DONAHUE, Iowa — Two new cases of bird flu were detected in Sioux County dairy herds on Thursday, June 27, bringing the total number of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza cases in Iowa to 13.
Now, the Iowa Department of Agriculture is taking new steps to contain the virus at county and state fairs. It requires all lactating dairy cows to be tested for bird flu within seven calendar days of any exhibition.
John Maxwell, owner of Cinnamon Ridge Farms, keeps a close eye on the virus.
"The cows, in all cases have gotten sick, they don’t feel so well, they don’t milk so well, but in a few days, they get better and they’re all back to the way they were, being happy cows in Iowa," Maxwell said.
He said the form of bird flu caught by cows comes from the droppings of migratory birds mixing with cow feed. His herd of 220 dairy cows is unlikely to get sick, since the barn they live in is covered and fenced to keep birds out.
Maxwell doesn't think events like the Mississippi Valley Fair or Iowa State Fair will be too affected by the new requirements. It may encourage farmers to bring fewer cows, or avoid bringing lactating cows altogether.
"If you were just going to show young animals that are not old enough to have had a baby and milk, that you wouldn't even have to be tested for it," Maxwell said. "When you go to the fairs, that’s most of the animals that show by far."
His concern with the testing requirements is the gap between testing and the exhibition.
"You have seven days before exhibition to test it, so the animal is tested, let's say on a Monday, the fair starts on a Friday, you get the test results on a Wednesday, and Thursday she’s not feeling so well," Maxwell said. "So that’s something that we in the dairy business would have to keep an eye on and actually be a part of it."
Most importantly, Maxwell said people who drink milk from the grocery store are safe from the bird flu.
"If it would get in the system, once it’s pasteurized, it’s not harmful to human consumption," Maxwell said. His farm uses a robotic system to milk its cows, which automatically detects issues with the milk.
Starting Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will accept applications for financial assistance to farmers affected by bird flu. To apply, visit your local USDA service center.
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