US requires bird flu tests for dairy cattle moving between states
April 25, 2024
The U.S. government will require dairy cattle moving between states to be tested for bird flu starting on Monday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Wednesday, as federal officials ramp up their response to an outbreak in herds.
Vilsack said all laboratories and state veterinarians in the country must report positive tests, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would pay for increased testing.
The measures aim to boost USDA’s understanding of the virus and contain the spread of the disease that has infected 33 dairy herds across eight states over the past month.