What bird flu outbreak among cows means for milk supply

Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that informs readers of the most important Texas news.

LUBBOCK — Cows in the Texas Panhandle have tested positive for bird flu, another blow to the Texas dairy industry after historic wildfires killed at least 7,000 animals.

The discovery, reported at two different dairies, is believed to be the first time the disease has been detected in cattle, researchers said.

Strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza, known as bird flu, were confirmed Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The state Department of Agriculture is also monitoring the outbreak. Similar outbreaks have been reported at dairies in Kansas and New Mexico.

The USDA said there are no concerns about the safety of commercial milk supplies. Consumers’ health is also not at risk, the department said. Milk from affected animals is discarded or destroyed and will not enter the food supply.

“In the rare event that some of the affected milk enters the food chain, the pasteurization process will kill the virus,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.

The dairy industry is critical to the state. With about 292 dairies and about 625,000 cows, Texas ranks fourth in the U.S. when it comes to milk production and contributes an estimated $50 billion to the state’s economy. In the Panhandle, also known as Cattle Country, more than 1.3 billion gallons of milk are produced each year, according to the Texas Dairy Association. The highest production levels are in Hartley, Castro and Moore counties.

According to the Texas Animal Health Commission, the disease causes a decrease in milk production, as well as thicker colostrum-like milk, and cows have less appetite. The disease also severely affects older cows and cows in mid-lactation. Infected herds are expected to lose up to 40 percent of their milk production in 7-10 days while they recover from their symptoms, Miller said.

On average, about 10% of any affected herd appears to be infected. The USDA did not specify whether any cows died from the disease. And experts say it can be difficult to track because dairies cull cattle for other reasons as well.

Loss of milk from infected cows is “too limited” to have a major impact on supply.

“There should be no impact on the price of milk or other dairy products,” the USDA said in a statement.

Multiple agencies are working quickly to monitor affected herds and conduct additional testing. The disease spreads quickly from bird to bird, but experts say the disease is unusual in dairy flocks.

“We’ve never seen bird flu in dairy cows before,” said Erin Supak, director of communications for the Animal Health Commission. “So we are encouraging the introduction of best management practices and improved biosecurity measures to ensure that the spread does not go further than it already has.”

According to the USDA, the disease appears to have been introduced into flocks by dead wild birds. The conclusion comes after farms reported finding the dead birds on their properties.

The Animal Health Commission is working with the federal Department of Agriculture and the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, as well as other agencies, to continue to assess the situation. Experts recommend limiting the number of people entering dairies to only employees and essential workers and using biosecurity resources.

Supak says there are other signs dairy farmers should watch for, including unusual, sticky stools, low appetite and fever.

Dairy farmers and veterinarians are encouraged to report cattle diseases to the USDA, state animal health commission or the Texas A&M Laboratory as the situation continues. Initial tests from National Veterinary Services laboratories show that the current risk to the public is low because no changes to the virus have made it more transmissible to humans.

Disclosure: The Texas Dairy Association financially supports The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in Tribune journalism. Find a full list of them here.

We can’t wait to welcome you to downtown Austin September 5-7 for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival! Join us at Texas’ breakout political and policy event as we delve into the 2024 election, state and national politics, the state of democracy and more. When tickets go on sale this spring, Tribune members will save big. Donate to join or renew today.