Bird flu was confirmed in 24 additional dairy herds in California last week, and the state now has the second-highest number of infected herds in the country, 34, said USDA data on Monday. All of the cases were discovered since Aug. 30.
Latest developments on avian flu virus in dairy cattle
Colorado leads the nation with 64 of the 232 outbreaks in 14 states. Idaho was third with 32 herds, and Michigan has 29. Bird flu was first identified in dairy cattle in late March. The H5N1 avian flu virus causes a fever, reduced appetite, and sharply lower milk production. Most cows recover after a couple of weeks.
California is the largest milk-producing state. Its 1.7 million dairy cows produced 3.37 billion pounds of milk during August, nearly 19% of U.S. production for the month, according to the USDA.
By Chuck Abbott
Published on September 24, 2024
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