# USDA: Idaho cattle likely brought bird flu to Washington dairy herds

> USDA said infected dairy cattle from Idaho likely introduced the avian influenza strain now found in Washington dairy herds. The virus has affected 40 Washington herds and was linked to one worker’s death, despite testing requirements for lactating Idaho cattle crossing state lines.

- Date: 2026-11-05 · published 2026-11-06T00:14:32.968Z
- Category: disease · region United States · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/82801-usda-idaho-cattle-likely-brought-bird-flu-to-washington-dairy-herds
- Commodities: [Milk (Class III)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/MILK.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Further transmission among dairy cattle could disrupt milk production and increase herd-management costs, potentially tightening dairy supply. There is no specific feed-market price impact reported.

## Read by commodity

- MILK: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: neutral

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MILK | 2024-03-25 | [Dairy cattle in Texas, Kansas test positive for bird flu \| AP News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16105-dairy-cattle-in-texas-kansas-test-positive-for-bird-flu-ap-news.md) | -0.4% | -5.1% |
| MILK | 2026-06-15 | [Idaho dairies get more bird flu cases \| Capital Press](https://feedsoft.ai/events/15902-idaho-dairies-get-more-bird-flu-cases-capital-press.md) | +0.1% | -1.4% |
| MILK | 2024-11-27 | [Bird flu H5N1 outbreak in cattle and Canada infection worry scientists  : Shots - Health News : NPR](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16047-bird-flu-h5n1-outbreak-in-cattle-and-canada-infection-worry-scientists-shots.md) | -4.5% | -5.9% |
| MILK | 2026-06-30 | [Idaho is American ag’s bird flu hotspot \| Capital Press](https://feedsoft.ai/events/15904-idaho-is-american-ag-s-bird-flu-hotspot-capital-press.md) | -2.4% | -1.3% |
| MILK | 2024-03-26 | [Avian influenza found in US dairy cattle \| Agriculture Dive](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16111-avian-influenza-found-in-us-dairy-cattle-agriculture-dive.md) | -0.5% | -5.2% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-12-09 | [FDA approves Merck drug for decimated cattle herds to stop screwworm](https://feedsoft.ai/events/21455-fda-approves-merck-drug-for-decimated-cattle-herds-to-stop-screwworm.md) | +2.3% | +3.9% |
| LCATTLE | 2024-08-13 | [US to expand bird-flu testing of beef in slaughterhouses \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16073-us-to-expand-bird-flu-testing-of-beef-in-slaughterhouses-reuters.md) | -0.7% | -4.4% |
| LCATTLE | 2021-07-21 | [China bans cattle imports from Laos to prevent skin disease
						 \| The Beef Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46009-china-bans-cattle-imports-from-laos-to-prevent-skin-disease-the-beef-site.md) | +0.5% | +1.7% |

## Sources

- capitalpress.com: https://capitalpress.com/2026/11/05/usda-idaho-cattle-likely-brought-bird-flu-to-washington-dairy-herds/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.