California - Avian flu in mammals and livestock 2024

[Commonground]

As bird flu outbreak expands in California, dairy farms report it’s worse than they expected
October 8, 2024
Excerpt:

In other states, about 10% of cows in an affected herd have shown symptoms, resulting in the death of less than 2% of the animals, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

In contrast, dairy farms in California are reporting that the virus is infecting 50% to 60% of their herds, and 10% to 15% of the cows are dying from their infections, according to the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program. The higher infection and fatality rates in California were first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Full article: https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/08/healt...rms/index.html

[Commonground]

13 Herds added today. Total of 96 Herds
CA084-CA091; CA093-CA095 & CA098

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock

[Commonground]

3 Additional herds added today. CA 099, CA 102 and CA 103. Total CA herds is 99

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock

[Commonground]

1 herd reported so far today. Total: 100. 43 herds in 7 days.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock

[sharon sanders]

5 more herds listed. This makes 105 known herds.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock

[sharon sanders]

15 more herds confirmed in California:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock

[Commonground]

Cows dead from bird flu rot in California as heat bakes dairy farms

October 17, 20242:09 PM EDTUpdated 5 hours ago
Oct 17 (Reuters) - Cows in California are dying at much higher rates from bird flu than in other affected states, industry and veterinary experts said, and some carcasses have been left rotting in the sun as rendering plants struggle to process all the dead animals.
Carcasses left in the open and picked over by scavengers could facilitate the spread of bird flu to other birds and wild animals or degrade the carcasses such that they cannot be processed for rendering, experts told Reuters
-snip-
The California Department of Food and Agriculture did not respond to questions about the mortality rate from bird flu.
-snip-
In the state's Central Valley, extreme heat has exacerbated health issues in cows suffering from the virus, which causes fever, slowed milk production and other symptoms, said Anja Raudabaugh, CEO of Western United Dairies, which represents almost 90% of the state's dairy farms.
Farms that might normally lose one or two cows per month have had hundreds die, Raudabaugh said.
-snip-

Complete article: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/cow...ms-2024-10-17/

[Commonground]

Media
Excerpt:
October 17, 2024 • 8:00 am
Bird Flu spreads to over 100 dairies across the Valley

State agencies say three of six human cases have been confirmed in dairy workers in Tulare County, the nation’s largest dairy producing county

TULARE COUNTY – Over 100 dairies in the Central Valley have cattle infected with Bird Flu, according to a recent update by state and federal agriculture agencies.
-snip-

The Oct. 16 alert issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) reported the alarming number of H5N1 Avian Flu infections at 105 Central California dairies following a joint investigation with California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL).

“CDFA has implemented a surveillance strategy with the goal of finding affected farms as early as possible,” the alert stated. “Early detection provides the opportunity to work with farms to quickly implement enhanced biosecurity, cow care, and employee protection.”
-snip-
Tulare County dairyman Tom Barcellos says milk prices in the past month have dropped about three dollars per hundredweight from $24 to $21 – a big hit to operators’ checks. To make matters worse, the impact of over 100 dairies in the Central Valley affected by bird flu has meant a 20% cut in production for some dairymen, Barcellos said.

The latest Milk Producers Council newsletter adds to the concern.

“In California, which accounts for about 40% of U.S. NDM (nonfat dry milk) production, avian influenza is spreading rapidly, which suggests that fourth-quarter milk powder output could plummet. It’s difficult to overstate the scale of California’s dairy industry and how quickly the bird flu could spread through the world’s most important milk shed. A severe decline in California milk output could have an explosive impact on dairy product prices in an already tight milk market.”

This news comes after Tulare County’s overall agricultural value dropped by 8.3% last year, according to the county’s annual crop report released last month. The drop was primarily due to a drop in the county’s most valuable commodity, milk, prices for which fell from $2.67 billion in 2022 to $2.04 billion in 2023 despite prices being noticeably higher nationwide.

...https://thesungazette.com/article/ne...ss-the-valley/

[Commonground]

Dated 10/15 - adding 4 Herds: CA116, CA126, CA128, CA129.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock

[Commonground]

October 18, 2024: H5N1 Bird Flu Confirmed in One Hundred Twenty-Four Dairies in California


SACRAMENTO, CA — Following an investigation by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and rapid disease detection by California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has confirmed H5N1 Bird Flu in one hundred twenty-four dairies in Central California. CDFA has implemented a surveillance strategy with the goal of finding affected farms as early as possible. Early detection provides the opportunity to work with farms to quickly implement enhanced biosecurity, cow care, and employee protection.

continued: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/HPAI.html

[Commonground]

7 Herds added. Dated 10/16: CA133, CA134, CA135. Dated 10/19: CA130, CA131, CA132 and CA147. Total for California is 131. Total: 333

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock

[sharon sanders]

Please see post #56 above. CA 116 was already announced for a net addition of 7 listed for today.

[Commonground]

October 21, 2024: H5N1 Bird Flu Confirmed in One Hundred Thirty-One Dairies in California


SACRAMENTO, CA — Following an investigation by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and rapid disease detection by California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has confirmed H5N1 Bird Flu in one hundred thirty-one (131) dairies in Central California. CDFA has implemented a surveillance strategy with the goal of finding affected farms as early as possible. Early detection provides the opportunity to work with farms to quickly implement enhanced biosecurity, cow care, and employee protection.

continued: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/HPAI.html

[sharon sanders]

2 more herds:



Total known California = 133.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock

[Commonground]

October 22, 2024: H5N1 Bird Flu Confirmed in One Hundred Thirty-Three Dairies in California


SACRAMENTO, CA – Following an investigation by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and rapid disease detection by California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has confirmed H5N1 Bird Flu in one hundred thirty-three (133) dairies in Central California. CDFA has implemented a surveillance strategy with the goal of finding affected farms as early as possible. Early detection provides the opportunity to work with farms to quickly implement enhanced biosecurity, cow care, and employee protection.

continued: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/HPAI.html

[sharon sanders]

3 more in California for a new known total of 136.