Some Texas Cows Now Have Bird Flu- What Does This Mean For Milk?

Some cows in Kansas, Texas, and New Mexico now have Bird Flu, the disease caused by avian influenza. The cows were identified by their symptoms- loss of appetite, less milk produced, and that tell-tale sign of "manure changes" we associate with having the flu. The disease is not herd-wide, with only about 10* of affected herds sick.

The milk from the cows affected was dumped and did not reach stores, so there is no concern to consumers , according to the USDA. Additionally, commercial milk is pasteurized, which kills pathogens like flu.

The samples tested also did not show any mutations to the virus that would make it more easily spread to people in other ways besides consuming the milk.

Unless you drink raw milk from a sick cow (or goat, in Minnesota) your likelihood of getting bird flu from affected livestock is very low. However, this outbreak could affect your enjoyment of dairy in other ways. 

Texas ranks high in nationwide milk production. This hit to some dairy cows could result in a dip in production for area farms for a couple of weeks while the cows recover. A small spike in prices could happen, but luckily it shouldn't be too significant and it shouldn't last too long.

Luckily, the cows appear to be recovering on their own, unlike an outbreak in poultry which requires the culling of the flock affected. Bird flu kills many millions of farm poultry during major outbreaks- in 2022 over 50 million birds were killed.