(KNSI) — One day after the Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced an infection of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a Stearns County dairy herd, researchers from the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine says it received a $1.5 million cooperative agreement grant from the Department of Agriculture to work on collaborative projects aimed at understanding disease transmission and mitigating the impacts of HPAI on dairy herds and the broader agricultural industry.
In February 2022, a new variant of the highly contagious virus was detected in U.S. commercial and backyard poultry. Since then, it has spread to wild birds and an increasing number of mammals, with 68 confirmed human cases, including one fatality.
The virus was first confirmed in U.S. dairy cattle in early 2024, raising serious concerns for animal health, farm workers, and the dairy supply chain. While it has been far less lethal to cows than to poultry, the U says the virus’s potential to disrupt dairy production, and the increasing evidence of interspecies transmission highlight the need for immediate scientific investigation.
Scott Wells, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, is leading research efforts involving experts in virology, epidemiology, microbiology, veterinary medicine, and agricultural biosecurity. The grant-funded initiative will support nine projects aimed at strengthening national efforts to protect public health, food security, and the resilience of the U.S. dairy industry.
The research is starting as the national milk surveillance program is being rolled out, and as the USDA works to control the disease by identifying infected herds, enabling states to take targeted mitigation measures. In Minnesota, surveillance testing will be conducted at the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
“Minnesota is unique in having multiple really strong livestock and poultry industries, including turkey, swine, and dairy — and HPAI affects all of them,” said Wells. “The University of Minnesota is well-positioned to help address this challenge, with cutting-edge diagnostic capacities and experts working across industries to look at influenza from many different angles”
As the disease continues to pose challenges around the world, researchers say findings from the projects will be instrumental in shaping future surveillance, response, and prevention strategies. This research will provide insights needed to inform best practices for dairy producers, veterinary professionals and policymakers alike.
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