17 U.S. states have prohibited the importation of cattle from areas where avian influenza in cows has previously been recorded. Currently, 24 herds in 8 different states have been affected, reports the German publication Agrarwelt.
According to the publication, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported an increase in cases of dairy cows infected with avian influenza and confirmed the possibility of H5N1 virus transmission from birds to various types of livestock. In response, 17 states have prohibited the importation of animals from affected regions, although the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not yet issued an official order for quarantine measures, only publishing precautionary recommendations. In particular, livestock producers are advised to minimize cattle movement, test milk samples before transporting dairy cows, isolate newly arrived cattle, and restrict access of wild and domestic animals to barns.
It is also noted that the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) did not support restrictions on the movement of healthy livestock and products derived from them, stating that such measures should be justified by a risk analysis for imports. “Unjustified trade restrictions should be avoided. Risk management measures for imports must be scientifically justified and comply with OIE international standards,” the document published on the organization's official website states.
We remind you that the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) has proposed a new name for the disease caused in cattle by the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1. This disease will now be referred to in the U.S. as Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV).
