UPDATE (HPAI Confirmed): CDFA Statement on Possible Introduction of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza at California Dairy Farms

***UPDATE: Testing at CAHFS laboratory at UC Davis confirmed presence of HPAI at three California dairies on August 30, 2024.***

***This statement first appeared on CDFA website on August 29, 2024***

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is investigating the possible introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at three dairy farms in the Central Valley. Should HPAI be confirmed, it is important to note that pasteurization is fully effective at inactivating the virus and there is no milk or dairy product safety concern for consumers.

With the detection of HPAI in dairies elsewhere in the US in recent months, CDFA has been engaged with private veterinarians, farmers and ranchers, and local, state and federal partners to develop response plans and actively monitor for the disease in livestock and poultry throughout California. CDFA has taken steps to reduce the risk of entry of infected dairy cattle into the state, has maintained rapid response capability used during past detections of HPAI in poultry, and is prepared to respond to detections in cattle.

If these cases are confirmed, CDFA will continue working closely with the California Department of Public Health, and local agricultural and public health officials, to understand the extent of the introduction and support animal health and public health activities with the goal of limiting exposure to virus while the impacted herds develop immunity.

Samples have been submitted from these three sites to our California Animal Health and Food Safety laboratory. Any positive tests at our California lab would be considered “presumptive” and submitted to the USDA for final confirmation (typically within a few days). As with most influenza infections in cattle, infected dairy cows would be expected to recover within a few weeks.

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