Interested producers can enroll in the HPAI Dairy Herd Status Program by contacting their APHIS Area Veterinarian in Charge or State animal health official. A herd monitoring plan for sample collection and testing is developed in concert with the producer, State, and APHIS officials. The date of first sample receipt at the NAHLN laboratory will be considered the participation start date. The producer may decide to cancel participation in the program at any time unless otherwise required by State regulations or a State herd plan. The cancellation should be in writing to an APHIS Veterinary Services representative or a State representative.

Once a producer enrolls, a written herd and/or premises monitoring plan will be developed between APHIS Veterinary Services in collaboration with the herd owner and State animal health officials. The plan will include biosecurity, movement, sampling, and testing parameters. The herd monitoring plan will become effective after it is reviewed by the National Incident Commander or their designee and signed by the APHIS Veterinary Services representative, the State representative, and the herd owner.

• During provisional enrollment, a herd must have 3 consecutive weeks of negative test results from a National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory on bulk tank milk samples collected on-farm.
• In the third week, additional samples must be collected to represent lactating cattle on the premises that are not contributing milk for human consumption (for example, lactating animals isolated to a sick pen, newly freshened).
• Once the herd status is established, the producer will continue to arrange for collection and submission of milk samples for weekly testing per their established herd monitoring plan. Weekly samples will represent all animals in the milking strings and do not need to include samples from animals not contributing to the bulk tank milk.
• Provided all samples are negative, no additional premovement testing will be required for the animals in the herd while in a Monitored Unaffected status.
• Data have shown the sensitivity of 3 consecutive weeks of bulk tank milk testing representing the milking herd is high. Additional analyses have shown that positive results occur prior to widespread clinical illness in the herd. Therefore, it is unlikely that including milk from sick or newly freshened cows during the maintenance phase of the program would significantly increase the chance of detecting an affected herd.
• State or Federal animal health officials may review required documentation and sample collection procedures at any time.
• Producer/producer representative shall continue to monitor the herd for clinical signs consistent with HPAI in dairy cattle.

Below are the steps to clear your herd and regain Monitored Unaffected status after a positive test result:

• An epidemiological investigation will be prioritized for any previously Provisional or Monitored Herd, enabling subsequent movement restrictions for low-risk animals to resume as soon as possible.
• On-farm samples are collected and submitted to a NAHLN laboratory for 2 consecutive weeks of negative test results.

• Concurrent with the second weekly negative test results, the producer will collect and submit samples composed of pooled milk from all lactating cows in the sick and fresh pens. This test must also be negative.

• The herd shall demonstrate an absence of all of the following for at least 2 weeks:
  • Clinical signs
  • Production changes (such as unusual drop in milk production) associated with HPAI in cattle
  • Herd illness (in particular mastitis and respiratory disease) rates above expected seasonal baseline levels

While a herd is in monitored affected herd status, the herd will not be able to move lactating animals as outlined in the Federal Order (149.89 KB) and associated guidance.