As highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to spread throughout the world, including on California dairy farms recently, experts on the subject from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine have taken great strides to educate the public and industry partners on the subject.
Since 2022, a new, highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 influenza or “bird flu” has spread worldwide. In the U.S. it has affected over 100 million birds and for the first time, spread into dairy cows and a small, but growing, number of people. At UC Davis, experts in One Health — an approach that considers the health of people, animals and the environment together — are on high alert.
Nothing but death
Dead silence met Marcela Uhart and her team when they arrived at the elephant seal colony at Punta Delgada, Patagonia on Oct. 10, 2023.
Dairy cows in California have a new requirement meeting them: a negative test for H5n1 or “bird flu.”
These tests are handled by the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System – the backbone of California's warning system that helps to protect the health of California's livestock and, thereby, the lives of Californians.
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.
Dr. Simone Stoute, professor in the Department of Population Health & Reproduction and branch chief of California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory - Turlock, was recently named the Scientist of the Year by the Pacific Egg and Poultry Association (PEPA).
In recognizing Dr. Stoute at the PEPA annual convention, poultry veterinarian Dr. Mark Bland praised her work, noting that she has an excellent reputation for her diagnostic acumen, is a leader in the laboratory, and is recognized by industry as a highly effective communicator.
Thanks to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant, a project at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine hopes to spark more interest in the field among high school students.
Pramod Pandey, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the School of Veterinary Medicine Extension at UC Davis, has been studying dairy digesters for over 20 years to understand the conversion of manure into renewable energy.
The California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) lab in Tulare has resumed their necropsy services in the nearby Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center (VMTRC).
The University of California and The Organic Center are collaborating on research to help organic orchard growers safely incorporate livestock grazing into their farming practices.
