WED AM News: UW expert urges dairy operators to watch out for bird flu signs in cattle; Farmers planting oat crop as snow, rain limits fieldwork

April 3, 2024

— A UW-Madison expert is urging dairy farm operators to watch out for signs of bird flu in their cows after cases of the virus were reported in herds in Kansas, Texas and Michigan.

While no cattle in the state have tested positive for the disease, according to DATCP, the agency is preparing for the possibility that it will hit dairy farms in Wisconsin.

Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, says the disease seems to be spreading from birds to cows, rather than between cows.

“Migratory birds are bringing this highly pathogenic avian influenza to cows, mostly infecting those that are later in their milk cycle … Investigations are currently underway in Michigan to determine if the disease was spread from cow to cow, or if birds remain the cause of spread,” he said in a release from UW-Madison.

Poulsen notes this strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, has been around since 2022.

“We need this virus to burn out of the environment,” he said. “We aren’t seeing it impact our domestic poultry flocks in Wisconsin during spring migration as of yet, so that’s good news for our poultry farmers. But other states are, and migration isn’t done yet, so we are watching very closely.”

Infected cows are eating less and displaying lethargic activity while producing less milk, according to the university. The milk they do produce is thicker and yellow in color, and many cows with the virus have body temperature between 103 and 106 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to the normal temperature of about 101.5 degrees.

“We want to hear about it rather than wait and see, because we want to know early if the virus is in Wisconsin,” Poulsen said. “If we get tests quickly, it also helps us minimize any spread and keep track of if that virus changes.”

Meanwhile, a DATCP spokesperson said the agency is following the spread of bird flu in cattle “very closely” and working with industry members and partner agencies to ready a response.

“It is important to know that normal practices on a dairy segregate sick animals from healthy milk cows, their milk does not enter the bulk tank,” the spokesperson said in an email. “If milk from a sick animal somehow entered the food supply, pasteurization would be sufficient to destroy influenza virus if present, as would properly cooking meat and poultry products.”

Although one person has reportedly been infected with bird flu in Texas after coming in contact with cattle, according to a New York Times article, Poulsen stresses the virus poses “a very low risk to public health” at this point.

UW-Madison notes there are currently no restrictions on moving animals between states, but DATCP says any cows being newly introduced to herds should be isolated first.

See the release and DATCP’s page on the virus.

— Wisconsin farmers have begun planting this year’s oat crop even as snow and rain across the state has limited fieldwork.

The state had just 1.2 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sunday, according to the USDA’s first crop progress report of 2024. It notes snow delayed work in the state’s northern region while rain has interfered with farm operations in southern Wisconsin.

Still, both topsoil and subsoil have relatively high levels of moisture, rated 62% and 55% adequate, respectively.

Meanwhile, the oat planting process was 2% complete as of Sunday, while spring tillage was 3% complete.

See the full report.

— Exact Sciences and Workflow Services have forged a new agreement aimed at informing patients about colon cancer screening.

The two Madison-based companies recently announced the partnership, which will leverage Workflow Services’ point-of-care service platform in pharmacy environments.

Pharmacists will be able to use the platform to educate their patients about options for colorectal cancer screening, such as Exact Sciences’ Cologuard test, according to the release.

Colorectal cancer, when caught in its early stages, is “highly treatable” in about 90% of cases, according to the announcement. Many eligible patients don’t get screened for the disease, including those with limited access to primary care or local clinics. But the release notes many of those same patients visit their pharmacist regularly.

Kevin Houlihan, president and CEO of Workflow Services and Madison-based ImageMover, says pharmacies are playing a growing role as local community health care destinations.

He notes the “hardest-to-reach populations” are seeing their pharmacist once a month, compared to only once a year for their primary care provider, if they even have one.

“When you consider that public-opinion polls consistently rank pharmacists as one of the most trusted professions in the country, a possible cancer screening is an important message for them to share with the patients they see,” he said in a statement.

Workflow Services was developed by ImageMoverMD, an existing image management business launched in 2013. The FDA last year selected Workflow Services for its Diagnostic Data Program, which collects information from point-of-care tests conducted in pharmacies across the country.

For more of the most relevant health care news, reports on groundbreaking research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics and WisBusiness.com.

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— The UWM Foundation has received a $1.3 million donation from the The Kohler Trust for Clean Water to help fund UW-Milwaukee’s research vessel.

Thanks to this donation, the university’s School of Freshwater Sciences is now within $3.5 million of its $20 million goal to build the vessel. The Research Vessel Maggie Sue would be the most advanced floating research platform on the Great Lakes, and the first built specifically to study these bodies of water.

Once complete, it could help researchers identify contaminants in the water, address invasive species, understand nutrient runoff, predict changes in the lakes and more — all while providing educational opportunities for students.

“The science that will take place aboard the decks of the RV Maggi Sue will improve our ability to explore, understand and manage North America’s most valuable freshwater resource,” School of Freshwater Sciences Dean Rebecca Klaper said in a statement.

See the release.

— The Wisconsin Technology Council has announced 25 finalists in this year’s Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, representing startups working in advanced manufacturing, life sciences and other sectors.

These contestants were selected through two rounds of judging, and will compete in the finalist round of this year’s contest.

“Young companies such as those advancing in this year’s contest are examples of innovation that cuts across industry sector lines in Wisconsin,” said Gary Frings, chair of the 57-member board of directors for the Tech Council.

Finalists are building companies around drones and AI, lead detection in drinking water, food supply chain inspection, detecting birth defects, pest monitoring for crops and much more. Each will submit a 15-minute pitch deck for review by dozens of judges, and the top 12 business plans will be chosen to present in June at the 2024 Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference.

See more on the contest.

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