The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus is present in the milk of infected cows, and to limit on-farm spread, requires cost-prohibitive and resource-intensive on-farm pasteurization and heat decontamination treatments.
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and Texas A&M AgriLife Research are investing $300,404 in a Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research (ROAR) grant to develop effective, farmer-friendly decontamination strategies.
Milk harvested from infected animals is recommended for on-farm heat treatment and pasteurization to minimize the spread of the virus to other cows and dairy workers. Yet, this approach is not feasible for individual farmers due to the high cost of the necessary equipment and facilities, and the large volume of milk produced by modern dairy herds.
Researchers led by Dr. Sushil Paudyal, assistant professor of dairy science at Texas A&M University, are evaluating the effectiveness of chemical controls in decontaminating milk. They are also assessing the health impacts of feeding decontaminated milk to calves. Identifying an effective chemical decontamination strategy will equip dairy farmers with a cost-efficient way to slow the spread of HPAI on their farms and repurpose milk from infected cows.
“Our goal is to develop a practical, science-based solution that dairy farmers can implement quickly and affordably,” Paudyal said. “We are collaborating with the University of Georgia to identify effective on-farm decontamination strategies that help reduce the spread of HPAI and protect both animal and human health.”
FFAR’s ROAR program rapidly funds research and outreach in response to emerging or unanticipated threats to the U.S. food supply or agricultural systems.
“Dairy farmers need tools and strategies to prevent the further spread of avian influenza in their herd once it is detected,” LeValley said. “Equipping farmers with a cost-effective, on-farm decontamination tool will minimize economic losses and reduce risks for farm workers. FFAR’s rapid funding will help deliver this solution for farmers.”
