Reminders on highly pathogenic avian influenza in cattle and birds HPAI cases on US dairies continue to pop up as spring migration begins18 February 2025 18 February 2025 5 minute read 5 minute read By: By: Utah State University North AmericaAs the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) from birds to dairy cows continues to unfold, Dr. Tom Baldwin, veterinary pathologist and director of the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UVDL), wants people to remember a few key things. “And since pasteurization kills those bacteria, it will certainly inactivate flu virus,” Baldwin says. What does HPAI look like in dairy cows? Most dairy cows have very loose fecal material. “When you suddenly find 20 of them dead in a day, that’s avian influenza,” Baldwin says.