(Houston) Cows on dairy farms in the US states of Texas and Kansas have tested positive for a contagious strain of bird flu, Texas agricultural authorities said on Wednesday, marking an “unprecedented development”.
This is the first time highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been detected in dairy cows in the United States, according to a press release from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).
“The TDA and other national and state agencies work tirelessly to ensure the security of our food supply,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in the release.
Texas is among the five largest milk-producing states in the United States, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“While troubling, this outbreak is not expected to threaten our nation’s commercial dairy supply,” Miller added.
Tests have not revealed any alteration of the virus that could make it more transmissible to humans and the risk to the public “remains minimal,” the document said.
“Additional efforts to continue epidemiological investigations are underway to ensure that a complete picture of the situation can be assessed,” according to the same source.
The TDA said positive samples were taken from unpasteurized milk collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas, with tests confirming the results on March 25.
She added that highly pathogenic avian influenza had not been detected in any beef cattle, but called on all farmers to implement “enhanced biosecurity measures on their farms and ranches to protect their herds.”
The TDA said it was working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies to evaluate symptoms in mostly older dairy cows in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico.