The US Division of Agriculture (USDA) right this moment introduced that 15 extra states have enrolled in its Nationwide Milk Testing Technique (NMTS), which boosts the variety of collaborating states to twenty-eight and covers 65% of the nation’s milk manufacturing.
The USDA unveiled a nationwide milk testing order on December 6, which started with 6 states and spelled out a broader technique for testing milk within the wake of ongoing outbreaks on dairy farms. On December 17, it introduced including 7 extra states, which introduced the quantity to 13, representing 8 of the highest 15 dairy-producing states.
Newly added states introduced right this moment are Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Iowa, Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia. The USDA stated the additions deliver the company near its nationwide milk testing aim.
No positives in preliminary milk testing
At present, solely two states—California and Texas—have lively H5N1 detections in dairy cattle. The final detection in Texas was reported on December 13. Confirmations at California dairy farms seem to have slowed, with the newest two detections reported yesterday.
Early outcomes from the NMTS have not recognized any new detections or affected herds in different states. The USDA stated any detections discovered within the NMTS will likely be reported on its webpage that paperwork H5N1 detections in livestock.
Vaccine updates for poultry, cattle
In its NMTS announcement right this moment, the USDA additionally supplied updates on the place issues stand with vaccines for poultry and cows.
Although licensed poultry vaccines exist for some avian flu subtypes, none absolutely match the extra virulent H5N1 pressure at the moment circulating in US poultry. In 2016, the USDA created a poultry vaccine stockpile, however doses have by no means been deployed. Vaccine rollout in poultry can be tough and have commerce implications.
“USDA believes it’s prudent to once more pursue a stockpile that matches present outbreak strains,” the aency stated, including that the transfer doesn’t suggest implementing vaccination is imminent, however quite officers are shifting ahead with planning, in addition to the acquisition of vaccine or manufacturing capability for vaccine.
For cattle, deployment of an H5N1 vaccine matched to the present pressure could also be extra possible. The USDA stated it has streamlined evaluate steps and at the very least seven candidate vaccines have been authorised for area security trials.
Virus strikes huge egg-laying farm in North Carolina
In associated developments, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Well being Inspection Service (APHIS) over the previous 2 days confirmed extra poultry outbreaks in six states.
One includes a big layer farm in North Carolina’s Hyde County, which has 2.7 million birds. The North Carolina Division of Agriculture and Client Companies stated the outbreak is the state’s first since February 2024.
In Indiana, the virus turned up at a business turkey farm in Jay County that has almost 22,000 birds, the state’s first since February 2024.
Additionally, the virus hit yard poultry flocks in 4 states: Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, and West Virginia.
