Cher was giving Christina Brownlee kisses with her long, black and pink tongue. At well over 1,500 pounds, the cow — named Cher for her propensity to bellow, as well as maneuver to the front of a crowd — is part of a herd of cattle at University of Arizona’s campus agricultural center in the heart of Tucson.
Brownlee, a professor at UA’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said she and other researchers refer to the cows living at the agricultural center as “grass puppies.” Cher and the other cows in the Tucson herd are neither beef nor dairy cows; rather, students training to be vets learn to care for and handle them. But Cher is still under threat: from a virus.
The first confirmed case of bird flu in cattle in Arizona was in mid-February in Maricopa County. Bird flu or avian flu is a generic name for a variety of viruses. Currently, the strain H5N1 is responsible for outbreaks in poultry, wild birds, and now cattle.
The Arizona Department of Health Services is collaborating with the Arizona Department of Agriculture “in the response to avian influenza and will continue to monitor influenza activity in Arizona in collaboration with local health departments. While the risk to the general public remains low, workers and individuals that may be at risk for exposure to avian influenza should follow public health guidance,” said Nicole Witt, the department of health services assistant director of preparedness in a Nov. 14 news release.
Brownlee says there needs to be more and more clear guidance for Arizona’s cattle industry, not only to protect herds, but the ranchers who rely on them and the public that consumes dairy and beef, and to slow the interspecies spread of the virus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, at least 70 people in the United States have been infected with the virus so far, and one person has died. There have been no recorded cases in humans in Arizona, according to the CDC.
Throughout the country, millions of poultry have been affected, leading to the killing of almost 150 million chickens. That has led to spiking egg prices. Wild birds and house cats have also been infected.
Cattle have been infected in 17 states, with almost 1,000 herds affected as of early March. In the last 30 days, as of March 6, there have been confirmed cases in four states, including Arizona.
Brownlee said the first case in Arizona cattle was the D1.1 strain. It wasn’t a new strain, “which is good,” Brownlee said. “As the viruses change, that’s when we worry about them jumping species.
The Arizona Department of Agriculture reached out to Arizona Luminaria after publication specifying, “the genotype in Texas was slightly different from the one found in Arizona.”
While Brownlee repeatedly emphasizes that “our food is safe,” she says drinking raw milk poses a much greater risk. But being safe now doesn’t mean that things couldn’t quickly change for the worse.
According to a Dec. 6 press release, the state health department is:
- Working with local, state, and federal partners to monitor bird flu in farm animals and people who work closely with poultry and dairy cows.
- Distributing protective gear to farm workers who have contact with infected animals.
- Helping ensure individuals with symptoms of or exposure to bird flu have access to testing and treatment; providing prophylactic treatment to individuals who may have been exposed to bird flu.
- Conducting timely public education efforts to ensure those impacted have information about avian influenza.
“There’s no emergency plan for this right now,” Brownlee says of the outbreak. She pointed specifically to the State Veterinarian’s Office of Arizona’s Department of Agriculture, saying they should be doing more to inform both the public and producers about the threats and precautions that could be taken.
Arizona Luminaria reached out to the veterinarian’s office. They did not respond.
“It’s like a fire off in the distance. Let’s see if it fizzles out, goes away,” she said. “But if we know anything about viruses, they don’t go away. They just change.”
One of Arizona’s Five Cs
Arizona has long been known for its cattle industry, which has both led to the state’s financial success and imperiled its ecosystems from over-grazing.
According to statistics kept by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are about a million cows in Arizona.
Bird flu
• Track the spread of bird flu here. Or stay up to date specifically on bird flu in cattle here.
• Symptoms include: pink eye (conjunctivitis), fever, fatigue, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and stuffy or runny nose.
• Learn how to take precautions to protect against infection or spread.
• Ranchers and producers can find more information here.
• Get more info and guidance from Arizona’s Department of Agriculture and get more info specifically about dairy worker safety.
Brownlee said that despite the cattle industry’s importance to the state, there hasn’t been a lot of guidance about how to respond to the threats of the bird flu. Nor has there been additional funding, she says, gently pushing away Cher’s big head again.
That paucity of guidance is why Brownlee is launching a survey for Arizona cattle ranchers. She said producers have struggled to get information that is reputable. “I’m researching this, trying to figure out how we can help producers with their biosecurity protocols,” Brownlee said.
According to the survey’s introduction, “The ongoing situation, which has significantly impacted livestock trade across the United States, underscores the rapid adaptability of the virus and the necessity for prompt action to prevent further spread.”
Brownlee hopes ranchers recognize that same urgency and start taking precautions.
Most critically, that would include greater biosecurity practices and more consistent testing, Brownlee says.
Brownlee defined biosecurity as basically knowing who and what comes onto a farm.
“A lot of agricultural facilities have tried to open their doors up to expose people to agriculture,” Brownlee said, such as schoolchildren taking field trips to see milk cows. “That’s great education, but that also opens them up to a huge biosecurity risk,” Brownlee said.
She also said cattle are curious. If someone drops something over a fence, the cows will go and check it out.
As if on cue, Peach — a smaller cow with a rufous-brown coat and a twisting cowlick on the top of her huge head — snapped her attention to Arizona Luminaria’s photographer, appearing ready to swallow his camera.
“The ag industry wants to be transparent about how the animals are being treated, but flu threats make us need to be more secure,” Brownlee said.
United Dairymen of Arizona have begun suggesting putting on biohazard suits when directly managing cattle, Brownlee said. Cooperatives like UDA have taken their own precautions, and Brownlee says they’ve been reimbursing the costs for individual producers testing for bird flu. Brownlee said that the state, too, has been reimbursing some test costs.
But, she emphasized, with a changing, species-jumping virus on the horizon, both the state and individual producers need to do more to safeguard their herds.
Clarifications: The Arizona Department of Agriculture reached out after publication to specify that “the genotype in Texas was slightly different from the one found in Arizona.” The article has been updated to reflect that information.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print.
