Dairy Cows Moved Across State Lines Must Now Be Tested for Bird Flu

THURSDAY, April 25, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- As bird flu continues to spread among dairy cows in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday it will start requiring testing of the animals if they are moved across state lines.

The "USDA has identified [bird flu] spread between cows within the same herd, spread from cows to poultry, spread between dairies associated with cattle movements and cows without clinical signs that have tested positive," the agency said in a news release announcing the moves to mandate both testing and the reporting of positive results.