Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
12/14/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/14/2025 15:02
December 14, 2025: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Wisconsin in Dodge County Dairy Herd
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2025
Contact: Molly Mueller, Public Information Officer, (608) 910-1929, [email protected]
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has identified a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a dairy herd in Dodge County. This is the first detection of HPAI in dairy cattle in Wisconsin.
Samples were tested by the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories. DATCP is working to respond in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state partners.
The affected farm has been quarantined, and any cattle exhibiting signs of illness will be separated for further treatment. Per USDA, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or consumer health as products are pasteurized prior to entering the market. The CDC considers the human health risk for this virus to be low.
DATCP encourages cattle and poultry owners to register their premises. State law requires that all livestock owners register where their animals are kept, and registration helps animal health officials communicate with owners during disease outbreaks. Future updates will be sent to emails associated with livestock or poultry registered premises.
Livestock and poultry owners are encouraged to continue monitoring their herd and flock health, and practice good biosecurity. To report signs of illness, follow the instructions on the DATCP Animal Disease Reporting webpage or contact DATCP at (608) 224-4872 (business hours) or (800) 943-0003 (after hours and weekends). Signs of HPAI in dairy cattle include:
- Reduced feed intake with concurrent decreased rumen motility
- Drop in herd-level milk production or increase in milk conductivity, affected cows may have no milk
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Changes in manure, often reported to be dry or tacky
DATCP Resources
- DATCP HPAI in Dairy Cattle webpage: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/AvianInfluenzaCattle.aspx
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Sign up to receive email updates about HPAI in dairy cattle in Wisconsin: https://service.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIDATCP/subscriber/new
Additional Resources
- USDA Recommendations for HPAI in Livestock: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/recommendations-hpai-livestock.pdf
- USDA HPAI Detections in Livestock: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/hpai-confirmed-cases-livestock
- USDA Release on the Federal Order: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-actions-protect-livestock-health-highly-pathogenic-h5n1-avian
- CDC interim recommendations for prevention, monitoring, and public health investigations: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/hpai-interim-recommendations.html
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FDA Updates on HPAI: https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/updates-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-hpai
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Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection published this content on December 14, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on December 14, 2025 at 21:03 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]