Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has spread to dairy cattle in Colorado. This marks the ninth state that has reported cases of HPAI in livestock. As of April 26, a total of 34 dairy cattle herds have been affected. One case in humans has been reported, a dairy cattle worker in Texas.
USDA said it will begin testing ground beef for H5N1 after it found fragments of the virus in retail milk samples. The agency maintains that fragments are not infectious, and pasteurization is likely to inactivate the virus.
USDA is working on three studies to test the beef supply:
• Sampling ground beef for signs of live virus at retail stores in states where cattle have tested positive.
• Sampling muscle tissue of culled cows condemned at USDA-inspected facilities.
• Conducting a beef cooking study to determine the log reduction of the virus at different cooking times.
Colombia became the first country to restrict U.S. beef imports because of the HPAI cases. The country banned fresh and frozen beef products from states reporting cases of HPAI in livestock. As of April 25, a total of nine states were listed as ineligible for export to Colombia on USDA’s website.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said the restrictions have no scientific basis. “The United States is Colombia’s largest supplier of imported beef, and Colombia’s attempt to suspend beef imports from specific U.S. states is unworkable and misguided,” the group said.
According to USMEF, the U.S. exported about $40 million in beef products to Colombia in 2023. — Anna Miller, WLJ managing editor
