NEW ULM — In an effort to reduce the risk of the H5N1 avian influenza in lactating dairy cows at show events, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (MBAH) announced new testing requirements June 18.

All lactating (currently producing milk) dairy cows must have a negative H5N1 test result and Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) to attend any Minnesota exhibition. The requirements are effective until Dec. 31, 2024.

University of Minnesota Administrative Specialist Aimee Powers of Lyon County said the testing requirements will involving the county and state fairs will be challenging.

“We have to have dairy cows who are milking tested within a week of the fair and then the same for the state fair. It will be tricky because it’s a three-day turnaround. Part way through the fair, they will have to send another test up to the U (University of Minnesota) to be checked,” Powers said.

“While H5N1 influenza in dairy cases (retail stores) are still being studied across the country, initial insights show milk and the udders are a hotspot for influenza virus on infected cows, which makes showing lactating dairy at events a higher risk. Requiring a negative test before an exhibition reduces that risk,” said MBAH Senior Veterinarian of Cattle Programs, Dr. Katie Cornille.

A veterinarian must oversee or collect samples from each animal traveling to the exhibition within seven days before arriving at the event. Samples must be sent to the National Animal Health Laboratory Network Laboratory like the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (VDL) in St. Paul.

After a negative test result is received for an animal, it can move within Minnesota for 10 days from the sample collection date to locations specified on the CVI.

If influenza samples are positive, the VDL will notify the MBAH of the results. Producers will be contacted to quarantine the cows and begin a disease investigation.

Influenza samples are forwarded to the USDA National Veterinary Services Lab for official confirmation, which is needed for owners to apply for federal financial reimbursement.

All results are confidential. The MBAH will only report the county where a case is detected.

Lactating dairy cows on premises are under a 30-day quarantine that can be released after a minimum of 30 days and a negative H5N1 milk test.

The Minnesota Department of Health reported H5N1 was detected in Minnesota dairy cattle on June 4. Currently, there is no human detection in Minnesota.

Brown County Public Health Director Jaimee Brand said based on information available at this time, the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) current H5N1 bird flu human risk assessment is low.

Brand said four human cases of H5N1 infection associated with the U.S. dairy cow outbreak have been reported in the United States. She added that Minnesota has had 135 commercial poultry farms, 37 backyard poultry flocks, eight dairy farms and one goat herd associated with positive H5N1 tests.

She said the CDC made a number of H5N1 recommendations.

“People should avoid exposures to sick or dead animals, including wild birds, other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals (including cows), if possible. People should also avoid exposure to animal feces, bedding (litter), raw milk or materials that have been touched by, or close to, birds or other animals suspected of or confirmed of having the H5N1 virus,” Brand said.

The CDC recommends personal protective equipment (PPE) for those who work with any infected or potentially infected animals.

Farmers, workers, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and responders should wear recommended PPE such as an N95 filtering face-piece respirator, eye protection, gloves, and thoroughly wash hands after contact with poultry and animals.

The MDH recommends people not prepare or eat uncooked or under-cooked food, such as unpasteurized (raw) milk products, from animals with suspected or confirmed Avian Influenza infection.

For the latest update on H5N1 livestock cases, visit www.bah.state.mn.us/hpai/