Dairy farms are urged to implement biosecurity plans to prevent the spread of bird flu in dairy cattle as the wild bird migration approaches. Although the virus has affected 192 dairy farms across 13 states, it hasn’t reached the Northeast or mid-Atlantic. Pennsylvania’s state veterinarian, Dr. Alex Hamberg, emphasizes the need for enhanced health surveillance on dairy farms.

At Ag Progress Days, Pennsylvannia’s agriculture department distributed biosecurity worksheets developed by the FARM program, now tailored for dairy farms. Only 20 of the state’s dairy farms currently have biosecurity plans on file.

Implementing biosecurity plans is crucial to allow quarantined farms to continue operations. The strain affecting dairy farms, H5N1 2.3.4.4B substrain B3.13, has not been found in wild birds in the Atlantic Flyway. Biosecurity measures, such as restricting nonessential farm visits and monitoring cattle, are essential to prevent its spread.

Read more on preparations for the annual wild bird migrations here.