With bird flu in dairy cattle, livestock exhibitors urged to take extra steps

DENVER (KDVR) — Summer is 4-H and livestock show season in Colorado, bringing the heightened risk of spreading bird flu.

County fairs draw hundreds to showcase their projects before regional crowds. With no state plans to curb the shows because of H5N1, the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office is urging exhibitors to take extra measures to prevent the spread.

“Fairs and exhibitions provide a learning opportunity and a chance to showcase the hard work it takes to raise animals. Unfortunately, they also provide an opportunity for illness to spread among animals from multiple herds,” Colorado State Veterinarian Dr. Maggie Baldwin said in a release.

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Highly pathogenic avian influenza was first positively identified in Colorado dairy cattle on April 25 and has since led to nine other facilities being placed under quarantine. The bird-borne virus causes cattle to exhibit signs like low appetite, decreased milk production and abnormal colostrum-like milk.

Livestock exhibitors urged to monitor, test and isolate

The state is encouraging livestock owners and event organizers to actively monitor animals for signs of illness and increase biosecurity measures by keeping uninfected animals separated from anything that could introduce disease.

Those measures include:

• Preventing interactions between livestock and rodents or wildlife

• Disinfecting hoses and equipment that could transfer bacteria from animal to animal

• Instructing personnel on proper operations and security measures, as people (and their clothing) who have interacted with one animal could bring those germs to another animal

“Livestock owners and event organizers should take precautions to minimize the potential spread of avian influenza, including enhancing their biosecurity practices, testing lactating dairy cattle prior to the event, monitoring animals for clinical signs of illness, and isolating cattle that return home from an exhibition,” Baldwin said.

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The State Veternarian’s Office is allowing event organizers to decide whether to postpone or cancel dairy cattle shows, sales, or events, except in the event of quarantine, health order, or movement restrictions.

The office also encourages the following best practices:

• Before the event:

  • Livestock owners and event organizers should be following enhanced biosecurity measures.

  • Monitor cattle for clinical signs of H5N1. Signs and testing regimen can be found here.

  • Within a week before the event, livestock owners should test lactating dairy cattle for Influenza A.

• During the event:

  • Maintain biosecurity measures to limit any potential transmission of the virus.

  • Monitor lactating dairy cattle for clinical signs of HPAI.

    • If cattle becomes sick, the case must be reported to the event’s veterinarian and affected animals should be isolated.

• After the event:

  • Isolate cattle for 30 days.

  • Continue to monitor for clinical signs of the virus.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture has released a full HPAI guidance document for lactating dairy cattle. On April 25, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered all lactating cattle to be tested before moving interstate. On April 30, Colorado adopted an emergency rule that echoed the federal mandate.

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