state animal...

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 10 - Bird Flu: The Saga Continues

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Wyoming Dairy Herd

The Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) have received confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) of the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a dairy cattle herd in Wyoming. The detection was first identified in samples received by the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory. This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in a dairy farm in Wyoming.

The Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) have received confirmation...

ANALYSIS: Tapering Turkey Hatch Sets Production Tone

With trade activity continuing to fall to the sluggish end of the seasonal continuum, and given the ongoing uncertainty related to variables such as disease, turkey market participants are facing more questions than answers when it comes to the future potential of the complex. While the road ahead remains anything but a clear read, there are some forward-facing indications on the production front which might hint at the road which lies ahead. Despite the relatively average costs associated with corn and soybean values, lackluster demand patterns and the aforementioned threat...

MDARD: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Three New Dairy Herds

Today, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Tim Boring announced the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in additional dairy herds from Clinton, Gratiot, and Ionia counties. Testing through the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory detected this case. Samples have been sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories for additional confirmatory testing.

Regardless of species, biosecurity remains the best tool available to combat HPAI. On May 1, 2024, Director Boring issued the Determination of Extraordinary Emergency HPAI Risk Reduction...

Herbruck's Poultry Ranch Laying Off About 400 Staff in Michigan Due to Bird Flu

Herbruck's Poultry Ranch is temporarily laying off about 400 employees in Michigan due to the spread of bird flu.

The company's chief human resources officer Stephanie Kempa said the virus impacted the company's hen population at some farms in Ionia County.

"The company plans to rehire many positions as hen replenishing and egg production increases," Kempa said in a letter to the state Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.

ANALYSIS: Checking-In on Turkey Market Supply Factors

Although mid-May trade conditions have been slow to shift the undertone surrounding whole-body turkeys and raw materials, there is no shortage of variables which are weighing heavily on the minds of market participants as they refine their expectations for the road ahead. Central to many turkey-related conversations remains disease.

As illustrated by this week’s chart, year-to-date (YTD) commercial HPAI outbreaks have risen about 84%, or 229.6 thousand head, when compared to a similar period one year prior...

INSIGHT: Experts Challenge Allegations of Poultry Litter in Feed Spreading HPAI in Cattle

In the weeks since the unprecedented discovery of US cattle testing positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), some mainstream media outlets have attempted to connect this to the use of poultry litter in cattle feed.

However, those familiar with the science and with the workings of the US livestock and poultry industry find the idea rests on shaky grounds.

Experts believe cattle infected by wild birds

In a document published on 26 April, the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) stated “The genetic and epidemiological data indicate spillover of the virus from...

Bird flu Outbreak in Dairy Cows Fails to Deter US Raw Milk Sellers

U.S. sellers of raw milk appear undeterred by federal health warnings for consumers to avoid drinking unpasteurized milk in light of a bird flu outbreak that has affected dairy herds in nine states and sickened at least one dairy farm worker.

Thirty of the 50 U.S. states permit the sale of raw milk, which accounts for less than 1% percent of U.S. milk sales. A nationwide survey of pasteurized milk - heated to kill pathogens - found avian flu virus particles in about 20% of samples tested...

USDA Confirms Detection of Avian Influenza in Dairy Cattle in Colorado

Yesterday, the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) confirmed a detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in dairy cows in Northeast Colorado. This is the first detection of avian influenza diagnosed in cattle in Colorado. Detections of HPAI in dairy cattle have occurred in eight other states.

On Monday, April 22, the Colorado State Veterinarian’s office received a notification of a dairy herd demonstrating clinical signs consistent with HPAI in cattle. Samples submitted to the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory tested presumptive positive for HPAI on April 24, and were confirmed by the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory on April 25.

INTERVIEW: Six Months On, France’s World-First HPAI Vax Campaign Seen as Successful

Early April marked six months since French authorities, along with the country’s poultry sector, embarked on an ambitious effort to vaccinate every commercially-raised duck on the mainland against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The decision made it a global pioneer; although HPAI vaccines had been used in non-exporting countries to protect food security, no major exporter has done so, and the world has been closely watching the experiment. As an industry representative told Feedinfo last year, “We’re a bit like the guinea...

Properly Prepared Beef Remains Safe; Meat Institute Calls For Guidance to Protect Workers 

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a nationwide order including requiring lactating dairy cows to test negative for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) before interstate transport, the Meat Institute today said that properly prepared beef remains safe to eat and called for USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide worker safety guidance specific to beef processors to ensure workers are protected from infection.

“USDA and CDC are working overtime to understand the spread of the virus...

ANALYSIS: Tightening Turkey Production Trends

Given the relatively serene state of the turkey market here in early Q2, market participants are keeping their eyes trained on the stats as they refine their expectations for the road ahead. When it comes to supply-facing variables, disease remains a top consideration, and with good reason. In just the first four months of the year, about 346 thousand commercial turkeys have been impacted by HPAI. Although this figure represents only a small fraction of the industry’s annual production potential, it is one part of a more complex scenario currently unfolding on the supply...

USDA Actions to Protect Livestock Health From Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza

To further protect the U.S. livestock industry from the threat posed by highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, USDA is sharing a number of actions that we are taking with our federal partners to help us get ahead of this disease and limit its spread.

Today, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a Federal Order requiring the following measures, effective Monday, April 29, 2024:

Mandatory Testing for Interstate Movement of Dairy Cattle

• Prior to interstate movement, dairy cattle are required to receive...

ANALYSIS: Industry Egg Prices Stabilized in the EU

Over the past two years, egg processors in the EU have endured fluctuating costs of raw materials, influenced by significant external factors that disrupted the balance between shell egg supply and demand. However, despite this volatility, prices for broken eggs have remained relatively steady for eight consecutive months. Since mid-September, values have fluctuated only slightly, ranging between 1.52 and 1.65 €/kg.

The stability in egg prices can be attributed to several factors, including favorable supply conditions during the winter without any significant disruptions from avian influenza...

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Confirmed in North Carolina Dairy Herd

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was detected in a dairy herd in North Carolina on April 10, bringing the number of states with confirmed cases of HPAI in livestock to seven. 

HPAI has previously been detected in nine dairy herds in Texas, three in Kansas, two in New Mexico, and one each in Michigan, Idaho, and Ohio. The movement of cattle from affected herds in these states to North Carolina has been suspended. 

“This is an evolving situation, and we are waiting for more diagnostics from NVSL and will work collaboratively with our federal partners and dairy farmers in North Carolina,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler...

Podcast: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 8 - Global Supply Chain Situation

USDA’s APHIS Answers Questions on Detection of HPAI in Dairy Cattle

Following the recent string of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) detections in dairy herds in several states, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has answered some of the most frequently asked questions about the rapidly evolving situation.

As of Apil 3, 2024, six states have confirmed cases of HPAI in domestic livestock. The first confirmation was on March 25 in dairy milking cattle in Texas. Since then, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Idaho, and Ohio have also reported HPAI in dairy cattle herds.

Below are some of the questions...

States with HPAI-Infected Dairy Cows Grows to Six

A herd of dairy cattle in Ohio has been infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), increasing the number of states with dairy operations affected by the virus to six.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) on April 3 announced it had received confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) of HPAI infection in a dairy cattle herd in Wood County, Ohio.

The USDA previously confirmed the H5N1 strain of HPAI in dairy cattle on seven Texas farms, two in Kansas, and one each...

ANALYSIS: Exploring Factors Influencing the Turkey Market

Although market-swaying spot trade activity is off to a fairly uneventful start in April, there are no shortage of variables that are lingering on the minds of turkey market participants as we proceed into spring. At the top of the "figurative" list is HPAI, which has been slow to relinquish its grasp on the poultry (and egg) industry. Through the first three months of the year, commercial HPAI turkey cases advanced by about 50%, or 70 thousand birds, from the year prior...

Second US Human Case of Avian Influenza H5N1 Linked to Dairy Cattle Exposure Confirmed

The United States has just confirmed a new case of a person testing positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus in Texas, the country's second human case since a previous incident in Colorado in 2022. The patient had been exposed to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with H5N1, raising concerns amongst the livestock sector and related businesses. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains the risk to the general public as low...

State Officials Report Human Case of Bird Flu in Texas, Second Ever in U.S. History

State officials Monday reported the first human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) in Texas, marking the second-ever human case of H5N1 flu, or HPAI, in the United States and the first tied to exposure to cattle. 

The individual in Texas had been in direct contact with dairy cattle thought to be infected with avian influenza. The person, who had testing performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over the weekend, exhibited eye inflammation as their only symptom and is being treated with the antiviral drug oseltamivir. The risk to the general public remains low, said the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)...

HPAI Detection in Idaho Dairy Herd 

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) identified today highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a Cassia County dairy cattle operation.

These are the first cases of HPAI in a livestock operation in Idaho. The affected facility recently imported cattle from another state that has identified cases of HPAI in cattle, which suggests the virus may be transmitted from cow-to-cow, in addition to previous reports indicating cattle were acquiring the virus from infected birds.

The primary concern with this diagnosis is on-farm production losses, as the disease has been associated with...

Stevens County Goat Tests Positive for Same Influenza Virus Affecting Poultry

A Stevens County goat kid (juvenile goat) residing on a farm with a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) positive poultry flock tested positive for the same virus. This is the first U.S. detection of HPAI in a domestic ruminant (cattle, sheep, goats, and their relatives). All poultry on the property were already quarantined from the February HPAI detection. Following the confirmation of HPAI in the goat, the Board quarantined all other species on the premises. The Board is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture...

ANALYSIS: Hatching Plans to Combat Future Uncertainty

Anyone intimately involved in the turkey industry has most likely had their eyes on the hatchery data to start the year. Substantial reductions in all three major categories, Eggs In Incubators, Eggs Hatched and Net Poults Placed have taken place over the past few months which leads many to question what exactly is causing the downtrend. The answer though, may not be as simple as it once was. Traditionally speaking, when hatchery statistics move notably higher or lower, it comes as a concerted effort by the industry to better align with current and...

The Retail Rundown: Hopping Towards the Holiday

Seafood maintains its lion’s share of total feature volume with 37% this week, up from 28.6% the week prior. At present, 42% of seafood features stem from the fresh/frozen fillet category as retailers look to capture sales from Lent observers.

Tilapia and salmon have the greatest percentages of feature volume within the fillet category. With prices comparable to or below year-ago levels, retailers were keen to give the two species a larger chunk of circular real estate.

Fresh salmon, the top seller within the finfish category last week, retailed at...

ANALYSIS: December Chicken Export Volume Reaches New Seasonal Altitude

Judging by the year-end numbers, chicken export movement concluded 2023 under a relatively robust backdrop, especially when considering the ongoing global trade complications related to HPAI. At 645.2 million pounds, total outbound tonnage during December not only surpassed the previous year by 7.4%, or 66.1 million pounds, but also hit a record seasonal high.

The cumulative data, however, tells a slightly different story of how the year played out. Between January and December, total export volume retreated by 4.2% when compared with the previous year...

ANALYSIS: December Turkey Exports Leave Room For Interpretation

While Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been slow to relinquish its ugly grasp on the turkey industry, December’s ending export figures didn’t deviate too far from the established seasonal course.

As 2023 came to a close, total outbound volume hit 42.1 million pounds. So what does this mean for market participants? Sentiment is highly dependent on one’s vantage point. On one hand, December’s export tally marks a significant 43.1% advance when compared to the year prior. On the opposite hand, it is important to bear in mind that 2022’s sweeping...

Commercial Broiler Flock in Nebraska Tests Positive for Bird Flu

A commercial broiler flock of 102,000 birds in Gage County, Nebraska recently tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The detection was confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on February 6, marking the first outbreak in a commercial flock for the state since November 2022. 

Several small WOAH poultry and non-poultry operations in Nebraska were affected by HPAI between December 2022 and December 2023. 

“Nebraska hasn’t had any reported cases of HPAI for a few months so while we are disappointed, we are not surprised, to see another case...

More than 13,000 Turkeys Affected By HPAI in Indiana 

A flock of 13,071 turkeys are being quarantined in Indiana after a commercial farm tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly referred to as the Bird Flu. The outbreak was reported out of Daviess County and according to the USDA, is the first reported outbreak of a commercial flock in the state since December 2023.

The birds will be depopulated, and birds of nearby flocks will be tested in an effort to prevent the disease from spreading. 

To further monitor the situation...