Veterinary - HPAI - Livestock Updates
USDA National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS): NC Dairy Processor Silo Surveillance
On April 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced updated guidance on interstate movement of lactating dairy cattle. Per this new guidance, lactating dairy cattle moving interstate from a state with Unaffected status will not be required to have negative HPAI milk test results within 7 days of movement.
North Carolina has tested all Grade A dairies in February 2025 and received a Provisional Unaffected status. In order to achieve Unaffected status so that our lactating NC dairy cattle can move interstate without pre-movement HPAI testing, we will be implementing an active silo surveillance program to comply with USDA’s NMTS. For the active surveillance plan, NCDA&CS field staff will obtain monthly silo samples from Grade A milk processing facilities in North Carolina.
Previous Federal Orders:
On April 24, 2024, USDA issued a Federal Order to prevent the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1). HPAI had at that time been detected in both dairy cattle and poultry. This Federal Order required testing of lactating dairy cattle before interstate movement and mandatory reporting of any positive Influenza A test results in livestock.
On December 6, 2024, USDA announced the start of the National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS). This initiative built on measures USDA had taken since the beginning of the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) in dairy cattle. Under this Federal Order USDA expanded surveillance into bulk raw milk at facilities that ship, receive, or transfer unpasteurized milk intended for pasteurization. This Federal Order did not override the April 2024 Federal Order requiring premovement testing. States achieve Unaffected status once required testing confirms that dairy cattle herds show no evidence of HPAI infection and active surveillance maintains that status. A state is considered Provisional Unaffected when it has no confirmed HPAI cases in dairy cattle within the past 30 days but has not maintained unaffected status with active surveillance.
Federal Order December 6, 2024
What is HPAI H5N1?
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 is a contagious viral disease of domestic poultry and wild birds. HPAI is deadly to domestic poultry and can wipe out entire flocks within a matter of days. HPAI is a threat to the poultry industry, animal health, human health, trade, and the economy worldwide. On March 25, 2024 USDA announced the first case of HPAI in dairy cattle in Texas. Based on laboratory results it was determined that a single introduction into cattle occurred early in 2024 likely from wild bird contact. Since that introduction HPAI has spread among dairy herds eventually reaching over 1,000 herds across 20 states. In 2025 there were 2 more separate spillover events from wild birds into dairy cattle. To learn more about the outbreak development visit: Story Map: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Dairy Cattle | APHIS
- Mandatory testing for dairy cattle moving across state lines (interstate movement)
All lactating dairy cattle moving out of North Carolina must have a negative test for Influenza A virus from an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network Laboratory (NAHLN) and an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) or other official movement documentation approved by the origin and recipient State Animal Health Officials (SAHOs). Rollins Lab in Raleigh, NC is a NAHLN laboratory. Note: Cattle moving directly to slaughter are exempt from the Influenza A testing requirement.
Owners of herds in which dairy cattle test positive will be required to provide epidemiological information, including animal movement tracing.
- Mandatory Reporting
Laboratories and state veterinarians must report positive Influenza A nucleic acid detection diagnostic results (e.g. PCR or genetic sequencing) in livestock to USDA APHIS.
Laboratories and state veterinarians must report positive Influenza A serology diagnostic results in livestock to USDA APHIS.
While North Carolina is in a Provisional Unaffected Status a negative Influenza A milk sample result will still need to be obtained before interstate movement:
Negative Influenza A milk sample results. The test results are valid for 7 days from the date of collection.
An ICVI or SAHO-approved official documentation with individual official animal identification.
No positive Influenza A tests from any lactating cattle on the premises in the past 30 days.
The USDA clinical case definition includes the following: infected cattle may be asymptomatic or symptomatic. Virus is predominantly found in milk and mammary tissue.
Clinical signs may include: decreased feed consumption with a simultaneous decrease in rumination; respiratory signs including clear nasal discharge; and subsequent acute drop in milk production.
Additional signs may include abnormal tacky or loose feces, lethargy, dehydration, and fever. Severely affected cattle may have thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk or produce no milk at all.
USDA APHIS will cover the cost of testing animals at the NAHLN laboratories. USDA APHIS will not cover the costs of collecting or shipping samples.
NO: Clinical lactating dairy cattle are ineligible for interstate movement or movement to slaughter.
Movement from a NC premise (farm or market) across state lines directly to a packer requires an ICVI or SAHO-approved official documentation, but does not require a negative Influenza A test.
Cattle may move to a NC market from a NC farm without a CVI or negative influenza A test.
NO: Beef cattle and non-lactating dairy cattle (heifers, dry cows, and bull calves) are not currently subjected to the Federal Order.
The National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials (NASAHO) continues to work to obtain a consensus regarding a movement document and stipulations for direct-to-slaughter lactating dairy cattle crossing state lines without pre-movement testing as approved by USDA APHIS. This interstate direct-to-slaughter movement does not require testing, but does require official individual identification (such as 840 RFID tags or back tags) recorded on a document approved by both the origin and destination State Animal Health Officials (SAHOs), such as an ICVI or other approved document.
The South Carolina State Veterinarian, Dr. Michael Neault, has approved movements from NC to SC for direct-to-slaughter movements as of May 1, 2024. The following document is approved for NC to SC direct-to-slaughter movements.
NC to SC Direct to Slaughter Movement Document (May 2024)
Georgia has also approved movement from NC to GA for direct-to-slaughter movements as of May 8, 2024. The following document is approved for NC to GA direct-to-slaughter movements.
NC to GA Director to Slaughter Movement Document (May 2024)
Please note that any animal moving across state lines for any reason other than slaughter will require premovement testing as described by USDA APHIS. Additionally, please be aware that this movement document and guidance is current as of today and will be updated frequently. As new documents are released, previous documents will become obsolete and unofficial.
On April 29, 2024, USDA mandated several federal requirements for interstate movement of dairy cattle.
- Lactating dairy cattle are required to receive a negative test for Influenza A virus at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory using a NAHLN-approved assay.
- Negative test result must be within 7 days of movement.
- Animals may travel to their home herd using the same negative test result provided the exhibition, show, or sale does not exceed 10 days of length.
- Movement must be accompanied by an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI)
NCDA’s Recommendations to Minimize Influenza Transmission at Livestock Exhibitions
This page was last modified on 06/02/2026