Yesterday, there were two reports made public of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) detections in livestock. First, kid goats in Minnesota, who were in what was a former backyard poultry operation depopulated due to HPAI. That set of circumstances created a situation where there was a high viral load of HPAI which affected the newly born goats with low immune systems defenses. Second, and less clear on the how and why, tests of milk produced from sick dairy cows in Texas and Kansas were positive for HPAI. It should be noted that the milk tested was unpasteurized. Also, dairy farmers are prevented from marketing milk that comes from sick cows, thus keeping the virus out of the food chain. The illness among dairy cows had been a myste...

TAGS – North America