H5N1 Precautions on Dairy Farms

As government agencies continue to track the recent H5N1 outbreak, livestock producers including dairy farms are carefully monitoring its developments and any potential impacts to their operations. While lactating dairy cattle can contract H5N1, the illness is treatable and not known to cause mortalities. It has been estimated that milk production for impacted cows can be reduce by about 20 percent for three to five weeks before returning to normal levels. As a precaution, the USDA encourages swift action by dairy farmers who notice a reduction a cow’s appetite and milk production by contacting a veterinarian for proper testing and diagnosis.

Producers planning to move cattle on or off their operation will also need to take extra precautions. Some states like Nebraska are placing restrictions on importing dairy cattle, so farmers planning to transport cattle across state lines will need to be aware of any possible restrictions.

Consult with your veterinarian and reference recommendations and information from the USDA as the situation progresses.

If you choose to limit visitors for increased biosecurity, know Compeer Financial is here to serve you wherever you need us to be – on the farm, in the office or online – to keep your farm thriving.