Beginning the week of February 24, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), working with state government and industry partners, will begin sampling and testing raw cow’s milk for the H5N1 flu virus to identify where the virus is present, monitor trends, and prevent its spread to unaffected dairy herds and poultry flocks around the state. A preliminary funding agreement with USDA makes this testing program possible.

The MDA will order the testing of raw milk samples already collected from each of Minnesota’s approximately 1,600 dairy farms on a monthly basis. These routinely collected bulk milk samples, which are taken before the pasteurization process, will be sub-sampled by industry labs and sent for H5N1 testing to the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (MVDL) at the University of Minnesota.

When a sample analysis shows the presence of influenza virus, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) will be notified to collect an additional verification sample to confirm the presence of the H5N1 virus on the identified farm. All non-negative samples will also be forwarded to the National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, for further confirmation and genetic typing. The BAH will also initiate a farm quarantine and disease investigation.

This testing plan is part of the National Milk Testing Strategy announced in December by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), which requires sampling and testing of all raw cow milk for H5N1.

Cases of H5N1 (avian influenza) in dairy cattle continue to be reported across the U.S.

Dairy farmers should monitor their herd and contact their veterinarian immediately if cows appear sick.