Tag Archives: H5N1 bird flu

H5N1 causing California cows to drop dead

Dead Cows dairy farm

Important Takeaways:

  • A dystopian scene is emerging in California as dairy farmers battle a ruthless disease.
  • Dead cows and calves stacked along roadsides rotting in the heat surrounded by crows, vultures and thick swarms of black flies.
  • After wiping out tens of millions of birds worldwide, the H5N1 avian flu is tearing through dairy farms in the US.
  • A total of 124 herds have been affected in California alone, in addition to nearly 200 herds spanning 13 other states including Colorado, Idaho and Michigan.
  • Some fallen cattle are being intentionally left on the roadside to reduce the chance of the virus spreading on farms.
  • There are growing concerns that it could have a knock-on effect on milk production and pricing.
  • Eggs have already been hit by shortages and price gouging after the arrival of bird flu in chickens.
  • Infected carcasses are being brought to a rendering site – a facility that processes animal remains – to be turned into ‘high protein’ animal feed and fertilizer, or liquids used in fuels, paints, varnishes, lubricants and other industrial products.
  • Removing and processing these carcasses eliminates the risk of them passing bird flu onto other animals or humans.
  • California is the nation’s largest dairy producer, and this state currently holds the record for the most bird flu-infected cattle herds in a single state, in addition to a high number of cases among dairy workers.
  • Even if cows survive the virus, it takes a toll on their milk production.
  • Observations suggest that production drops to just 60 percent or 70 percent due to the virus, the LA Times reported.
  • The effect this will have on dairy prices remains unclear, but if expert predictions are correct, the dairy industry could become increasingly destabilized as cases and fatalities in cattle soar.

Read the original article by clicking here.

Britain suffers largest ever bird flu outbreak – minister

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is experiencing it worst ever outbreak of bird flu, farming and environment minister George Eustice told parliament on Thursday.

“This year we are seeing the largest-ever outbreak of avian influenza in the UK,” he told the House of Commons, adding that there had been 36 confirmed outbreaks.

Such outbreaks were a seasonal risk associated with migratory wild birds, he said.

Britain’s Chief Vet Christine Middlemiss told BBC Radio on Thursday that around 500,000 birds had been culled as a result of the outbreaks.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu was confirmed at premises in North Yorkshire and South Suffolk on Wednesday following a string of outbreaks in different locations dating back to Oct. 27, when the strain was found at a rescue centre in Worcestershire.

All birds on infected premises are culled.

A nationwide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone was declared in England on Nov. 3, ordering farms and bird keepers to toughen biosecurity measures.

This was extended on Nov. 29 to include housing measures with a legal requirement for all bird keepers across the UK to keep birds indoors.

The virus has been spreading across Europe during the last few weeks with outbreaks in several countries including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Britain’s Food Standards Agency has said that on the basis of the current scientific evidence, bird flu poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers, adding that properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, were safe to eat.

(Reporting by Nigel Hunt; Editing by Alex Richardson)