1. Now is the time to vaccinate cows against H5N1
Expert says dairy cattle may be acting as a "training ground" for the bird flu virus to adapt to mammals.
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Feedstuffs
April 10, 2026
Bird flu - specifically H5N1 - is no longer just a poultry problem. What started as a major U.S. outbreak first in wildlife, then in poultry and later in dairy cattle is raising new concerns about food security, the economy, the health of farm workers and the potential for future human outbreaks.
In commentary published recently in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Gregory Gray, a professor in the Division of Infectious Disease and Department of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Texas Medical Branch, writes that vaccinating dairy cattle could be one of the most important steps the U.S. takes to get ahead of this evolving threat.
"This virus has changed and now seems to have become entrenched or 'enzootic' in North America wildlife," Gray said. "We used to think of H5N1 as a bird problem in Asia. Now, it's clearly something bigger and here in our own backyard, and we need to respond accordingly. At first, people thought this was a one-off event, but it spread - and it's still spreading."
Full text: https://www.feedstuffs.com/dairy/now-is-the-time-to-vaccinate-cows-against-h5n1
2. USDA Funding Fuels Purdue Veterinary Medicine Research Seeking Answers to Costly Cattle Production Mystery
Purdue News
April 10, 2026
USDA-NIFA award funds project to decode the earliest "conversation" of pregnancy and reduce embryonic loss
A four-year, $650,000 New Investigator Award from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) will support research led by Dr. Viju V. Pillai, a faculty member in Purdue Veterinary Medicine's Department of Comparative Pathobiology and pathologist at the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL), aimed at solving a persistent and costly mystery in cattle production. Dr. Pillai's team wants to answer the question of why so many pregnancies fail before they are even recognized? The project will focus on the earliest stages of fetal-maternal communication and on a little-understood family of proteins called trophoblast Kunitz domain proteins (TKDPs), whose functions in pregnancy remain largely unknown.
"Pregnancy does not begin with a visible sign-it begins with a signal," said Dr. Pillai, assistant professor of anatomic pathology and the project's lead investigator at Purdue. "Within the first week, the embryo must effectively 'introduce itself' to the mother. If that molecular dialogue falters, the pregnancy can quietly end before it truly begins."
Early embryonic loss is a major challenge in modern cattle systems. Dr. Pillai says even though advances in genetics and production have improved milk and meat yield, reproductive efficiency has not kept pace. The first few weeks of pregnancy are especially vulnerable, and failures during this window can lead to substantial economic losses for producers through missed breeding cycles, extended calving intervals, and reduced lifetime productivity.
Three Wisconsin Horses Test Positive for Strangles
EDCC Health Watch
TheHorse.com
April 13, 2026
In Waupaca County, a 12-year-old Quarter Horse mare at a boarding facility tested positive on March 31 after developing post-vaccinal fevers and nasal discharge. She is recovering, and 20 horses have been exposed.
In Brown County, a 14-year-old Kentucky Mountain Horse mare tested positive on April 9 after developing a cough three days prior. Three additional horses at the private facility are suspected to be positive.
In Sauk County, a 5-year-old Morgan mare at a boarding facility tested positive on April 9 after developing nasal discharge, cough, lymphadenopathy, fever, and decreased appetite two days prior. She also tested positive for equine herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4) and equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV). Four additional horses have been exposed.
Full text: https://thehorse.com/1143695/3-wisconsin-horses-test-positive-for-strangles/
Florida Warmblood Euthanized After Contracting EEE
EDCC Health Watch
TheHorse.com
April 13, 2026
On March 26, a yearling warmblood gelding in Volusia County, Florida, tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). The gelding developed clinical signs on March 15, including an acute head tilt with weakness in all limbs, which progressed to recumbency. The horse was euthanized.
This is Florida's first confirmed EEE case in 2026.
Full text: https://thehorse.com/1143693/florida-warmblood-euthanized-after-contracting-eee/
4. Mexico - Dog found with screwworm
The latest report of NWS in Mexico is raising questions about the role of pets in screwworm transmission.
By Clint Peck
Beef Magazine
April 12, 2026
The most recent case of the New World Screwworm (NWS) reported Friday, April 10 by the Mexican federal government involved a canine located in the municipality of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Monterrey is about 88 miles from the nearest Texas border point and 128 miles from the border crossing at McAllen, and 134 miles south of Laredo.
This is the northernmost active NWS case in Mexico and the sixth cumulative case in Nuevo León since the arrival of NWS late in 2024, according to data from Mexico's animal health agency Senasica.
Of the six cases of the NWS larvae detected since last September in Nuevo León, the last three cases-all in dogs-are of particular concern due to their presumed endemic origin, according to a report from Reforma, a Mexican newspaper based in Mexico City. That means the three cases are localized and not associated with the movement of animals from the southeast of the country, the epicenter of the Mexican NWS infestation.
Full text: https://www.beefmagazine.com/farm-business-management/mexico-dog-found-with-screwworm
5. Indiana tracks more bird flu in hard-hit counties
By Stephanie Soucheray, MA
CIDRAP News
April 9, 2026
The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported more avian flu activity at commercial poultry facilities in Indiana, which has seen high levels of H5N1 activity this spring.
Two facilities in Elkhart County, a duck meat operation and table egg operation, reported outbreaks affecting 4,800 and 91,200 birds, respectively. In LaGrange County, 15,300 birds at a commercial duck meat operation were also hit with avian flu.
In the last 30 days, APHIS has confirmed outbreaks in 56 flocks, including 38 commercial flocks and 18 backyard flocks, affecting 4.97 million birds. So far this year, February was the most active month for avian flu, with 11.41 million poultry affected.
Full text: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/indiana-tracks-more-bird-flu-hard-hit-counties
6. Boehringer Ingelheim introduces vaccine for bovine mastitis prevention
LENZELTA is administered in two doses during the dry-off period to reduce incidence and severity of clinical mastitis in dairy cows.
Industry Release
Feedstuffs
April 13, 2026
With the launch of LENZELTA®, Boehringer Ingelheim enhances its comprehensive mastitis portfolio, offering farmers and veterinarians effective solutions to keep their dairy cattle healthy and farms viable. The vaccine will be available in several countries in the European Union as of April 2026.
Mastitis is among the most widespread and economically significant diseases in dairy cattle. It affects udder health, reduces milk quality and quantity, leading to substantial production losses. For many dairy farms, mastitis-related costs represent one of the highest avoidable economic impacts in their herds. As cows are particularly vulnerable around calving, preventive strategies during the dry-off period play a crucial role in maintaining herd health and well-being and ensuring a smooth transition into lactation.
LENZELTA targets two key mastitis pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, supporting farmers and veterinarians in tackling infections proactively. By focusing on prevention at a critical stage of the lactation cycle, the vaccine helps create more stable conditions for milk production and animal well-being.