The Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) has awarded $135,000 from the Rapid Agricultural Response Fund (RARF) to support two research projects in response to recent outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in livestock.
HPAI was first detected in a dairy herd in Texas in March of 2024, with subsequent cases confirmed in livestock herds across 12 states. As of early July 2024, HPAI has been confirmed in four dairy herds in Minnesota.
The RARF-funded projects integrate discovery and applied science with end-user extension and education. Led by multidisciplinary teams from the College of Veterinary Medicine, the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and University of Minnesota Extension, funded projects include:
Targeted ecosystem sampling for transmission risk assessment of H5N1 in livestock - This project investigates how H5N1 influenza A virus spreads among livestock and potentially into poultry. By sampling dairy environments, the team aims to develop strategies for mitigating virus transmission in shared ecosystems. Research team lead: Joe Armstrong.
Determining the time to recovery from high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in dairy herds.
Summary: This study focuses on understanding the time required for dairy herds to produce virus-free milk, restore milk production levels, and eliminate H5N1. It will also explore factors affecting recovery time and milk production losses. Research team lead: Cesar A. Corzo.