By Jamie Martin
The American Farm Bureau Federation has announced that APHIS has implemented a new set of regulations aimed at controlling and ultimately eradicating H5N1 avian influenza in dairy cattle. This initiative is critical for maintaining the health of the U.S. dairy herd and securing the agricultural economy’s role in global markets.
The protocol initiates with mandatory testing at the national level, including dairy plants and silos, before assessing the HPAI status across the states. Further stages involve active responses to any detected presence of the virus, measures to demonstrate the absence of the virus in dairy populations, and efforts to certify states as free from the disease.
These steps are designed to progressively reduce the incidence of avian influenza, with continuous adjustments based on the testing outcomes. Bernt Nelson of the federation emphasized the need for a regionalized strategy that tackles the problem herd by herd, integrating these new protocols with ongoing development and future integration of vaccines.
This comprehensive approach ensures that each stage of the outbreak is managed effectively, from initial detection to final eradication. The proactive measures by APHIS are set to transform how avian influenza is handled in the dairy industry, aiming for a future where the disease no longer poses a threat to the agricultural sector or the broader ecosystem.
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Categories: National