Avian Flu Detected in Northern Nevada Dairy Cattle

By Kat Fulwider

On Jan. 24, the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) announced they detected Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in dairy cattle in Churchill County. The first case in the state was detected in Nye County in December.

The NDA said the sites affected have been quarantined and mandatory testing will occur until the herds are virus-free.

Nevada state veterinarian, Peter Rolfe, said the risk to humans remains very low and meat and dairy products are safe to consume, as long as they are pasteurized. He also reminds people to follow food safety guidelines and cook meat to a minimum internal temperature.

“The pasteurization process does eliminate the virus from those products. So it's really important to remember that all dairy products should be pasteurized before consumption,” Rolfe said.

According to the NDA, raw milk is illegal in Nevada.

Rolfe said they will continue to monitor herds for symptoms of the virus, which include decreased milk production and lower feed consumption.