cattle

Pasteurization is the only widely recognized method of killing H5N1, the virus that causes bird flu, in milk. However, pasteurization can be expensive and fewer than 50% of large dairy farms pasteurize waste milk.

Waste milk includes colostrum, the first milk after calving; milk from cows treated with antibiotics or other drugs; or any other factor that can make milk unsuitable and unsellable for human consumption. On farms, raw waste milk poses a potential risk of spreading avian flu, which so far has been confirmed in dairy cattle in 16 states.  

The American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (ACVPM) recently performed an on-site visit at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and granted full certification to two livestock residency programs. Veterinarians completing three-year residencies in Livestock Herd Health and Reproduction (LHHR) and Dairy Production Medicine (DPM) are now recognized by ACVPM for attaining eligibility to take their certifying examinations at the conclusion of their programs to become board certified in preventive veterinary medicine.

The discovery of fragments of avian flu virus in milk sold in U.S. stores, including in about 20% of samples in initial testing across the country, suggests that the H5N1 virus may be more widespread in dairy cattle than previously realized.