Dairy Industry Conference Call on HPAI, Steps Involved with Quarantine, Assistance Available

Thanks to those of you who joined us for the Dairy Industry Call  Wednesday. Dr. Alex Hamberg, Pennsylvania State Veterinarian, and Dr. Ernest Hovingh, Resident Director of the Penn State Diagnostic Laboratory, provided important updates regarding HPAI in Dairy, what would happen if there was a confirmed case of HPAI in Dairy in Pennsylvania, a new surveillance program available to farmers, what is included in the show quarantine order, and how the testing process is going. They also provided a couple highlights regarding the USDA assistance and what the Department of Health is discussing regarding PPE on dairy farms.

Here are highlights from the call:

• Cases of HPAI have been detected in cattle across 12 states and more than 80 herds with no positive cases reported in PA. With no new or lingering cases, Ohio and North Carolina are no longer considered affected. Minnesota, Iowa and Wyoming have all been added to the list in the past couple of weeks. To see the latest updates from USDA, click here.
• To remain proactive, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) is working with USDA as part of a new voluntary dairy herd surveillance and monitoring program in 16 states, including PA, consistent with Federal standards, to collect more data on HPAI. Dr. Hamberg encouraged Pennsylvania dairy farms to voluntarily participate.
• Developing a program like this would allow PDA to increase response time and limit the spread in the event of a positive case, protect nearby poultry farms, and engage with stakeholders and consumers. Also, it could make transporting lactating dairy cattle to fairs and shows across state lines easier through verifying the herd’s status in lieu of testing. If you are interested in learning more about this voluntary program, you can express interest by completing this form.  You can also contact Jessica Theiss at RA-Ag_StateVet@pa.gov or (717) 307-3258
•  For fairs and shows, exhibitors should ensure that they are following proper biosecurity protocols and reach out to PDA, Penn State Extension, or veterinarian for guidance on developing protocols. If there is a positive case of HPAI in dairy in Pennsylvania, the PDA quarantine order on shows and exhibitions will go into effect. 
•  The Quarantine Order states that all dairy cattle 18 months or older must be tested within seven (7) days of the date of arrival at the animal exhibition grounds. Lactating dairy cattle should be tested through a milk sample. Non-lactating cattle should be tested with a nasal swab. Tests must be conducted through a PADLS lab. Read the full order here.
  
  
• If a positive case of HPAI in dairy is reported in a herd, cattle from that herd will not be permitted to go to a show or exhibition. The quarantine will only be lifted after two consecutive weeks of negative testing. Also, any cattle from farms within 3 kilometers (about 1 1/2 miles) of an affected flock of birds cannot participate in exhibitions or fairs until cleared by the PDA. To check the PADLS website to see if there are affected flocks in the area, you can click this link to use the address checker. Please note: there are currently no positive cases of HPAI in dairy or poultry in Pennsylvania. 
• If there is a confirmed case of HPAI in dairy cattle in Pennsylvania, that herd must remain closed with no new additions within 30 days prior to testing. Lactating dairy cattle will need to have their milk tested individually, not from a bulk tank sample, and non-lactating cattle will need to be tested via nasal swab by an accredited veterinarian or an authorized individual within a veterinary client patient relationship.
• The infected farm must be able to demonstrate to PDA that they have biosecurity protocols in place and have implemented the FARM Everyday Biosecurity Plan on their premise to receive a 30-day milk movement permit. As long as they are following the plan and implementing biosecurity protocols, milk from a quarantined farm can continue to move to market, although there may be some changes to the hauling route required to limit any spread to other farms. To read PDA’s Notice on Biosecurity Requirements for Milk Movement, click here.
• The USDA offers incentives to herds with positive cases to mitigate the economic effects, including cost assistance with purchasing pasteurization equipment for waste milk. To learn more about USDA assistance available, click here.
• Service and sales professionals are urged to practice biosecurity measures when visiting farms, especially when near cattle or in the milk parlor. Milk and milking equipment are high risk for transmission. Sales and service professionals should limit farm visits to essential ones only and should be sanitizing in and out when they visit farms or wearing protective boots. They should also be notifying farmers in advance of any visits and should stay out of biosecure areas.

Note: The next Dairy and HPAI call is July 10 at 1 p.m.

If you missed the June 12 call, the recording is now available:

• Click here to access the recording

Note: The USDA has confirmed that there is no threat to human health and milk. Dairy products remain safe to consume.

Contact Information and resources shared during the call are included below:

• To report any suspect cases of HPAI in Dairy, please contact the State Veterinary Office at 717-772-2852, Option 1.  You can also email RA-ahds@pa.gov.
• To submit samples for pre-testing, you can find submission forms and more information on the PADLS website. If you have specific questions on how to sample, you can call 814-863-0837 or email the Penn State Lab.
• New Biosecurity Handout Developed by Penn State* A question was asked about how to access this handout. So we are providing it.
• A participant on the May 22 call shared an article from Michigan State University on what farmers can expect to see as symptoms of HPAI in dairy cattle.

USDA Announces Additional Assistance: In late May, USDA announced that the agency was expanding assistance to mitigate spread of HPAI in dairy to all producers, building on the support the agency made available to infected farms on May 10. To learn more about the USDA assistance, click here.

Biosecurity Planning and Resources Available. During the call, Dr. Hamberg and Dr. Hovingh reminded participants of the importance of implementing biosecurity protocols and plans on dairy farms in the event of a HPAI in dairy outbreak.

• Just a reminder that Penn State Extension offers resources to aid farmers in developing biosecurity plans. For a list of extension agents who can help, click here. 
• You can request a biosecurity resource kit that includes templates for creating your plan here. The Center for Dairy Excellence will mail free templates and other resources to any farm requesting a kit.
• Plans do not have to be submitted to PDA in advance of a quarantine. However, plans can be submitted if you would want feedback to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at RA.Agbioplans@pa.gov.

Next Call is July 10: The Center for Dairy Excellence has transitioned to monthly calls with Pennsylvania’s State Veterinary Office regarding HPAI in dairy. The next call will be Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at 1 p.m. To learn more about upcoming calls, click here.