US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaks about a possible government shutdown during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, US, Sept 25, 2023.Twenty-four companies are working to develop an avian flu vaccine for cattle, as the virus spreads among US dairy herds, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Reuters on Wednesday.
A vaccine could curb the risk of bird flu spreading to new species and lessen potential economic losses for dairy farmers, but may take years to develop. In addition to the two dozen companies working at varying stages of vaccine development, the USDA is conducting its own preliminary research into a vaccine at its laboratory in Ames, Iowa, Vilsack said in an interview."That could happen tomorrow, or it could take six months, or it could take a year," Vilsack said.
While wild birds were a major vector for bringing bird flu to poultry farms, the main risks to spread on dairy farms appear to be the movement of people and equipment, he said.