United States – Colorado is going to conduct weekly tests for dairies for bird flu, as the state Department of Agriculture stated on Tuesday, as avian flu continues to be a concern across the United States, as reported by The Hills.
Challenges in Controlling the Spread
Colorado State Veterinarian Maggie Baldwin noted that, to date, Colorado has “not been able to curb the spread of disease at this point.”
“We have witnessed terrible effects of this disease not only on our dairy products but also on poultry,” she stated. “Dairy and poultry producers have stood firmly behind it, and we believe that this next step is required to safeguard those industries in the state.”
Bird flu is not a threat to human beings, but it has heavily impacted poultry and cattle throughout the country throughout the year. The present outbreak has affected 11 people after getting in touch with infected animals.
Impact
Over 100 million poultry across the United States are contaminated with the current strain of avian flu, as stated by the CDC. Around 168 dairy herds have also indicated cases of infections.
The surveillance of the milk produced in Colorado will assist the state in monitoring and addressing cases of the disease within cattle. Raw milk that is produced by infected cows can be consumed because the pasteurization of milk eliminates the possibility of pathogens.
Surveillance to Protect the Food System
The testing requirement was initiated following the outbreak of chicken flu that infected most of the state’s chickens. Colorado has been significantly affected by avian flu, and approximately 70 percent of the chickens had to be culled.
A Critical Step Forward
“Mandatory surveillance of highly pathogenic avian influenza across all of Colorado’s Grade A commercial dairies is a critical next step to tamping down the virus and protecting the food system,” state Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg said in a statement, as reported by The Hills
Currently, Colorado has the most recorded cases of avian flu in the whole country, according to the state.