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Minnesota - Avian flu in mammals and livestock 2024-2026

Screenshot 2024-07-09 at 12.32.54 PM.png
​https://www.bah.state.mn.us/hpai
 
[eta: 2 Turkey Flocks confirmed 6/28; Otter Tail and Swift Counties, 90,000 birds total]

Avian influenza found in Benton County dairy herd

Jul 11, 2024 Updated 51 mins ago​

(St. Cloud MN-) Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Minnesota has slowed down but not stopped as we head into the hot days of summer. The last time H5N1 has shown up in a commercial turkey flock was June 27th in Otter Tail County, but it has also shown up in dairy cattle herds. 600 cattle in Benton County tested positive on Monday, but the previously infected herd was last reported June 28th. Avian influenza is not generally fatal in cattle but is 100% fatal in poultry.

https://www.willmarradio.com/news/a...cle_13a87b52-3f82-11ef-a7f5-97a6d3e2adb2.html
 
Minnesota to Begin Testing Raw Cow Milk for H5N1


MDA and partners will begin sampling herds later this month

February 18, 2025

Beginning the week of February 24, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), working with state government and industry partners, will begin sampling and testing raw cow’s milk for the H5N1 flu virus to identify where the virus is present, monitor trends, and prevent its spread to unaffected dairy herds and poultry flocks around the state.

“H5N1 is an emerging disease in dairy cattle, and conducting disease surveillance supports the state’s ability to effectively respond to outbreaks and limit the potential impact on the livestock and poultry industries, as well as on public health,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen.

There is no concern for the safety of the public milk supply, as all milk sold in stores is pasteurized to kill bacteria and viruses, and pasteurization has been shown to effectively eliminate active H5N1 virus present in milk.

People and pets should not consume unpasteurized (raw) milk, raw milk cheeses, or raw or undercooked meat from animals with suspected or confirmed H5N1 virus infection. All raw dairy products may contain harmful bacteria, parasites, or viruses which can cause illness.

The MDA will order the testing of raw milk samples already collected from each of Minnesota’s approximately 1,600 dairy farms on a monthly basis. These routinely collected bulk milk samples, which are taken before the pasteurization process, will be sub-sampled by industry labs and sent for H5N1 testing to the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (MVDL) at the University of Minnesota.

When a sample analysis shows the presence of influenza virus, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) will be notified to collect an additional verification sample to confirm the presence of the H5N1 virus on the identified farm. All non-negative samples will also be forwarded to the National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, for further confirmation and genetic typing. The BAH will also initiate a farm quarantine and disease investigation.

Any farm where H5N1 is confirmed will be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days, during which no livestock, poultry, cats, manure, waste milk, or carcasses can leave the farm without a movement permit from the BAH.

Milk from healthy animals can still be sold for pasteurization, as usual.

Before lifting the quarantine, a farm must have three consecutive negative bulk milk tank tests taken at least seven days apart, and complete management and biosecurity plans for preventing the spread of the virus. Case managers will help farms work through this process.

When H5N1 is confirmed in a herd, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will request a list of people on the farm who were exposed to the infected herd. MDH workers will contact these individuals to give them the option to enroll in human health monitoring.

Human cases of H5N1 are rare, and to date no human cases have been found in Minnesota.

“Although we understand that people may be concerned about getting sick with H5N1, the risk to the general public remains low at this time,” said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist and medical director at MDH. “People most at risk are those who have direct contact with infected or potentially infected animals and their environments.”

Symptoms of H5N1 in people can include red, itchy, watery eyes and/or cough, sore throat, and a fever.

This testing plan is part of the National Milk Testing Strategy announced in December by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), which requires sampling and testing of all raw cow milk for H5N1.

The MDA is working with the federal agency on funding for the testing.

USDA-APHIS is providing financial support to help dairy producers enhance biosecurity on their farms and follow the necessary response protocols if H5N1 is confirmed in their herd.

Anyone with questions about the testing plan can contact the MDA at TestingMilk.MDA@state.mn.us or visit the MDA website for more information.

###
​https://www.mda.state.mn.us/minnesota-begin-testing-raw-cow-milk-h5n1
 
Minnesota will start testing raw cow milk for H5N1 bird flu

Published February 18, 2025 12:55pm CST​
By Howard Thompson​

The Brief
    • Starting next week, the State of Minnesota will begin testing raw cow milk for H5N1.
    • There is no concern about milk sold in stores, since pasteurization kills the virus.
    • The state recommends avoiding raw milk, cheese products made from raw milk, and raw or undercooked meat made from infected cows. ...
​
https://www.fox9.com/news/minnesota-testing-raw-milk-h5n1-bird-flu


​
 
Statewide milk surveillance detects H5N1 at Stearns County dairy

Publish Date
March 24, 2025

H5N1 influenza has been confirmed in a Stearns County dairy herd from samples collected as part of Minnesota’s milk surveillance plan. The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the results March 21, and the Board of Animal Health has quarantined the herd until they meet testing requirements indicating it’s no longer infected. There is no concern for the safety of the public milk supply, as all milk sold in stores is pasteurized to kill bacteria and viruses, and pasteurization has been shown to effectively eliminate active H5N1 virus present in milk.

“While under quarantine, the herd will be able to apply for movement permits for animals and animal products such as waste milk and manure. Milk sold for pasteurization does not need a permit and is allowed to go to processing to facilitate business while keeping the risk of the spread of disease low,” said State Veterinarian, Dr. Brian Hoefs. “Our surveillance and response approach to H5N1 is a team effort to ensure we’re covering all angles where it’s detected and limiting its ability to spread.”

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is conducting testing of pre-pasteurized, or raw, cow milk samples already collected from each of Minnesota's approximately 1,600 dairy farms on a monthly basis. These routinely collected bulk milk samples, which are taken before the pasteurization process, are subsampled by industry labs and sent for H5N1 testing to the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Minnesota.     

"Identifying which dairy herds are infected is important so we can prevent disease spread and protect both animal and human health," MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen said. "Regular sampling and testing will allow the MDA and partners to identify where the virus is present, monitor trends, and prevent spread of the virus in order to protect unaffected dairy herds and poultry flocks."

The Board is notified of any preliminary detections of the virus in samples and responds by sending a case manager to the affected farm to issue a quarantine and guide the producer through the entire response process. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) also monitors the health of people who have direct contact with infected animals or their environment and provides public health recommendations to help reduce the risk for infection. MDH also provides testing, antivirals, and personal protective equipment (PPE) as needed. The risk to the public from this virus remains low at this time. People who work with or have direct contact with infected animals or their environment are at most risk for getting sick.

Dairy farmers should monitor their herd and contact their veterinarian immediately if cows appear sick. H5N1 symptoms in dairy mostly affect late-stage lactating cows and include fever, a drop in milk production, loss of appetite, and changes in manure consistency. Biosecurity reduces the risk of disease spreading onto or off farms:
  • Keep a log of farm visitors and ensure they follow your farm protocols.
  • Milk any sick cows last, after your healthy herd.
  • Keep feed covered and clean up feed spills immediately.
  • Provide cows a clean source of water kept secure from wildlife, especially waterfowl.
Dairy farms are always required to dispose of milk from sick animals to remove it from the milk supply. In addition to an affected herd disposing of milk from sick cows and isolating them, the Board quarantine also requires the farm to have three consecutive negative milk tests to be released from quarantine.

Farmers can request a one-time distribution of PPE from MDH if they’re unable to get it through their regular sources. People who have questions about avian influenza and human health can contact MDH at 651-201-5414.

The Board will report any new detections and updates on cow cases in Minnesota on its website. Please note, this herd was previously infected in July 2024 and will not be categorized as a new herd on the website dashboard. Instead, it remains categorized as “Stearns MN 010” and any new information will be posted in that row of data.
​

https://www.bah.state.mn.us/node/2016
 
May 12, 2025
Minnesote Board of Animal Health

May 2025

Correction: an earlier version of this bulletin misstated what happened to the fifth lactation positive cow.
What we know about the state's only recent H5N1 dairy detection

​
The Stearns County dairy where H5N1 was detected in late March also had a detection of the virus in July 2024. The entire herd was affected during the summer 2024 case and milk production dropped with clinical signs noted. By September 2024 the herd had achieved three straight weeks of bulk tank tests with no virus detected and the Board released the quarantine. Milk production started to return to normal over the fall and winter months.

On March 16 a bulk tank sample collected for Minnesota’s milk surveillance program tested non-negative at the U of M’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and was later confirmed to be H5N1 at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories on March 21. Additional testing by the University was able to narrow down the detection to a single cow. The only cow on the farm to test PCR positive for the virus was a fifth lactation cow milking around 65 pounds of milk per day with no observed clinical signs. Additionally, the owner reported she was not sick during the summer 2024 detection and didn’t show any clinical signs over the winter.

The only major activity in early 2025 on the dairy was when heifer calves moved back into the herd in March. The other common avenues epidemiologists look into to determine how a virus infects a herd didn’t produce any strong indicators. The owner reports feeding calves pasteurized colostrum from a single cow and waste milk is not fed to calves. Sparrows and starlings are commonly spotted around the farm and near the feed with some evidence of small mammals. These animals are also sometimes reported around the bedding, which is stored on a separate farm until it’s brought in to freshen stalls.

The fifth lactation cow, which was the only animal to test positive for H5N1 was donated to the USDA for further testing to study the cow for duration of shedding and her immune response to the virus. No other cases of H5N1 have been confirmed in Minnesota since the start of the MDA’s milk surveillance program earlier this year.

Pasteurization inactivates the virus and all pasteurized dairy remains safe.
​https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNBAH/bulletins/3e00752
 
USDA Declares Minnesota Dairy Herds Unaffected by H5N1 Virus

Change comes after four consecutive months of no detections

September 10, 2025

After four straight months of testing raw milk samples from Minnesota cow dairy farms for the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus without any detections, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has changed Minnesota’s status from Affected to Unaffected in their National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS).

That means that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) will reduce how frequently it tests milk samples from once a month to approximately once every two months. Federal restrictions on animal movement between states remain in effect.

In February 2025 the MDA, in cooperation with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH), joined the NMTS to begin conducting H5N1 virus surveillance and prevent its spread to unaffected dairy herds and poultry flocks.

“We and the Board are extremely grateful for the dairy industry’s cooperation in achieving this important milestone and for supporting the health and vitality of Minnesota’s livestock and poultry industries,” MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen said.

After one case of H5N1 was detected in a dairy herd in March, there have been no other Minnesota detections. The USDA approved Minnesota’s status change on August 22.

The MDA may further reduce testing frequency if results continue to show no detections through the fall, but continued monitoring is required until all 50 states have reached Unaffected Status.

Dairy farmers don’t have to do anything to help with sampling or testing, as they are done in cooperation with industry laboratories who routinely test for other purposes.

While H5N1 is still an emerging disease in dairy cattle, most affected herds in the U.S. have fully recovered. This is good news for the dairy industry, but H5N1 remains deadly in poultry and capable of causing human illness. It is important to prevent the spread of the virus whenever it is detected in livestock animals.

If tests detect H5N1 in a dairy herd, the MDA or BAH assigns a case manager to guide the farm through the response, which includes a quarantine period and follow-up testing.

###
​
https://www.mda.state.mn.us/usda-declares-minnesota-dairy-herds-unaffected-h5n1-virus
 
Post #32:

September 10, 2025

After four straight months of testing raw milk samples from Minnesota cow dairy farms for the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus without any detections, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has changed Minnesota’s status from Affected to Unaffected in their National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS).

That means that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) will reduce how frequently it tests milk samples from once a month to approximately once every two months​
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