Of the top four dairy-producing states, Wisconsin is the only one to not have a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza case in dairy cattle. But America’s Dairyland producers can still be a part of the Dairy Herd Status Program.
The Dairy Herd Status Program is a voluntary program that offers dairy producers the option to monitor their herds via weekly bulk milk samples before moving them across state lines, without having to test each individual animal.
Rosemary Sifford is a deputy administrator for veterinary services and the chief veterinary officer with USDA. She says trade partners are watching the United States HPAI outbreak. She adds HPAI isn’t the only threat to U.S. livestock producers as other countries deal with Foot & Mouth Disease and bluetongue outbreaks.
Interested producers can enroll in the HPAI Dairy Herd Status Program by contacting their APHIS Area Veterinarian or state animal health official. A herd monitoring plan for sample collection and testing is developed in concert with the producer, state, and APHIS officials. The date of the first sample receipt at the NAHLN laboratory will be considered the participation start date.
