Ohio became the sixth state where dairy cattle tested positive for HPAI, commonly known as bird flu. A news release from the Ohio Department of Agriculture reports presumptive positive results from dairy cows in Wood County.

According to officials, the cows arrived in Wood County on March 8 from a dairy in Texas. That dairy later reported a confirmed case of HPAI. The Ohio dairy operation alerted state officials when the livestock showed signs of illness.

According to the USDA, HPAI has now been detected in five other states, including:

  • Texas
  • Kansas
  • New Mexico
  • Idaho
  • Michigan

Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge explains that clinically sick dairy cattle from affected herds range from 1% to 20%, with an average of 10% of the milking herd affected. There are no confirmed reports of death loss in dairy cattle and most sick cows begin recovering within a few days.

Read more on the spread of HPAI in dairy herds here.