On the recommendations of the Nebraska State Veterinarian, The State Fair has imposed mandatory testing on lactating dairy cattle.  The test will involve an assay of milk carried out within seven days prior to arrival at the fair.  There is no requirement for non-lactating cattle and the restriction does not extend to calves or heifers.

The management of the Nebraska State Fair will be installing enhanced signage advising visitors to wash their hands after coming into contact with animals.  Regrettably, this precaution, while valid for fecal bacteria will have no protective effect against airborne virus. The milking parlor will operate as previously, and Fair officials will monitor the health of animals.

Jeff Kliment, Chair of Nebraska State Fair Board, stated, “This virus is something that fairs across the nation are combatting.”  Factually they are not even if paying lip service to the infection. Generally organizers have imposed restrictions that are inadequate to detect respiratory infection or to identify animals that may be shedding bovine influenza-H5N1 virus.

The possibility of cow-to cow transmission during events with infection of home herds on the return of cows from fairs will depend on the known prevalence rates in specific states. This in turn will be a function of surveillance intensity.  With respect to cow-to-human infection, based on current knowledge, the risk will be low but the consequences in contrast will be severe. To be prudent, participation of bovines at state fairs should be suspended in 2024 until more is known about prevalence, modes of transmission and the affinity of the mammalian-adapted avian virus for receptor sites in the human respiratory tract. Anyone intending to come into contact with animals at any state fair should receive the seasonal multivalent influenza vaccine two weeks before attending to avoid the remote possibility of a viral recombinant event