With 100 million birds dead, the industry could serve as an example to farmers against bird flu

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As the U.S. dairy industry faces an outbreak of bird flu, with cases reported on dozens of farms and the disease spreading to people, egg flu could help. as an example of how to stop it, but it also shows the difficulty of eradicating the virus.

There have been bird flu outbreaks in the United States before, but the current one began in February 2022 and has forced the slaughter of almost 100 million chickens and turkeys. Hot spots remain, but their frequency has been reduced in part by biosecurity efforts on farms and coordinated action between companies and agricultural officials, according to experts.

Dairy farmers could try to implement similar protections, but the huge differences between animals and industries limit the lessons that can be learned and applied.

How can a 600 kilo cow and a 2 kilo chicken suffer from the same disease?

It is often called bird flu because the disease is primarily spread by wild birds that can survive the infection. Many mammals have also contracted it, including sea lions and skunks.

Animals can become infected by eating an infected bird or by being exposed to environments where the virus is present. However, there are big differences in how cows and birds behave after becoming infected.

Avian flu is usually lethal to chickens and turkeys within a few days of infection, leading to immediate mass culling of birds. But that is not the case with cows.

Dairies in several states across the country have had to euthanize infected animals because symptoms persisted and milk production did not recover, but that is not the norm, said Russ Daly, an extension veterinarian at South Dakota State University.

According to the expert, avian flu is not usually lethal for cows, but an infected animal may be more vulnerable to other diseases present in these types of farms, such as bacterial pneumonia and udder infections.

What has the egg industry done to protect birds?

Egg producers have become clean freaks.

To prevent the spread of disease, producers require their workers to shower and put on clean clothing before entering a facility and shower again when leaving. In addition, they often wash the trucks frequently and spray the tires with solutions to eliminate virus remains.

Many farms use lasers and install special fencing to discourage wild birds from visiting.

“The time for scarecrows is over,” said Emily Metz, president of the American Egg Board.

Without those efforts, the current outbreak would have been much worse, said Jada Thompson, a professor of agricultural economics at the University of Arkansas. Still, maintaining that kind of surveillance is complicated, although the cost of allowing the disease to enter a farm is very high, she added.

There are also cases of chickens raised for meat contracting bird flu, although these are less common. This is partly because they are slaughtered when they are only 6 to 8 weeks old, so there is less time for them to get sick.

Can the same be done to protect cows and dairy workers?

Yes and no.

Dairy farms can certainly reduce the spread of the disease by limiting access to barns, so that people and equipment do not carry the virus from elsewhere. Workers could also wear eye protection, aprons and gloves to try to protect themselves, but there’s no escape: large animals are dirty.

“The milking parlor is a warm and humid place with a lot of liquids everywhere, whether urine, feces or water, because some areas are sprayed. “Cows can kick a milking machine and splash milk,” said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Laboratory.

Additionally, they also do not have the time or staff to disinfect milking equipment between animals, so the machinery can become contaminated. Pasteurization kills bacteria and viruses in milk, making it safe for human consumption.

Poulsen said the dairy industry could follow the example of the poultry and swine industry and create more formal, better-funded research organizations to respond more quickly to problems like bird flu, or even prevent them.

The dairy sector could also curb the disease by limiting the movement of lactating cows between states, Poulsen added.

Are there new efforts to combat the virus?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon begin testing a vaccine that could be given to calves to protect them and reduce the chance of workers getting sick.

The egg industry is also confident that researchers can develop vaccines for poultry that are quick, cheap and effective. Workers cannot vaccinate the millions of animals that might need it, but those responsible for the industry hope that there is a drug that can be distributed in the water they drink, the feed they eat or even before hatching from the egg.

Efforts to develop vaccines have become even more important now that the disease has spread to dairy cows and even some people, Thompson said.

“Part of what is being developed right now is how can we vaccinate them that is cost-effective and resistant to the disease?” he added.