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.
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