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Milk Sample Testing for HPAI
Premovement Testing of Lactating Dairy Cattle:
For premovement testing, samples must be collected by (or under the supervision/ direction of) a licensed, accredited veterinarian or a State/Federal Animal Health Official. APHIS will reimburse for Influenza testing at NAHLN laboratories, provided all required information is included on the submission form. At this time, lactating dairy cattle moving interstate from states with “unaffected state status” are not required to be tested for HPAI prior to movement. USDA offers financial support to help dairy producers enhance biosecurity and offset costs associated with Influenza A testing, veterinary expenses, personal protective equipment purchases, milk disposal, and milk losses.
Sample Type
Milk samples from individual cows. Each quarter should be sampled and combined into one sample container for submission to the laboratory. Submissions must be between 3-10 ml of milk per animal.
Pooling of milk samples can be done only at the laboratory.
Timing
Sample collection and testing must take place no more than seven (7) days prior to interstate movement. Note: UKVDL turnaround time is 1-2 working days.
Submissions
Fill out the Influenza A in Livestock Submission Form (and continuation if needed): UKVDL_HPAI_FormLivestock 445.pdf
UKVDL_HPAI_ContinuationForm 445.pdf
The following information must be included on your form:
Owner and Farm name
Farm address
Premises Identification Number (Premise ID)
All Official ID numbers from the individual cows sampled
Sample Collection Date
Signature of Veterinarian or State/ Federal animal health official.
Packaging
Before sealing up the box, make sure:
Sample containers should be labelled with the official animal ID, or sample containers may be consecutively numbered (1,2,3...) corresponding
with official ID listed on paperwork (official ID must be on paperwork)
Paperwork is placed in the box in a resealable plastic bag
Enclose an icepack
Shipping
Ship overnight or hand-deliver to:
UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory 1490 Bull Lea Road, Lexington, KY 40511
Note: Producers must obtain test results from their accredited veterinarian (UKVDL cannot give out results to individuals, per the KY OSV)
Voluntary Testing of Cattle
Producers and veterinarians may choose to conduct additional testing to manage HPAI suspect or affected herds to better protect their herds. If this testing is performed at NAHLN laboratories, APHIS will support the testing costs provided they obtain a FAD number (for sick cattle) or include a premises ID and follow the testing guidance below. APHIS will reimburse for Influenza testing at NAHLN laboratories associated with this event for the following submission reasons:
Suspect cattle (Dairy cattle may experience a sudden drop in feed intake, a marked drop in herd level milk production with some more severely affected cows having thickened milk or may have essentially no milk, or respiratory signs including clear nasal
discharge. Suspect cattle may also include exposed cattle showing no clinical signs. )
Apparently healthy cattle that have been exposed to or epidemiologically linked to suspect or confirmed positive HPAI cattle
Cattle from producers concerned their cattle may have HPAI
Sick or dead domestic animals near affected premises
Wildlife (reason for submission must indicate emerging event)
Monitoring of healthy cattle via bulk tank samples (approved participation per protocol)
Consult most current USDA guidance: www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/aphis-requirements-recommendations-hpai-livestock.pdf
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-livestock