SD dairy farmer easing concerns about avian flu [Video]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed avian flu in a herd of South Dakota dairy cows. We sat down with an expert in the dairy industry to break down what this means for consumers.

Linn Boadwine has been a member of the South Dakota dairy industry for 40 years and has served on the South Dakota animal industry board for 20 years.

“I think everybody has a heightened awareness after just going through Covid. Maybe 10 years ago a disease outbreak didn’t mean anything. Now when people report this it concerns people more,” Boadwine said.

Boadwine says this recent strain of avian flu in cattle was first seen in Texas, then Kansas, and has since spread even more.

“We thought maybe there was some transfer from poultry or birds. Birds in water troughs or that sort of thing. It’s a spillover …