What’s new
- USDA issued a Federal Order requiring any person responsible for a dairy farm, bulk milk transporter, bulk milk transfer station, or dairy processing facility that sends or holds raw (unpasteurized) milk intended for pasteurization to allow APHIS or its cooperators to obtain raw milk in a quantity sufficient to test for HPAI virus. Additional information and resources related to this Federal Order and the related National Milk Testing Strategy are available on the USDA APHIS website: HPAI in Livestock | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
- There have not been any recent new detections of H5N1 in New Mexico.
Food supply safety
- FDA confirmed that dairy products remain safe to consume. Pasteurization (high heat treatment) kills harmful microbes and pathogens in milk, including the influenza virus.
- Routine testing and well-established protocols for New Mexico dairies will continue to ensure that only safe milk enters the food supply. In keeping with the federal Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), milk from sick cows must be collected separately and is not allowed to enter the food supply chain. This means affected dairy cows are segregated, as is normal practice with any animal health concern.
- Pasteurization is a process that kills harmful bacteria and pathogens. Pasteurization continues to be one of the most effective tools to inactivate bacteria and viruses in milk. Because milk in interstate commerce is required to be pasteurized, we do not have safety concerns about the pasteurized milk currently in the market.
- Dairies are required to send only milk from healthy animals into processing for human consumption; milk from impacted animals is being diverted or destroyed so that it does not enter the food supply.
- New Mexico consumers can remain confident in the safety and quality of dairy in the state.
- Farms producing retail raw milk have been notified, and no symptoms are currently present in New Mexico. Agencies are working with the raw milk industry to increase surveillance for sick cattle and utilize appropriate biosecurity measures.
- For the latest information on the ongoing work to ensure continued effectiveness of the federal-state milk safety system, be sure to check out updates on HPAI from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Biosecurity on farms
- Dairy farmers have implemented enhanced biosecurity protocols on their farms, limiting the amount of traffic into and out of their properties and restricting visits to employees and essential personnel.
- The National Dairy FARM Program (NDFP) offers several valuable biosecurity resources providing dairy farmers with tools to keep cattle and dairy businesses safe. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) continues to be made available to dairy producers for their workers upon request. These resources include:
- The commercial poultry industry has a long-standing history of enhanced biosecurity.
- The USDA-APHIS website offers information about HPAI.
- The USDA-APHIS “Defend the Flock Program” offers biosecurity tips.
- The USDA-APHIS website offers HPAI resources for producers.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers information about avian influenza and human health.
- The New Mexico Livestock Board offers information about import permits for shipments coming to New Mexico originating in the HPAI-impacted states.
Active monitoring program for dairy cattle
- Dairy herds interested in actively monitoring for the presence of HPAI in their herds are encouraged to contact the State Veterinarian or the USDA Area Veterinarian in Charge about enrolling in the USDA voluntary herd status program. This proactive program is free of charge to the dairy and allows for routine testing of the entire milking herd. Herds that achieve “monitored unaffected” status are allowed to move cattle interstate without any additional HPAI testing. All supplies are provided, and the cost of shipping is covered by the USDA. If the virus is detected in any herd, participation in this program helps to expedite return to unaffected status.
What to do if you notice symptoms on your farm
- Federal and state agencies are moving quickly to conduct additional testing for HPAI, as well as viral genome sequencing including characterization of the HPAI strain or strains associated with these detections.
- Accredited veterinarians who submit samples to National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) labs upon the State Veterinarian’s direction and approval are eligible to have the samples tested at no cost as part of the response.
- Dairy producers with affected cows are reporting rapid onset illness in herds, specifically among older, lactating cows. Clinical signs include:
- Decreased herd level milk production
- Acute sudden drop in production
- Decrease in feed consumption
- Abnormal feces and some fever
- Older cows may be more likely to be severely impacted than younger cows
- Clinical symptoms in poultry include:
- Sudden death
- Decreased food and water consumption
- Lethargy, respiratory distress
- Nasal discharge
- Purple discoloration or swelling around the legs and head
- A drop in egg production
- Diarrhea
- Producers who believe their animals are showing clinical signs described above should report these signs immediately to their veterinarian.
What to know going forward
- New Mexico consumers can remain confident in the safety and quality of dairy in the state.
- Members of the public can keep themselves safe by practicing basic food safety, such as making sure that meat and poultry products (like chicken, turkeys, ducks and other birds) and eggs are cooked to safe temperatures, selecting pasteurized milk products, as well as by avoiding any sick or dead birds.
- Human infections from HPAI are rare and the risk to the public is very low.
- There are also reports of HPAI being found in raw pet foods. To protect pets, members of the public should only provide cooked or appropriately heat-treated foods to their pets.
Updated on Jan. 9, 2025