Discussion thread: H5N1 avian flu in US Dairy Cows - March 24+ - 13 total human cases (poultry & dairy workers) in 2024

[Treyfish]

Are people at risk of contracting bird flu after consuming beef or milk?


by: Hayley Boyd

Posted: Apr 3, 2024 / 10:54 AM CDT

Updated: Apr 3, 2024 / 10:55 AM CDT SHARE

Dr. Aileen Marty, Infectious Disease Specialist and Professor at Florida International University, joins Bob Sirott to talk about the latest health news. Dr. Marty talks about the recent case of bird flu found in a person and any risks for consuming beef and milk.

Audio Player

https://wgnradio.com/bob-sirott/are-...-beef-or-milk/

[sharon sanders]

FluTrackers.com
@FluTrackers
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1m
Bookmark this link - USDA: States Confirmed to be Affected by HPAI in
Domestic Livestock https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/united-states/h5n1-tracking-af/987593-us-dairy-cows-test-positive-for-h5n1-avian-flu-in-texas-kansas-idaho-michigan-new-mexico-ohio-march-24-one-texas-human-case-april-1?p=988203#post988203…

Direct USDA Map link:
https://aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock…
h/t Pathfinder




FluTrackers.com
@FluTrackers
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1m
Remember these are confirmed only. No one knows how widespread the
dairy cow situation is. So this is a list of "at least".

[sharon sanders]

bump this

[Pathfinder]

Why a leading bird flu expert isn’t convinced that the risk H5N1 poses to people has declined

By Helen Branswell April 5, 2024

...STAT turned to Dutch virologist Ron Fouchier, a leading expert on H5N1, for his assessment of these latest twists in the H5 saga.
...
Of course, when we see this virus in a milking farm and you see incredibly high virus load in some milk cows and their milk, that is a new risk. Because I’m not sure how familiar you are with the milking procedures, but there’s very little that people do to prevent human contact with milk. During the milking process, there’s massive generation of aerosol formation. If you have high amounts of aerosol with virus, the chances increase that you will get conjunctivitis.

There’s very little hygiene to protect the farmers that are milking.

If people aren’t washing their hands a lot and somebody’s infected with conjunctivitis, you could see how that could spread, couldn’t you?

When we had an outbreak of [H7N7] bird flu in the Netherlands in 2003, we had 89 cases of human infection.

Is that when a veterinarian died?

Yes. The majority of cases then were conjunctivitis cases. There were very few respiratory illnesses, except for that one fatal case. But the cases of conjunctivitis were linked to direct contact with poultry, and not with human-to-human transmission.

There was only one investigation where two household members got conjunctivitis, and they shared a towel to wash their face. I think it is not very likely that you will see massive spread of conjunctivitis due to avian influenza. I don’t think that it’s likely that it will spread human to human. It’s more likely that it will spread from the animal source into humans.
...

Full conversation:

https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/05/bird-flu-ron-fouchier-h5n1-risk-to-people/

[sharon sanders]

For some historical perspective on H5N1 please see:

Indonesia - Tracking H5N1 Outbreaks

[Pathfinder]

NEWS EXPLAINER
08 April 2024

Bird flu outbreak in US cows: why scientists are concerned
...
By Max Kozlov & Smriti Mallapaty
...
In the past two weeks, health officials have detected H5N1 in cows from 16 herds across six states — a number that is likely to increase as US surveillance is stepped up. Researchers have previously documented¹ sporadic infections of cows with flu viruses closely related to H5N1, but no widespread outbreaks had been detected until now.
...
A key question for researchers is how the cows are getting infected. The answer will be important for controlling H5N1’s spread to other farms and people. “This is a controllable situation, we just have to understand how this virus is getting around,” says Richard Webby, a virologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Of particular interest is whether the virus is passing from infected cows to uninfected ones, because that would suggest the virus has become more adept at transmission in mammals. Given that the virus has been detected at several farms across the United States, epidemiological data make it “pretty clear now we’re seeing cow-to-cow spread”, and that wild birds are not necessarily involved in viral spread in the farms, says Webby. But there aren’t enough viral sequences of animals infected later in the outbreak for genomic data to confirm cow-to-cow spread, he says.

If the virus is spreading between cows, it will be important to work out precisely how, Webby says. Evidence so far suggest that virus levels are highest in the animals’ milk, according to a report in Science. That suggests that H5N1 might not be spreading between cows through the air, a transmission pathway that would be difficult to control and could allow for relatively quick spread, Webby says. If cows are becoming infected by touching contaminated surfaces, such as milking machines, the virus would be transmitted more slowly than if it is airborne.
...

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01036-1#:~:text=In%201996%2C%20the%20influenza%20strain, wild%20birds%20around%20the%20world.

[Treyfish]

Ground-up chicken waste fed to cattle may be behind bird flu outbreak in US cows


Experts warn that lax regulations could also see the virus spread to US pig farms, with serious consequences for human health
Maeve Cullinan and Sarah Newey
9 April 2024 • 5:39pm

Fears are growing that the H5N1 outbreak among cattle in the United States could have been caused by contaminated animal feed.

In contrast to Britain and Europe, American farmers are still allowed to feed cattle and other farm animals ground-up waste from other animals including birds.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now has the safety of that policy under review, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Dairy cows across six US states – and at least one farm worker – have become infected with the highly pathogenic virus, which has already killed millions of animals across the globe since 2021….


…
Experts fear that H5N1, which was only first detected in cows a few weeks ago, may have been transmitted through a type of cattle feed called “poultry litter” – a mix of poultry excreta, spilled feed, feathers, and other waste scraped from the floors of industrial chicken and turkey production plants.

In the UK and EU, feeding cows proteins from other animals has been tightly regulated since the outbreak of BSE – or ‘mad cow disease’ – 30 years ago.
…..

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/chicken-waste-fed-to-cattle-may-be-behind-bird-flu-outbreak/

[sharon sanders]

from the University of Northern Iowa -


Ruminant Feed and Animal Feed


Downloadable PDF

REGULATIONS

• 21 CFR Part 589 Section 2000 - Animal Proteins Prohibited in Ruminant Feed
• 21 CFR Part 589 Section 2001 - Cattle Materials Prohibited in Animal Food or Feed

Ruminants are animals that have four chambers for digestion, are hoofed, even-toed, usually horned animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, bison, or elk.

There has been a federal ban since 1997 against feeding rendered products to ruminants as well as feeding cattle materials to all animals due to a risk of spreading bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE. These products include any protein of most mammalian animals. See below for prohibited and allowed materials. Prohibited Materials in Ruminant Feed


Must be labeled “Do Not Feed To Cattle Or Other Ruminants”

• Animal by-product meal
• Animal digest
• Animal liver
• Bone meal cooked or steamed
• Bone marrow cooked
• Chondroitin Sulfate
• Dehydrated food waste
• Dehydrated garbage
• Distressed pet food
• Dried meal solubles
• Food processing waste
• Fleshings hydrolysate
• Glandular meal/extracted granular meal
• Hydrolyzed hair
• Hydrolyzed leather meal
• Leather hydrolysate
• Meat and bone meal
• Meat and bone meal tankage
• Meat by-products
• Meal, meal meal, or meat protein isolate
• Mechanically separated bone marrow
• Restaurant food waste
• Salvage pet food
• Stock or broth
• Tallow with more than 0.15% insoluble impurities (labeled "Do Not Need To Animals" in addition to "Do Not Feed To Cattle or Other Ruminants")
• Unborn calf carcasses

Materials ALLOWED in Ruminant Feed

• Amino acids
• Blood and blood porducts
• Dicalcium phosphate
• Gelatin
• Milk products
• Oil
• Poultry protein
• Plate waste with meat products that have been cooked for human consumption and have been further heated for animal feed
• Pure horse protein
• Pure pork protein
• Restaurant cooking oils
• Tallow with less than 0.15% insoluble impurities
• Vegetable protein

Cattle Materials Prohibited in ALL Animal Feed


Must be clearly marked "CMPAF"

• Brain or spinal cord of cattle older than 30 months
• Carcass of BSE-positive cattle
• Entire carcass of cattle older than 30 months without brains or spinal cord effectively removed
• Tallow exceeding 0.15% insoluble impurities from brain or spinal cord of cattle age 30 months or older

https://iwrc.uni.edu/regulatory-information/food-waste-composting/ruminant-animal-feed

[Treyfish]

No wonder magic cows don't get very sick..They been eating bird crap for decades, except now it may have H5N1 in it


Feeding Broiler Litter to Beef Cattle

• October 9, 2020
• Posted by: Kim Mullenix, Kent Stanford, Darrell Rankins, B.G. Ruffin, Norwood J. Van Dyke, and T.A. McCaskey
• in Beef
• PDF Download(Opens in a new window)

The cattle-feeding industry has been built largely on the use of by-products. Most beef producers take into account the public perception of beef when they consider using waste materials as feed—and thus try to avoid controversy over the healthfulness of beef. This is a source of information and is neither promoting nor condemning the feeding of litter. Learn the main advantages of using broiler litter, as well as comprehensive information on FDA regulations, nutritional value, and the hazards as well as safe methods of processing broiler litter. This Includes tables of nutrient content and suggested rations.

Cattle and other ruminants have a unique digestive system that allows them to use cropping system and waste by-products and other types of by-products as sources of dietary nutrients. The cattle-feeding industry has been built largely on the use of by-products and other materials that can be digested only by ruminants because these generally are economical sources of nutrients in cattle diets. One by-product that can be used as a cattle feed is broiler litter.

Broiler litter is a good source of supplemental protein, energy, and minerals, especially for brood cows and stocker cattle, which are the backbone of the cattle industry in the state. In addition to offering an economic advantage, using broiler litter in feed also helps to utilize valuable nutrients. These nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other mineral elements, are distributed on pasture land as manure by the cattle consuming the litter. Broiler litter offers so many advantages that even long-distance transportation does not reduce its economic value. Alabama beef cattle producers can make use of this plentiful resource to substantially reduce their production costs.

Most beef producers take into account the public perception of beef when they are considering using waste materials as feed. There is an apparent reluctance
on the part of the public, as well as of some beef producers, to accept broiler litter as a cattle feed. However, the public readily accepts organically grown vegetables grown on composted broiler litter. The process by which a plant assimilates food into its tissues is much less complicated than the process by which a cow does the same thing; a cow’s food is broken down and proce.....

Regulations on Feeding Litter

In 1967, when the FDA issued a policy statement that discouraged the feeding of litter and other types of animal wastes, there was relatively little knowledge available on feeding broiler litter. In 1980, after extensive testing by researchers at universities and USDA facilities, the FDA rescinded its earlier policy statement and announced that the regulation of litter should be the responsibility of the state departments of agriculture. At present at least 22 states have regulations pertaining to the marketing of litter and other animal wastes as feed ingredients.

Presently, no federal laws or regulations control the sale or use of broiler litter as a feed ingredient. Also, no state laws specifically regulate the feeding of animal waste and other by-products. But, several states have regulations that govern the sale through commercial markets of these products intended for sale as a feed ingredient. The Alabama Board of Agriculture and Industries adopted regulations under the Commercial Feed Law to deal with only commercial transactions of processed animal waste. These regulations do not address private use or exchange of broiler litter or other animal waste.....


The beef producer, regardless of government regulation of the feedstuffs used, has the responsibility of selling a wholesome animal that is free from drugs and toxic substances. To minimize risks from drug residues in the tissues of beef cattle that are fed litter, all litter feeding should be discontinued 15 days before the animals are marketed for slaughter.
Litter should not be fed to lactating dairy cows, because there is no opportunity for a withdrawal period to ensure the elimination of residues from milk......


...The kind of bedding material used in a broiler house has little effect on the quality of the litter when it is used for feeding cattle. Because the amount of bedding used and the number of batches of birds housed on the litter are not standardized or regulated, litter quality can vary considerably from one producer to another. Other factors such as broiler house management, the method of litter removal, the frequency in which bedding from houses is removed, and moisture content can add to the variation in litter composition and quality.....

Broiler litter has potential hazards associated with pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella, and residues from medicated poultry rations, such as antibiotics, coccidiostats, copper, and arsenic. All litter, regardless of its source, should be processed to eliminate pathogenic organisms.

Composting of normal poultry farm mortality is an approved and widely utilized method of dead bird disposal. Although this method might acceptably solve the problem of dead bird disposal, litter used in this way should not be used as a feed source for beef cattle.It is important to note that compost is the term most poultry growers associate with the finished product from dead bird disposal. The potential for disease transmission to the cattle has not been determined, and until research is complete, it is recommended that such litter not be used as a feed ingredient.
....

Lots more about cattle eating dead birds and bird waste


https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/beef/feeding-broiler-litter-to-beef-cattle/#:~:text=Beef%20producers%20should%20use%20broiler ,most%20critical%20measures%20of%20quality.

[Treyfish]

pigs eat it too, how long before H5N1 shows up there?



Use of Processed Animal Protein in pig and poultry feed formally approved in the EU

By ALISTAIR DRIVER
August 25, 2021

The use of processed animal protein (PAP) in pig and poultry feed in the EU has been formally approved in an amendment to the EU feed ban regulation.

The decision means poultry protein can be included in pig feeds and pig protein in poultry feeds, under certain strict conditions, while the change also authorises the inclusion of insect proteins in poultry and pig feed.


The Commission said the new measures allow broader use of high quality protein derived from pigs, poultry and insects in feed that is locally sourced and produced in the EU and that will meet nutritional needs of some specific categories of pigs and poultry. It said the relaxation of the feed legislation would also contribute to sustainable and competitive European farming.

The decision, based on the scientific opinion by the European Food and Safety Authority, follows approval from the European Parliament and Council and the Commission’s Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed in April 2021....

https://www.pig-world.co.uk/news/use...in-the-eu.html


....Animal protein sources Animal protein sources have been commonly used to minimize soybean meal inclusion in initial nursery diets and encourage feed intake in weanling pigs. Animal protein sources are typically palatable and contain highly digestible amino acids. However, animal protein sources are more expensive and variability in composition is often greater than plant protein sources. Biosecurity concerns arise from the potential disease transmission via animal-sourced ingredients, particularly porcine-based. Animal protein sources typically undergo a thermal processing that eliminates most pathogens, but post-processing recontamination can be a concern. In addition, some pork marketing programs may limit the use of animal protein sources in swine diets..... https://www.asi.k-state.edu/extensio...ct%20sheet.pdf

[Treyfish]

Avian influenza impacting U.S. cattle gains worldwide concern

By AGDAILY Reporters
Published: April 09, 2024



The ongoing spread of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in different regions of the world, alongside the recent detections of cases in cattle, is raising concerns within the international community.

The recently reported detections of HPAI in dairy cattle in the United States of America, showing clinical signs such as decreased lactation, reduced appetite, lethargy, fever, and dehydration, have raised concerns since such infections of cattle could indicate an increased risk of H5N1 viruses becoming better adapted to mammals, and potentially spilling over to humans and other livestock.

Meanwhile, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners is now referring to the strain of HPAI impacting dairy cattle as Bovine Influenza A Virus.

“The virus isolated from affected animals in herds matching the clinical signs has been identified as avian influenza virus Type A H5N1. The virus causes highly pathogenic avian influenza in birds, however the disease syndrome in cattle does not cause high morbidity or mortality as it does in birds. The AABP does not believe that this disease should be referenced as ‘HPAI in cattle’ or ‘bird flu in cattle’ due to these differences,” wrote AABP Executive Director Fred Gingrich, DVM, and President Michael Capel, DVM.

WOAH reminds its 183 Members that, based on the available information, restrictions on the movement of healthy cattle and their products are not recommended unless justified by an import risk analysis conducted according to the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code Chapter 2.1.

WOAH has also issued the following recommendations:

• Maintain enhanced avian influenza surveillance in domestic and wild birds.
• Monitor and investigate cases in non-avian species, including cattle and other livestock populations, that show clinical signs compatible with avian influenza.
• Report cases of HPAI in all species, including unusual hosts, to WOAH through its World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS). Genetic sequences of avian influenza viruses should be shared in publicly available databases.
• Prevent  the introduction and spread of the disease by implementing strict biosecurity measures in livestock holdings and employing good production practices when handling animal products such as raw milk and meat from suspected or confirmed cases.
• Protect humans in close contact with or handling sick cattle or other sick livestock and their products. Exposed humans should always take precautionary measures, including wearing personal protective equipment and implementing standard food safety measures when handling animal products from exposed livestock.
• Avoid implementing unjustified trade restrictions. Import risk management measures should be scientifically justified and in line with the WOAH International Standards.

https://www.agdaily.com/news/avian-i...dwide-concern/

[Pathfinder]

Wisconsin veterinarian gives insight to the bird flu virus making dairy cows sick in other states

WUWM 89.7 FM | By Xcaret Nuñez, Rob Larry
Published April 9, 2024 at 4:00 PM CDT
...
Poulsen says animal health officials first thought that the virus was primarily spreading from migratory birds to cows and not going beyond that. But after further research, he says officials have noticed a spread of the virus among dairy herds moving from Texas into other states like Ohio, Michigan and Idaho.
...
However, a main concern that farmers are facing right now is the risk of bringing back avian influenza into their dairy herds.

“It is very, very common in the northern and the Midwestern states to actually send their calves to Kansas and Texas in warmer climates [during winter months]," Poulsen explains. “Because it's much more efficient, it's more cost effective, and the health of their calves are better, and then they come back when they're springing heifers. That's the most common way that we see cows coming back into the state of Wisconsin. And of those animals, that's where I think a lot of our dairy producers are concerned about ‘Well, am I bringing influenza back into my herds?’”
...

https://www.wuwm.com/environment/2024-04-09/wisconsin-veterinarian-gives-insight-to-the-bird-flu-virus-making-dairy-cows-sick-in-other-states

[Commonground]

Bird Flu Isn’t Killing Cows. The Experts Are Still Worried.

By Josh Nathan-Kazis
April 10, 2024, 1:00 am EDT
Texas officials tell Barron’s that the number of dairy farms with sick cows is far higher than the eight so far confirmed.



Excerpt:

Texas state epidemiologist Dr. Jessie Monday, one of the scientists leading the state’s investigation over the past month, says that 40 dairy farms in Texas had reported seeing the syndrome in their herds. Texas’ commissioner of agriculture, Sid Miller, estimated that the syndrome was present in 40% of the dairy herds in West Texas and the Texas Panhandle in February and March.

That would mean that thousands of cows were sick with avian flu across the region, and many tens of thousands more, at a minimum, were exposed.

-snip-

A USDA spokesperson told Barron’s that the agency’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, “does not think it would be practical, feasible or necessarily informative at this stage” to require testing of sick animals. It is “strongly recommending” the testing of any cattle that must be moved from state to state, though not requiring those tests, either.

Monday says that her investigation of the dairy farm syndrome in Texas made it clear that not all affected farms were coming forward. “We had stories of it being more widespread from the very beginning,” she says.

There is no federal surveillance testing program under way in healthy cattle to determine how many herds may be harboring the virus. Veterinarians say that surveillance tests to detect avian flu haven’t yet been validated in cows.

https://www.barrons.com/articles/bird-flu-cows-milk-beef-texas-3a5fbfb0

[Treyfish]

So did Texas send magic cows to North Carolina?


Bird flu detected in herd of North Carolina cattle

Bird flu has been identified in a dairy herd in North Carolina.
Posted 12:23 p.m. Today - Updated 12:23 p.m. Today
Avian influenza was recently detected in a dairy herd in North Carolina, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The flu, detected by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL), has previously been detected in dairy herds in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Idaho, New Mexico, and Ohio.
“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 Troxler. “We have spent years developing methods to handle HPAI in poultry, but this is new and we are working with our state and federal partners to develop protocols to handle this situation."

Outbreaks of avian flu are being reported across multiple states. The virus can spread to other animals, like cattle.

Dr. Michael Martin, the state veterinarian for North Carolina, said the risk of human infection remains extremely low.

The state has placed restrictions on the importation of cattle from infected areas -- and movement of cattle from states with affected herds to North Carolina has been suspended.
“Right now, any milk that’s coming from an infected cow is getting disposed of...

https://www.wral.com/story/bird-flu-detected-in-herd-of-north-carolina-cattle/2137

[Pathfinder]

Here's what worries scientists about bird flu's spread among cattle

APRIL 11, 20247:00 AM ET
By Will Stone
...
So far, there's some reassuring news: At a recent meeting, scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the virus is not presenting like a respiratory illness in cattle – meaning the animals don't appear to be shedding large amounts of virus from their nose or mouths.

Instead, federal health officials investigating the outbreak suspect some form of "mechanical transmission" is responsible for spreading the virus within the herd. This may be happening during the process of milking the cows, a theory supported by the fact that high concentrations of virus are being found in the milk.

"I want to emphasize really how unusual this is," says Thijs Kuiken, a professor of comparative pathology at Erasmus University Medical Center. "In other mammalian species with influenza viruses, it's primarily a respiratory disease, which doesn't seem to be the case in these cattle."

The samples collected from infected animals and shared publicly do not suggest the virus has undergone radical changes that would be cause for alarm.

But there are certain signs of trouble in the genome of the virus that scientists are looking out for as it finds a way into more mammals.

"We really need to keep on top of this, because I think we are at a bit of a precipice where something interesting or unfortunate could happen," says Michelle Wille, a senior research fellow at the Center for Pathogen Genomics at the University of Melbourne.
...

Full text:

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/04/11/1243954362/bird-flu-spread-cattle-mutations-respiratory-human-risk