The Globe and Mail item “Avian flu ‘would dwarf the COVID pandemic in terms of impact’ researcher says” highlights the potential risk of a pandemic originating from H5N1, or Avian, flu transmission in cattle.
From the article:
What’s been the biggest “uh-oh” moment for you (Dr. Richard Webby, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) in this current chapter of the H5N1 story?
The biggest uh-oh is really the introduction of this virus into cows (emphasis ours). You pick up a textbook of virology and look at hosts that influenza A viruses can infect - cow’s not on that list. Similarly, dolphins or porpoises - not considered to be a host of influenza. And H5 has come along and infected them all.
In early February 2025 Flokk Systems launched an initiative highlighting to public leaders and stakeholders this, and other, significant risks that derive from long and repeated delays resolving known deficiencies in Canada’s livestock animal traceability practices.
This initiative positioned Flokk as the technical and thought leader for modernization of Canada’s livestock traceability system.
Flokk offers the only field proven solution that directly addresses the key point of resistance to the necessary changes; the cost and labour impact to ranchers. Flokk will inevitably be part of the solution to this challenge.
We invite you to read our discussion paper “Time to pull this calf ourselves: Canada’s beef industry must find our own path to livestock traceability”.
Come join us!
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