Bird flu has hit eight dairy cattle herds in northwest Iowa this year, and now a third poultry flock. Ag officials said Thursday the virus is confirmed in a commercial turkey flock with over 46,000 birds in Sac County.
Yuko Sato, a poultry veterinarian at Iowa State University, says vigilance is key for Iowa producers. Sato says, “I think the best message I can relay back to our backyard poultry and commercial poultry producers is, if there is any mortality event, whether that’s unusual, or a high number of birds unexpectedly happening, I think the best thing to do is to not wait, get an answer.”
State ag officials say producers who see signs of the virus in their flock, like a sudden increase in bird deaths or birds that are lethargic, should contact their veterinarian immediately.
Lee Maassen is a fifth-generation dairy farmer in northwest Iowa’s Sioux County, one of the hot spots for the virus. As president of the Iowa State Dairy Association, Maassen says he’s keeping a close watch on the issue, and producers are taking bio-security precautions, including limiting visitors. Health officials have also warned against drinking raw milk.
“We know that pasteurization kills it,” Maassen says. “In the dairy industry, we’re fortunate and glad that it’s not fatal to our dairy cows.”
Some dairy cows have died after getting infected, but researchers and veterinarians say most appear to recover after a few weeks with supportive care, like electrolytes and probiotics. So far, Maassen says his dairy is virus-free.
Kylie Nettinga, executive director of the Western Iowa Dairy Coalition, says there are 100 dairy farms in northwest Iowa, and biosecurity and surveillance are being done to prevent and track viral spread.
“Our cows are being cared for. Our producers are doing everything they can to make sure that our cows get back to being happy and healthy,” Nettinga says. “This is no something we need to be fearful of.” She adds, “Yes, it impacts the cows, but they’re bouncing back, and that’s amazing.”
The USDA is working to try and figure out how the virus spreads from poultry to cattle.
(Thanks to Rachel Cramer and Sheila Brummer at Iowa Public Radio)