Jason Hartschuh, Assistant Professor, OSU Extension Field Specialist, Dairy Management and Precision Livestock, Ohio State University
The past 12 months have been an interesting time of challenges and learning about how a virus such as H5N1 moves from avian species into dairy cattle and how the virus affects dairy cows, spreading from farm to farm and even to farm workers. Since the outbreak began, over 989 confirmed farms have reported outbreaks in 17 states. Luckily, there was only one confirmed case on a dairy farm in Ohio. The majority of these cases were linked to one movement of the virus from avian to dairy cows. However, in the last few months, there have been three additional instances of new transmissions from avian to dairy cattle.
In addition to its impact on dairy cows, research has also been conducted on food safety. The initial studies focused on the use of pasteurization to deactivate the H5N1 virus shed in milk, demonstrating that pasteurization is an effective tool for keeping everyone safe. However, a recent study found that aged raw milk cheese may still contain the virus that is capable of causing infection. Lower pH values deactivated some of the virus but not all of it. More details on this study and the others on dairy food safety can be found here: https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/investigat...
While there are still many unknowns about H5N1 in dairy cows, we do know that on-farm biosecurity measures are crucial in preventing the spread between farms and between cows and farm workers. A team of Extension personnel from across the country has been working with the National Extension Foundation to create a resource center for farm owners and farm workers regarding H5N1 in dairy cows: https://h5n1.extension.org/ These resources include biosecurity information and information about disease detection.
H5N1 requires a different style of educational messaging than most topics we discuss with dairy farm workers. To improve the messaging around H5N1 and develop future educational resources for farm workers, a group of Extension professionals from Washington State University will visit Ohio for the first two weeks of April to interview farm workers and learn about their responses to these resources. If you are interested in helping to create better messaging materials, see the information below about this program. Participants can either come to a local Extension office, or if 5 people from the farm are interested in participating in this project, they will come directly to the farm. For more information on the message testing in both English and Spanish see below:
Dear Dairy Farm Owner,
I’m reaching out to seek your support in a unique project focused on testing and developing messages about risks that the H5N1 Avian Flu virus presents to dairy farms. The objective of this project is to gain practical insights that can guide the production of messages that most effectively resonate with and empower dairy farm producers and workers to take science-based action to protect their farms.
The H5N1 virus poses real threats to the financial and physical health of dairy farms. Unfortunately, this virus has moved into dairy cattle through three separate transmissions from birds to dairy cows increasing the risk even more than previously predicted. This project is part of an on-going effort to effectively communicate with dairy farmers about the importance of taking action to protect farms against the financial and physical health risks to animals and humans due to the spread of the H5N1 virus.
This project involves Neuromarketing based testing. Neuromarketing is a unique method for using brain science to inform the design of effective messages. Lessons learned from this testing not only help with H5N1 messaging but also a better understanding of how messages are received, which will allow for more effective communication on husbandry and personal safety risks. Dr. Paul Bolls, from Washington State University, will be coming to Ohio with his Neuromarketing lab to run message testing sessions with both dairy farm producers and workers as participants. The goal is to recruit a total of 50 participants for this project.
Participants will need to physically come to a data collection location, which could be on the farm if 5 participants are from one farm. The test session will take one hour for a single participant to complete. We will be in the Mercer County, Extension office and area April 1st- 5th and the Wayne County Extension office and area April 7th -11th, but we can travel to other locations in the state. Participants will receive a $50 gift card for participation incentive. The test session will involve the collection of bodily responses (e.g. heart rate and eye tracking). This will involve placing some sensors on the hand, arms, and face. Participants will view several messages about H5N1 while bodily responses are being recorded, will answer some questions about each message, and will complete a short interview after message testing.
The support we are seeking from partners like you is assistance with identifying and securing message testing locations and help with participant recruitment by sharing announcements and information sheets with potential participants.
We appreciate your consideration. Please contact Dr. Paul Bolls with any questions. You can reach him at pbolls@wsu.edu or by cell phone at 509-338-7761.
Sincerely,
Dr. Paul Bolls and Jason Hartschuh
Asunto: Solicitud de participación en la investigación sobre pruebas de mensajes del H5N1
Hola,
El Departamento de Extensión de la Universidad Estatal de Ohio en Asociación con el Dr. Paul Bolls, de la Universidad Estatal de Washington, está desarrollando pruebas para medir la efectividad de mensajes comunicacionales sobre la protección de las granjas lecheras contra los riesgos causados por la propagación del virus de la gripe aviar H5N1. El objetivo de estas pruebas de mensajes es obtener información práctica sobre cómo comunicar de manera efectiva con los productores y trabajadores de granjas lecheras sobre el virus H5N1 y riesgos similares que puedan ocurrir en el futuro. Las lecciones aprendidas de estas pruebas no solo ayudaran con los mensajes sobre el virus H5N1, sino también ayudaran a comprender mejor cómo se reciben los mensajes, permitiendo una comunicación más efectiva sobre los riesgos de manejo y seguridad del personal en las lecherías. Su participación es importante y valiosa para desarrollar mensajes que empoderen a los productores lecheros como usted a tomar medidas basadas en la ciencia y así proteger a las granjas lecheras del virus H5N1. La información precisa, basada en la realidad de las operaciones de las granjas lecheras, que se comunica de manera efectiva, es crucial para proteger granjas como la suya.
La información recopilada a través de estas pruebas de mensajes guiará la producción de mensajes sobre el virus H5N1. Este virus representa amenazas reales para la salud financiera y física de las granjas lecheras. Los mensajes desarrollados a través del proyecto estarán diseñados para proporcionar a individuos como usted información que les ayude a proteger su granja. Nos gustaría que considerara ayudarnos a probar estos mensajes y mejorar la efectividad de estos mensajes para personas como usted.
Participar en nuestras sesiones de prueba de mensajes requerirá que acuda físicamente al lugar de la prueba, a menos que haya 5 participantes en la misma granja, en cuyo caso iremos a su granja, para una cita de una hora por participante. Estaremos en el área del condado de Mercer del 1 al 5 de abril y en el área del condado de Wayne del 7 al 11 de abril, pero podemos viajar a otras ubicaciones en el estado. Cada participante recibirá una tarjeta de regalo de $50 por participar en la sesión de una hora. Durante esta sesión, se les expondrá a varios tipos de mensajes sobre el H5N1. Sus opiniones son importantes, por lo que le haremos algunas preguntas sobre sus opiniones acerca de estos mensajes. Esta sesión también incluirá el registro de algunas de sus respuestas corporales (por ejemplo, la frecuencia cardíaca) mientras está expuesto a los mensajes que estamos probando. Un investigador colocará varios sensores en su mano, antebrazos y cara para registrar estas respuestas. Los sensores no deberían causar incomodidad, pero entendemos que algunas personas podrían sentirse incómodas con esto. No debe inscribirse para participar si cree que esto podría hacerle sentir incómodo.
Por favor, para inscribirse en una cita para participar o si tiene alguna pregunta contacte al Dr. Paul Bolls. Puede comunicarse con él al correo electronico pbolls@wsu.edu o por teléfono celular al 509-338-7761.
Gracias por considerar nuestra solicitud.
Atentamente,
Dr. Paul Bolls, Washington State Univeristy and Jason Hartschuh OSU Extension