Veterinary - HPAI Detections in Livestock
USDA APHIS Issues Federal Order to Limit Spread of HPAI
On April 24, 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), issued a Federal Order to prevent the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). HPAI is a contagious viral disease of domestic poultry and wild birds. HPAI is deadly to domestic poultry and can wipe out entire flocks within a matter of days. HPAI is a threat to the poultry industry, animal health, human health, trade, and the economy worldwide. In the US, HPAI has now been detected in dairy cattle. The Federal Order will go into effect April 29, 2024.
- Mandatory testing for dairy cattle moving across state lines (interstate movement)
All lactating dairy cattle moving out of North Carolina must have a negative test for Influenza A virus from an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network Laboratory (NAHLN) and an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) or other official movement documentation approved by the origin and recipient State Animal Health Officials (SAHOs). Rollins Lab in Raleigh, NC is a NAHLN laboratory. Note: Cattle moving directly to slaughter are exempt from the Influenza A testing requirement.
Owners of herds in which dairy cattle test positive will be required to provide epidemiological information, including animal movement tracing.
- Mandatory Reporting
Laboratories and state veterinarians must report positive Influenza A nucleic acid detection diagnostic results (e.g. PCR or genetic sequencing) in livestock to USDA APHIS.
Laboratories and state veterinarians must report positive Influenza A serology diagnostic results in livestock to USDA APHIS.
Negative Influenza A milk sample results. The test results are valid for 7 days from the date of collection.
An ICVI or SAHO-approved official documentation with individual official animal identification.
No positive Influenza A tests from any lactating cattle on the premises in the past 30 days.
Federal order is effective Monday, April 29, 2024.
The USDA clinical case definition includes the following: infected cattle may be asymptomatic or symptomatic. Virus is predominantly found in milk and mammary tissue.
Clinical signs may include: decreased feed consumption with a simultaneous decrease in rumination; respiratory signs including clear nasal discharge; and subsequent acute drop in milk production.
Additional signs may include abnormal tacky or loose feces, lethargy, dehydration, and fever. Severely affected cattle may have thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk or produce no milk at all.
USDA APHIS will cover the cost of testing animals at the NAHLN laboratories. USDA APHIS will not cover the costs of collecting or shipping samples.
NO: Clinical lactating dairy cattle are ineligible for interstate movement or movement to slaughter.
Movement from a NC premise (farm or market) across state lines directly to a packer requires an ICVI or SAHO-approved official documentation, but does not require a negative Influenza A test.
Cattle may move to a NC market from a NC farm without a CVI or negative influenza A test.
NO: Beef cattle and non-lactating dairy cattle (heifers, dry cows, and bull calves) are not currently subjected to the Federal Order.
The National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials (NASAHO) continues to work to obtain a consensus regarding a movement document and stipulations for direct-to-slaughter lactating dairy cattle crossing state lines without pre-movement testing as approved by USDA APHIS. This interstate direct-to-slaughter movement does not require testing, but does require official individual identification (such as 840 RFID tags or back tags) recorded on a document approved by both the origin and destination State Animal Health Officials (SAHOs), such as an ICVI or other approved document.
The South Carolina State Veterinarian, Dr. Michael Neault, has approved movements from NC to SC for direct-to-slaughter movements as of May 1, 2024. The following document is approved for NC to SC direct-to-slaughter movements.
NC to SC Direct to Slaughter Movement Document (May 2024)
Georgia has also approved movement from NC to GA for direct-to-slaughter movements as of May 8, 2024. The following document is approved for NC to GA direct-to-slaughter movements.
NC to GA Director to Slaughter Movement Document (May 2024)
Please note that any animal moving across state lines for any reason other than slaughter will require premovement testing as described by USDA APHIS. Additionally, please be aware that this movement document and guidance is current as of today and will be updated frequently. As new documents are released, previous documents will become obsolete and unofficial.
On April 29, 2024, USDA mandated several federal requirements for interstate movement of dairy cattle.
- Lactating dairy cattle are required to receive a negative test for Influenza A virus at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory using a NAHLN-approved assay.
- Negative test result must be within 7 days of movement.
- Animals may travel to their home herd using the same negative test result provided the exhibition, show, or sale does not exceed 10 days of length.
- Movement must be accompanied by an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI)
NCDA’s Recommendations to Minimize Influenza Transmission at Livestock Exhibitions
This page was last modified on 03/05/2025