Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detections in Livestock

Last Modified: May 31, 2024
Dairy Cows

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and State veterinary and public health officials are investigating an illness among dairy cows.

As we learn more about this evolving situation, APHIS will continue to provide confirmatory testing for samples from livestock as well as guidance for producers, veterinarians, and state animal health officials. As the situation changes, we will continue to post updated information at the links below. 

Clarification Regarding Movement of Cattle Through Markets or Auctions to Slaughter, Under the April 24 Federal Order

Issued April 27, 2024

USDA APHIS continues to receive questions related to the movement of lactating dairy cattle to sale barns and auction markets under the Federal Order and associated guidance, effective on April 29.

This message is to clarify that the Federal Order does not apply to the intrastate movement of a lactating dairy cow to a sale barn. Subsequent interstate movement for a lactating dairy cow from a sale barn directly to a slaughter facility requires only a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) stating that the animal is clinically healthy; no testing is necessary. 

This clarifies the requirements for states where direct to slaughter movements are limited but cattle movements flow through sale barns and auctions for consolidation and movement as a "lot" to slaughter out of state. We are announcing this clarification over the weekend to ensure small farms have the guidance necessary to continue to move cull cattle and limit animal welfare issues.

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Confirmed Cases of HPAI in Domestic Livestock

*Data updated weekdays by 4 pm ET.

Map showing HPAI in Domestic Livestock - Affected States

Testing at National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) and National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) is complex; the number of tests conducted is not equivalent to animals tested. The testing figure may include multiple samples collected from a single animal, samples tested independently or pooled, samples tested more than once, and testing for purposes such as on farm research studies to continue to learn more about this virus in livestock. As such, the number of affected herds provides a much more accurate picture of the evolving situation than the number of tests conducted.

On April 24, USDA announced a Federal Order that requires mandatory testing prior to the interstate movement of lactating dairy cattle and mandatory reporting of positive influenza A test results in livestock. This testing is critical to increasing the information available to the USDA and to limiting potential virus spread through livestock movement.
(Testing information updated weekly on Wednesdays by 4 pm ET)

  • Total PCR tests run at NAHLN and NVSL (since April 24): pending
  • Pre-movement tests conducted under the Federal Order: 2,492
  • Genetic Sequences are available at Home - SRA - NCBI (Use search term “WGS of H5N1”)

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