(Des Moines, IA) -- A second case of avian influenza has been found in an Iowa dairy herd. The Iowa Department of Agriculture says the latest case is in Sioux County. The first case was in O'Brien County, also in northwest Iowa. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig is asking the U-S Department of Agriculture to aid affected dairy and poultry farmers and to help in disease research and response.
“Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza continues to pose a significant threat to our livestock and the livelihoods of the farmers that care for them. To better prepare and respond to this challenge, the Department is taking additional response measures and is making additional resource requests of USDA in order to support this ongoing and collaborative effort,” said Secretary Naig. “Our team remains in daily communication with USDA, other states, farm organizations and industry stakeholders and we will be continually evaluating our response steps as new information arises. This is going to take the entire agricultural community working together because we all have a stake in protecting the herds and flocks of Iowa.”
The Department is also announcing more response measures.
The Department is updating existing testing protocols to include testing of dairy farms around infected poultry sites. This is a longstanding protocol already in place for poultry. This requirement will provide a better understanding of the possible spread of the virus and allow the Department to enhance its response capabilities.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture says there is no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products, and there are no restrictions on the shipment of milk are planned. No intrastate movement restrictions are being placed on dairy cattle at this time. USDA’s federal order regulating the interstate movement of lactating dairy cattle remains in effect.
The Department continues to strongly recommend dairy farmers and poultry producers incorporate comprehensive biosecurity protocols on their farms.