State, Local, Tribal Gov't

OMB Approved 0579-0494, expires XX/XXXX

HPAI Response
Dairy Herd Monitoring Plan

HPAI Response

Dairy Herd Monitoring Plan
Please note: This is an agreement for herds to enroll in the HPAI Dairy Herd Status Program. These procedures may be
revised as the situation develops.

PREMISES INFORMATION
National Premises ID (PIN)
State Abbreviation
County

Select State

Special ID (if applicable)
Premises (where cattle reside)
Premises Owner Name
Premises Name
Premises Address
Premises Phone No.
Contact Person (if different from Premises Owner)
Contact Name
Contact Phone No.
Contact Email Address
Animal Owner (if different from Premises Owner)
Owner Name
Owner Address
Owner Phone No.
Business Owner (if different from Premises Owner)
Business Owner Name
Authorized Representative
(if applicable)

Business Owner Address
OWNER/OPERATOR
Signature: _________________________________________________ Date: ____________
VS INCIDENT COMMANDER

or

DISTRICT DIRECTOR/AVIC

Signature: _________________________________________________ Date: ____________
STATE INCIDENT COMMANDER

or

STATE VETERINARIAN

Signature: _________________________________________________ Date: ____________
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HPAI Response
Dairy Herd Monitoring Plan

This is a written herd and/or premises agreement developed between USDA APHIS Veterinary
Services (VS) and
(Insert name of State Agency) (hereafter, "the State" or "State") with input from
(Insert name of Herd Owner and/or Premises
Owner) (hereafter, "the Owner" or "Owner"). This herd will be handled in accordance with any
regulations and/or requirements.
additional Select State
This agreement establishes conditions for which producers may enroll in the HPAI Dairy Herd
Status Program, which provides alternative testing and movement options to those in the
guidance (APHIS Requirements and Recommendations for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
(HPAI) H5N1 Virus in Livestock, originally published on April 26, 2024).
The Owner may decide to cancel participation in the HPAI Dairy Herd Status Program at any
time unless otherwise required by State regulations or a State herd plan. The cancellation
should be in writing to a VS or State representative. This HPAI Dairy Herd Monitoring Plan may
be reviewed and changes to it suggested at any time by any party signatory to it in response to
changes in the situation of the herd or premises or improvements in understanding the nature
of HPAI H5N1 epidemiology or methods to prevent its spread. Any changes must be agreed
upon by all signatory parties.
If USDA APHIS VS and the State determine that the Owner has not met the responsibilities of
this agreement, the herd may lose Monitored Unaffected Herd Status.

I. ANIMAL INVENTORY
The herd owner will provide the following information related to their herd inventory. The
herd owner is also required to provide inventory for other domestic species maintained
on the premises.
Number of Bovines Present on Premises

(If none, enter "0" and select "Actual" for Number reported.)

Lactating dairy cows.............

Number reported:

Actual

Estimate

Non-lactating dairy cows......

Number reported:

Actual

Estimate

Total cattle on premises.......

Number reported:

Actual

Estimate

Estimated Number of Other Species Present on Premises
(If none, enter "0".)

Cats (farm/outdoor)................

Cats (house/indoor)...........................

Chickens or other poultry....

Dogs..............................................

Equine................................

Goats.............................................

Sheep..................................

Swine.............................................

Number of Other Species...
List Other Species:..............
Total number of animals of other species (combined number of all other animals)..
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HPAI Response
Dairy Herd Monitoring Plan

II. SAMPLING PROTOCOL
1. The Owner will work with APHIS and/or the State to arrange for samples to be collected by an
approved sample collector.
a)

Primary sample collector approved for bulk tank milk collection: (Choose one.)
Accredited or licensed veterinarians
Bulk Milk Hauler / Driver
Herd Owner / Manager
Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) Sampler (May include a Bulk Milk Hauler/Sampler, Industry
Plant Sampler, or State employee as defined by PMO guidance from the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Public Health Service, Food and Drug Administration, in combination with
State authorities.)
Other: Alternative sampler selected and approved by APHIS and State Animal Health
Official

b)

Primary sample collector approved for hospital/sick/fresh pen milk collection: (Choose one.)
Accredited or licensed veterinarians
Other sample collector selected and approved by APHIS and State Animal Health Official

2.

Milk Sample Collection
a)

Weekly tests of representative sample(s) from the bulk tank(s) or tanker(s), referred to hereafter
as Bulk Tank Milk (BTM)
Approved Sample Collector:
One BTM sample is collected for each bulk tank emptying over a 24-hour period, or a single
collection cycle – whichever is longer
Sampling scheme:

(Provide description of agreed
upon sampling scheme.)

Lowest estimated number of bulk tank milk samples:
Highest estimated number of bulk tank milk samples:
See the HPAI Dairy Herd Status Program Appendix B for information on alternative sampling
protocols.
b)

Hospital/sick pen milk test conducted the third week of testing for enrollment, and at times
specified in the plan below. Sampling of hospital/sick pen milk will include:

(Choose one option below and report the lowest and highest estimated number of samples expected.)

Approved Sample Collector:
Sample Type: (Choose one.)
Bulk tank milk sample collected from a tank containing milk from all udder quarters of all
lactating animals in the hospital/sick pen on the day of collection
Pooled or aggregated sample containing milk collected individually from all udder
quarters of all lactating animals held in the sick or hospital pen on the day of collection
Individual milk samples collected from all lactating animals held in the sick or hospital
pen on the day of collection where an individual animal milk sample includes milk from
all udder quarters of each animal
Lowest estimated number of sick/hospital milk samples:
Highest estimated number of sick/hospital milk samples:

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HPAI Response
Dairy Herd Monitoring Plan
c)

Freshening pen milk test the third week of testing for enrollment, and at times specified in the plan
below. Sampling will follow the same protocol outlined for hospital/sick pen tests.
(Choose one option below and report the lowest and highest estimated number of samples expected.)

There are no cattle freshening on the premises.
Freshening pen samples will be submitted separately from sick pen samples.
Freshening pen samples will be combined with sick pen samples or bulk tank milk.
Lowest estimated number of freshening animal/pen milk samples:
Highest estimated number of freshening animal/pen milk samples:
Sampling hospital/sick/freshening pen milk should follow laboratory guidance.
3.

All testing will be for influenza A virus (IAV) PCR at a National Animal Health Laboratory Network
(NAHLN) laboratory.
a)
b)

Proposed NAHLN lab:

Select proposed NAHLN lab

Proposed backup NAHLN lab:

(optional) (Lab to be used in the
event of capacity concerns with
primary proposed lab.)

Select proposed backup NAHLN lab

III. ENROLLMENT - PROVISIONAL ENROLLED HERD TO MONITORED
UNAFFECTED HERD STATUS
1. Upon signature of this plan and collection of the first required samples, the herd will be in
Provisional Enrolled Herd status.
2. While in Provisional Enrolled Herd status, pre-movement testing (as outlined in the Federal Order
and associated guidance) must be followed.
3. Weekly tests of representative sample(s) from the bulk tank(s) or tanker(s) (referred to hereafter
as Bulk Tank Milk (BTM)) for a total of three consecutive weeks to acquire Monitored Unaffected
Herd status.
4. At least one hospital/sick pen milk test conducted the third week of testing, and at least one
freshening pen milk test the third week of testing.
5. The Owner will work with APHIS and/or the State to arrange for samples to be collected by an
approved sample collector.
6. The Owner agrees to maintain a log of sample collection numbers and dates. This log will be
available for review by APHIS VS and/or the State.
7. All testing will be for influenza A virus (IAV) PCR at a National Animal Health Laboratory Network
(NAHLN) laboratory. All test results must be Not Detected.
a) If test results are positive at a NAHLN lab, samples will be forwarded to the National
Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, IA, for confirmation. The herd will be
designated as Presumptive Positive.
b) If test results are positive at NVSL, the herd will be designated as a Monitored Affected Herd,
and details outlined in section V of this document will apply.
8. The Owner should continue to monitor the herd for clinical signs consistent with HPAI in dairy
cattle and report them immediately to their herd veterinarian, and subsequently to the AVIC and/or
the SAHO.
9. Enhanced Biosecurity Plan Implementation

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HPAI Response
Dairy Herd Monitoring Plan
a) Biosecurity is critical to reduce the introduction or spread of infectious disease onto a
premises. Strong biosecurity practices are important not only to prevent the entry of disease
into a herd, but they also help to limit the spread of a disease within a herd and prevent the
transmission of disease to humans. Enhanced biosecurity refers to steps taken above normal
daily biosecurity practices.
b) The Owner should implement enhanced biosecurity prior to the enrollment. If the Owner does
not have an enhanced biosecurity plan, the Owner can work with the VS or State
representative to create a biosecurity plan. Resources include:
a. Secure Milk Supply Plan
b. Biosecurity- National Dairy FARM Program
c. Biosecurity for dairy operations- TAMU
d. Biosecurity for cattle operations- UMN Extension
e. Farm Biosecurity- CFSPH (iastate.edu)
c) The Owner may opt to take advantage of USDA financial support for biosecurity planning and
implementation.
d) These enhanced biosecurity plans should be available to be reviewed by APHIS VS or a
State designee.
10. Adding Cattle to the Milking Herd
• The Owner may add additional cattle to the milking herd; however, USDA APHIS
recommends the following actions to reduce risk of introducing disease:
a. Lactating cattle should be obtained from a herd of similar status, provided they have
been in the milking herd and that premises is participating in the Voluntary HPAI
Dairy Herd Status Program.
b. Non-lactating cattle (e.g., dry cows or heifers) should be isolated and tested for HPAI
prior to moving into the milking herd and having milk comingled with the lactating
herd. These cattle may be from the same herd or a herd of similar status. These
cattle should be isolated until they are tested.

IV. MAINTAINING MONITORED UNAFFECTED HERD STATUS
1. Weekly testing (as outlined in section II.2a) of BTM for Influenza A Virus (IAV) by PCR with NonDetect results at a NAHLN laboratory for the duration of the program.
2. While in Monitored Unaffected Herd status, premovement testing for IAV (as outlined in the
Federal Order and associated guidance) is not required.
3. The Owner shall continue to monitor the herd for clinical signs consistent with HPAI in dairy cattle
and report them to the AVIC and/or the SAHO.
4. If a week of BTM testing is missed, the following week must include the regular weekly BTM
test(s) AND one sick pen and fresh pen milk test to maintain Monitored Unaffected Herd status. If
BTM tests are missed for two consecutive weeks, the herd’s status will revert to Non-Enrolled,
and the herd will need to restart the protocol (as outlined in Section II.2) and will need to follow
premovement testing, as outlined in the Federal Order and associated guidance.
5. If a test result is non-negative at a NAHLN lab, the herd will be considered Presumptive Positive if
it has never been previously confirmed affected. The herd will be considered Monitored Affected if
the herd has been previously confirmed affected. In line with current guidance, samples may be
forwarded to NVSL for further testing.

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HPAI Response
Dairy Herd Monitoring Plan
o

o

o

If test results from NVSL are negative for a herd that has never been previously confirmed
affected, the herd will be returned to Monitored Unaffected status. The following week, the
herd must have:
 2 additional sample collections submitted in addition to the required weekly BTM
samples and at least one sample from the hospital/sick pen.
If non-negative samples for a previously confirmed herd are not forwarded to NVSL based
on current guidance, the herd will be considered Monitored Affected.
 The designation of Monitored Affected status may be challenged by the producer.
To challenge this designation:
• 2 additional sample collections must be submitted the following week in
addition to the required weekly BTM samples and at least one sample
from the hospital/sick pen.
If test results from NVSL are confirmed positive, the herd will be designated Monitored
Affected, and procedures outlined in Section V. (below) will apply.

V. MONITORED AFFECTED HERD STATUS
1.

2.
3.

4.

5.

6.

An epidemiological investigation will be conducted by APHIS VS and/or the State.
Movement of lactating animals will be halted until a strategy for safe movement can be developed
by VS and/or the State and implemented.
Optional Strategies:
o Conducting tests to identify infected animals (Protocol will be determined during
development of the herd plan (examples include string testing, individual animal testing,
etc.).)
o Additional periodic testing of BTM, sick pen milk, and freshening milk, and environmental
and other appropriate testing at an interval determined by VS and the State.
o Voluntary removal of infected animals from the milking string by isolation, culling, etc.
Testing protocol to resume Monitored Unaffected Herd Status:
o Surveillance comprised of:
 Two consecutive weekly tests of BTM samples, as described in Section II.2a;
 At least one hospital/sick pen milk test conducted the second week of testing;
and
 At least one freshening pen milk test the second week of testing.
o All tests must be Not Detected for IAV by PCR at a NAHLN laboratory.
The herd shall demonstrate, for at least two weeks, an absence of clinical signs and production
changes (such as unexplained drop in milk production) associated with HPAI in the cattle, and
herd illness rates not above expected seasonal baseline levels (particularly for mastitis and
respiratory disease).
Provided the herd has not had additional non-negative test results for two weeks and is not
demonstrating clinical signs, Monitored Unaffected Herd status is achieved.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT DISCLOSURE
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0579-0494. The time required to
complete this information collection is estimated to average 20-40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden
statement or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to [email protected].

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