A state order went into effect Wednesday for poultry and dairy farmers to beef up biosecurity on their farms to slow the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, better known as bird flu.
Over six million birds were impacted by the virus across the state in April, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced on Monday that another dairy herd in Barry County reported cases of the virus. It's now the seventh herd in Michigan since March 29 to have bird flu appear in dairy cows.
This outbreak is the first time bird flu has shown up in cows. In a recent Harvest Public Media report, farmers across the Midwest aren't alarmed, and many of the cows are only showing mild symptoms and have been recovering. Nine states have now had confirmed cases of bird flu in livestock.
MDARD is now asking Michigan farmers designate a biosecurity manager, create a secure perimeter, establish disinfecting practices at access points for vehicles and individuals and maintain a log-book of all activity coming in and out of the farm.
The order puts all poultry exhibitions on hold until no new cases have been reported for at least 30 days. Lactating dairy cattle and those in the last two months of pregnancy also cannot be part of expositions until no new cases have been reported for at least 60 days.
“The poultry and dairy industry are two of the most important agriculture industries across Michigan, and biosecurity procedures to mitigate the spread of this virus are vital,” said Dr. Nancy Barr, executive director of the Michigan Allied Poultry Industries. “The actions taken today by MDARD reflect the seriousness of the situation facing our industries. MDARD and MAPI will continue to work together to support poultry producers and dairy farmers.”
Phil Durst, a dairy and beef expert for Michigan State University Extension based in Ogemaw County, told WCMU that some farmers are a little confused by some of the specific details in the state's recommendations. But Durst said there is a strong willingness among dairy farmers to comply and protect their animals from contracting the virus.
"The reduction of the introduction of pathogens to a farm is always a good idea, and so whether it's this disease or another disease, we need to work toward those things," Durst said. "There's still a lot of things that are not established about this disease, about what disinfectants need to be used... it's going to take investment on some farms to have some things set up."
The risk to human health remains low, according to state and federal public health officials. Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said emerging research confirms that pasteurization is an effective means to preserve food security.
Since the uptick in bird flu cases across the country in late March, there has only been one confirmed human case, which resulted in flu-like symptoms and conjunctivitis, according to USDA.
"The virus is moving around in different ways than it has in the past," Boring said. "Some of our greatest questions today remain how we can best prioritize implementation of biosecurity and close some of these transmission threats."
