(Missourinet) – A federal order has begun that requires lactating dairy cattle, including in Missouri, to test negative for the highly infectious avian influenza before traveling inside and outside of the United States. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the virus was first detected in dairy cows in March and has been found in more than 30 herds in 8 states, including neighboring Kansas.
“We’re now seeing cow to cow and we’re also seeing cow to poultry facility. So, we just need to constrain movement of potentially infected cattle across state lines,” says Vilsack.
Under the order, a cow that tests positive for the virus, won’t be allowed to move until a negative test following a 30-day waiting period. The second part of the order will require reporting of all positive test results in livestock to the USDA.
