“The United States officials stated on Monday that milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas has been found to contain traces of bird flu.”

The Texas Animal Health Commission officials have verified that the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, which has been known to cause bird outbreaks and can sometimes infect humans for many years. This virus is currently impacting older dairy cows in Texas and New Mexico, resulting in reduced milk production and loss of appetite.

One week after authorities in Minnesota reported an outbreak of bird flu among poultry, goats on the same farm were confirmed to have the virus. This marks the first reported case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in American livestock.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture assures that the commercial milk supply is safe and poses a low risk to people. Regulations require dairies to only use milk from healthy animals for consumption, while milk from sick animals is either redirected or disposed of. Pasteurization is also necessary for milk sold across state lines as it effectively eliminates viruses and bacteria, as stated by the agency.

The USDA stated that the current situation does not raise any worries about the safety of the milk supply available for purchase and does not pose a threat to consumer health.

The government’s examinations of livestock did not reveal any alterations to the virus that would enhance its transmissibility to humans.

According to Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, dairy farmers in Texas were initially alarmed three weeks ago when their cattle began to exhibit symptoms of an unknown illness. This illness, deemed as the “mystery dairy cow disease,” caused a significant decline in milk production and affected the cows’ appetite, as they appeared lethargic and uninterested in eating.

He stated that it was a new experience for us and compared it to having a cold.

The state’s animal health commission initiated an inquiry, which involved conducting examinations for avian influenza, according to spokesperson Erin Robinson. According to information gathered from Texas, officials from the USDA believe that the cows contracted the virus from wild birds that were infected.

According to experts, livestock typically recover on their own after seven to 10 days. This is in contrast to bird flu outbreaks in poultry, where the only solution is to eliminate the infected flocks. In the past several years, outbreaks have resulted in the death of approximately 80 million birds in commercial flocks in the United States.

According to Michael Payne, a food animal veterinarian and biosecurity expert at the University of California-Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security, current data suggests that approximately 10% of lactating dairy cows in the impacted herds have been affected by the virus.

He stated that this does not resemble the high-path influenza typically found in bird populations.

Avian influenza was identified in unprocessed, medical specimens of milk from ill cows taken from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas. The virus was also present in a nose and throat sample from a different dairy in Texas.

Authorities described it as a quickly changing scenario. The FDA and CDC, as well as officials from the three states, are involved. Iowa, another state known for its dairy industry, stated that it is keeping a close eye on the situation.

Officials from the dairy industry stated that farmers in the United States have implemented stronger measures for biosecurity, such as controlling the flow of visitors to and from their farms and limiting access only to necessary staff and personnel.

According to Payne, bird flu has been documented in 48 distinct types of mammals. He also noted that it was expected that avian influenza would eventually infect ruminant animals.

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The Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group provides assistance to the Associated Press Health and Science Department. The AP is fully responsible for all of its content.