“How do we protect our poultry flocks?” Texas dairy, poultry producers grapple with bird flu

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LUBBOCK — Just as quickly as the bird flu is spreading, the virus is changing.

Nearly three years ago, a flock of pheasants in Erath County became the first case of the bird flu in Texas. Since then, the bird flu has mutated across species — including humans — and plagued chickens and dairy cows in the state.

Across the country, dairy producers have had to dump milk to avoid contamination. Infected chickens have been killed, including millions of egg-laying hens, causing egg prices to skyrocket.

“It’s a supply and demand issue,” said JC Essler, executive vice president of the Texas Poultry Federation. “When we’re putting multiple flocks down, and our layer operations can be up to a million birds, you’re taking a substantial supply out of the market.”

The speed the virus is spreading — and the impacts it has on everyone’s wallets — is unlikely to change anytime soon.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 1,482 reported outbreaks in flocks across all 50 states and Puerto Rico, and 949 confirmed cattle cases in 16 states.

In Texas, the CDC confirmed 14 cases at poultry farms. Just one confirmed case was at a large-scale farm, with nearly 2,000,000 chickens. Other cases were among smaller flocks. Meanwhile, there were 27 confirmed cases at Texas diaries. The size of the herds was not available.

There are 67 human cases in 10 states and one death, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The second known case of a human contracting the virus was recorded in Texas last year.

Avian Influenza, or bird flu, is a contagious viral infection that most commonly affects wild birds, and spreads when they migrate. Wild birds spread the illness to poultry, cows and cats. Researchers say it can also spread when someone works on both poultry and dairy farms, and inadvertently tracks it between both. The Center for Disease Control reported the first human death in the U.S. from the bird flu earlier this month: a Louisiana resident who was hospitalized from the disease in December. In humans, symptoms can range from eye redness and mild fever to difficulty breathing and seizures.

Both poultry and dairy have big impacts on Texas’ economy. According to the Texas Poultry Federation, the industry contributes more than $5 billion to the economy every year. Dairy brings in even more — $53.8 billion annually.

Brian Bohl, director of field operations for Texas Animal Health Commission, said it’s unusual for the outbreak to last as long as it has. He also said the disease is evolving, and as Texas nears three years of the bird flu, he wonders what the impact will be in the near future.

“What is this going to look like going forward?” Bohl asked. “With respect to not only animal health, but our ability to feed our country. How do we protect our poultry flocks?”

Bohl said herd immunity will happen among dairy cows, and already is in some areas. There’s a high death rate for poultry, however. He said it may be time to talk to trade partners about the situation. Essler, with the Poultry Federation, said poultry farmers are taking extra steps to avoid letting the virus in their farms, such as washing vehicles as they come in and showering before and after entering facilities.

This way the disease has moved from species to species is causing more concern for researchers. Gerald Parker, associate dean for Global One Health at Texas A&M University, discussed the outbreak with Congress last year. Parker has followed the H5N1, or the bird flu, for 25 years. He was surprised last year when it spread into dairy cattle. He said he wasn’t expecting the virus to adapt to mammals, let alone be spread from mammal to mammal.

If human cases get more serious, or if human-to-human cases start happening, it would be cause for alarm in the U.S., Parker said.

“If we ever start seeing human-to-human transmission, that tells us the virus is adapting to humans,” Parker said. “That would not be a good sign.”

Increased concern about the spread of bird flu comes amid a presidential transition. The Trump administration has slowed official communications from federal health agencies that would otherwise alert the public to health emergencies.

And Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has touted his preference of raw milk, which dairy and health experts say can spread bird flu. Pasteurization — the heat-treatment process milk goes through to kill harmful bacteria — makes milk safe from things like E.coli, listeria, and salmonella. It also stops the bird flu from entering the milk supply for the general public.

“The increased market access of raw milk has been a consecutive issue since I started here 15 years ago,” said Darren Turley, executive director of Texas Association of Dairymen. “We’ve always gone with the CDC guidelines. Whatever sickness the cow has can be transferred to milk.”

While federal law prohibits the sale of raw milk across state lines, state laws dictate what is sold within state lines. In Texas, the law allows unpasteurized milk to be sold by farms who have a license from the Texas health department. Sales can only take place on the farm or through direct delivery, and the dairies are required to have their milk sampled on a quarterly basis.

A 2022 FDA study found that nearly 11 million people in the U.S. reported they drink raw milk at least once a year. Turley said people can choose to drink raw milk, but to consider the risks.

“We have a huge risk in what is happening with bird flu,” Turley said. “And, a lot of unanswered questions of what the disease is still going to do.”

Disclosure: Texas A&M University, Texas Association of Dairymen and Texas Poultry Federation have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.