Minnesota state officials take steps to stop spread of bird flu in cows

LAKE LILLIAN, Minnesota — Concerns about the spread of bird flu are spreading to the dairy cow industry.

Earlier this spring, the H5N1 virus was detected in three dairy herds in Minnesota. The virus has not been fatal to cows, but it has prompted state officials to take unprecedented steps to stop the spread.

“I had it last year. These particular farms had bird flu. And it was a disaster,” Jake Vlaminck said.

It’s been a year since Vlaminck’s Lake Lillian farm was hit by avian flu. By increasing his poultry production, he made a visible change.

“Since we installed these lasers, we haven’t had any problems,” Vlaminck said.

The laser keeps away ducks, geese and other migratory birds, the main carriers of H5N1. Vlaminck believes other turkey farmers will follow suit. Indeed, lawmakers recently approved funding for wild bird deterrents — like coyote and owl decoys, noise generators and lasers — which Vlaminck says are the most effective.

“You can see it up there. But it moves around and the best part is it moves so much the birds don’t get used to it,” said Vlaminck, who is also president of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association . .

As poultry farmers take action, dairy farmers are facing new requirements after some cows in central and southern Minnesota tested positive.

Starting Tuesday, all lactating dairy cows in Minnesota must test negative for H5N1 in order to attend shows, county fairs and even the state fair.

A veterinarian must collect test results within seven days of a dairy cow’s participation in an event. A positive test means a lactating cow would be subject to a 30-day quarantine.

“I’ve been running it non-stop the whole time it’s been installed. And it hasn’t missed a beat,” Vlaminck said.

Vlaminck is encouraged by his new tool and by the measures taken by the state to protect livestock.

“The more testing there is, the more information we can share between all the different sectors of agriculture, the better it will be for everyone to try to keep this H5N1 away from our livestock,” Vlaminck said.

Dairy cows that test negative can travel through Minnesota for 10 days. Cows testing positive have been removed from the milk and feed supply and the USDA states the milk is drink safely because of pasteurization.