The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has issued a General Quarantine Order for the Exhibition of Dairy Cattle that would take effect IF a case of Bovine Influenza A has been confirmed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and until Pennsylvania has been declared free from the disease by state health officials. This applies to all dairy cows traveling to shows and exhibitions.
The full order is attached here.
- In summary, all dairy cattle 18 months or older must be tested within seven (7) days of the date of arrival at the animal exhibition grounds. Lactating dairy cattle should be tested through a milk sample. Non-lactating cattle should be tested with a nasal swab.
- All tests should be conducted through the PADLS system and follow guidance issued by the NAHLN. Sample collection must be supervised by an accredited vet that has a VCPR (veterinarian-client-patient relationship) with the owner or caretaker of the animal.
- Prior to testing, dairy cattle shall have been part of a biosecure assembled group for a period of 30 days prior to the sample collection with no new cattle added to the herd.
- Any dairy cattle from a premise where animals are showing clinical signs of the disease or where Influenza A has been confirmed in dairy cattle OR domestic birds (poultry) are prohibited from entering an exhibition (or show) until the premise is declared free from the disease.
- Dairy cattle that have been on a premise within a three-kilometer area of another premise where Influenza A has been confirmed in domestic birds are also prohibited from entering an exhibition until State Animal Health Officials declare the area free of disease.
- Again, this Quarantine Order would take effect if a case of Bovine Influenza A is confirmed in Pennsylvania and would remain in effect until Pennsylvania is declared free from the disease. Click here to read the Quarantine Order.