Create a free Feed Strategy account to continue reading

Dairy cattle must be tested for H5N1 in Cache County, Utah

State orders mandatory testing at dairies after the presence of the virus was confirmed in a commercial egg operation in the county.

Roy Graber Headshot
H5 N1 With Virus Image
JegasRa | Bigstock

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) has enacted mandatory surveillance for the H5N1 virus in all dairies in Cache County, following the detection of the virus in a commercial poultry flock in the county.

On October 12, UDAF reported that a commercial egg laying flock in Cache County had been affected by H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Shortly thereafter, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported that the flock involved 1,852,900 hens.

Under the new order for mandatory H5N1 testing, UDAF inspectors will collect bulk samples weekly from all dairies in Cache County at no cost to producers. In the event of a positive test, the dairy will be placed under a quarantine, and no movement of lactating cattle will be permitted on or off the facility, with the exception of cattle going directly to slaughter.