Starting this week, Minnesota’s Board of Animal Health is requiring lactating dairy cattle to have negative Influenza A Test before going to fairs and exhibitions.

Ag Commissioner Thom Peterson says “a lot of times in the barns, people are close together and they share milking areas and machines.”

Petersen says many livestock shows happen in Minnesota over the summer and state leaders don’t want to cancel. And even if dairy farms aren’t showing cows this summer, he says herds should be tested for H5N1.

“We want to be as aggressive as we can right now, but we’re working with farmers to control this as much as we can.”

Minnesota has had four positive cases of H5N1 in livestock since March and Petersen tells Brownfield more positive cases are expected as testing becomes more widespread.

The dairy cow testing requirement for fairs and exhibitions will continue through the end of the year. Read more.

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