State agricultural regulators and federal veterinary officials have confirmed the first detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Washington state dairy cattle, placing two commercial herds in Yakima County under mandatory quarantine.
Movement of cattle off the premises has been halted indefinitely to prevent transmission to neighboring operations in the Yakima Valley, which contains the highest density of commercial milk production in Washington.
However, cows returning to lactation often experience permanently reduced milk production for the remainder of their current lactation cycle, presenting lingering financial losses for affected dairy producers even after viral clearance is achieved.
Under the Grade "A" Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, dairy farmers are legally prohibited from routing milk from diseased animals into the bulk milk stream, ensuring that milk from symptomatic cows never leaves the farm.
Health authorities are providing symptom logs to exposed workers, monitoring for conjunctivitis, fever, cough, and sore throat.
Agricultural regulators have quarantined two Yakima County dairy herds after confirming the first cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Washington cattle.