High-Path Avian Flu has been confirmed in more than 1,000 herds across 17 states. While it spreads easily in cow udders, researchers have found no signs that it is adapting to humans.
The virus seems to thrive on receptors in cow mammary glands that are similar to those in birds. Most cows recover after a couple of weeks, but the outbreak is still putting a major financial strain on producers.
One estimate from an ag economist suggests a dairy cow 2,500 cows in quarantine could lose half a million dollars a day due to treatment costs, labor, and lost production.
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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced her five-point comprehensive strategy to fight High-Path Avian Flu (HPAI) on Wednesday in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal.
The National Turkey Federation says it supports a vaccine strategy but warns that trade and logistical challenges could arise.
