The Ohio Department of Agriculture received confirmation that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been found in an Ohio dairy herd.
The state’s Department of Agriculture says it’s the first case of HPAI in an Ohio livestock operation. The dairy operation received cows from a Texas dairy on March 8, which was the same dairy that later reported a confirmed HPAI detection in Texas. Ohio’s animal health officials were notified when the livestock began showing clinical signs compatible with sick, lactating dairy cows in other states.
The USDA, Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and state veterinary health officials are investigating the emerging illness among dairy cattle that’s causing decreased lactation, low appetite, and other symptoms. The FDA and CDC say there is no concern about the safety of commercially pasteurized dairy products due to federal health requirements and pasteurization. The public health risk associated with HPAI remains low.
