While the virus has not been detected in Pennsylvania dairy herds, the transmission from birds to cattle is causing concerns for local farmers, who already face challenges with the labor shortage and the price of goods.

Although the virus is often fatal in poultry, infected cattle can generally recover in full with minimal long-term health effects, according to Cassie Yost, a Penn State Extension dairy educator.

“It’s not a death sentence in cattle like it is for poultry,” Yost added.

The main concern for infected dairy cattle is a “severe drop in milk production,” Yost said.

Dairy cows from Unsre Kee Farm graze along Cove Lane Rd. in Taylor Township on April 25. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

While there are no medications specifically manufactured to treat the virus in cattle, most animals can recover with typical “supportive care,” Yost said.

For cattle that are infected, the primary symptoms are a decrease in appetite and thickened or discolored milk, according to Yost.

Threat taken seriously

At Vale Wood Farms in Loretto, farm employees are taking the threat of the virus “very seriously,” said director of business development Carissa Westrick.

As a small, family-run dairy farm, they feel an obligation to treat their customers — and cows — with utmost care, Westrick said.

“We process milk from our own herd of cows, who are an extension of our own family, and obviously it’s our goal to keep them safe and healthy in all circumstances,” Westrick said.

This includes “refreshing” current biosecurity measures, she said.

Farm biosecurity measures include a range of practices designed to limit the cow-to-cow and cow-to-human spread of disease, including sanitizing farm tools, limiting wildlife interaction and regularly testing milk for pathogens.

“We have always had a closed herd, which means that we don’t buy animals from outside sources in order to minimize potential disease exposure,” Westrick said.

Vale Wood also participates in the Mid-Atlantic Secure Milk Supply Project, Westrick noted, which is a 12-state cooperative effort to limit the spread of dairy diseases by regulating the transport of unprocessed milk products.

The Cambria County farm has also received support from the Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence, Westrick said, which has provided education resources to dairy operations across the state.

Westrick said they will continue to monitor new developments, herd health and biosecurity policies to stay compliant and keep their cows healthy.

Farm products remain safe

As for consumers, there is no risk when it comes to buying store-bought milk products since they are subject to pasteurization requirements, according to health officials.

“Commercial dairy products are safe for consumption, and are not a source by which the virus could be spread,” said Ashley Fehr, director of PDA’s Bureau of Market Development. “The FDA has conducted studies that concluded that no active virus remains in pasteurized milk.”

Health officials said there’s little risk to the U.S. commercial milk or egg supply. Milk from sick cows must be diverted or destroyed and commercial milk is heat-treated or pasteurized to kill bacteria and viruses.