Minnesota Begins Testing Raw Milk for H5N1 Bird Flu in Dairy Cows

Minnesota is initiating a comprehensive testing program to check raw milk fr om dairy cows for the presence of the H5N1 bird flu virus. Starting Monday, the program will see every dairy farm in the state tested monthly.

Dan Glessing, a dairy farmer who owns Glessing Family Farm near Waverly, explained, "Every farm in the state will be tested once a month." Glessing has already accepted the program's rigorous requirements. "If you do test positive, you are quarantined for 30 days. You have to have three consecutive negative tests to lift that quarantine," he noted.

The farm quarantine involves strict measures wh ere no livestock, manure, or even domestic animals like cats can leave the premises without a permit from the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. "For instance, we have another farm site that we have some heifers on. We are hauling them back and forth. We wouldn't be able to do that," Glessing added.

While the H5N1 virus has not been as lethal for dairy cows as it has been for poultry, identifying its presence remains challenging. "And that's kind of the unknown," Glessing explained. "A lot of cows don't show symptoms that they have it, so it's hard to know whether you have it or not." Loss of milk production is often the only sign of infection.

Glessing mentioned potential future vaccination for calves against bird flu, although it is still in development stages. Meanwhile, testing offers a crucial insight into managing the outbreak. "Any time you have a disease outbreak, you want to minimize. Whether it's poultry, whether it's cattle. You really want to minimize the effects," he stated.

The testing process is described as uncomplicated for farmers, as samples are collected during routine milk collections. Glessing emphasized that pasteurized milk available in stores remains safe for consumption, as pasteurization eliminates harmful pathogens.