In February 2024, dairy farmers in the Texas Panhandle faced an alarming outbreak of a mysterious illness among their cows, marked by high fevers and mastitis. Farmers and veterinarians reported that sick cows were experiencing severe symptoms such as spiked temperatures, dehydration, and thickened milk. An unprecedented collaboration between animal health specialists and veterinarians across state lines resulted in confirming similar cases in neighboring states. As they struggled to identify the disease through tests for known pathogens, some farmworkers began to experience health issues as well, raising concerns about potential links between the illnesses affecting both cows and humans.
The cows exhibited severe symptoms such as high fever and dehydration, and nearly all were diagnosed with mastitis, a condition that made milking difficult.
Veterinarians from various regions gathered to investigate what they called 'mystery cow disease,' yet extensive testing revealed no known cause.
As the outbreak worsened, several farmworkers showed symptoms too, leading veterinarians like Barb Petersen to question a possible link between the illness in cows and workers.
Despite exhausting other possible causes, veterinarians remained baffled by the swift onset and severity of the ailment affecting both dairy cows and employees.
#mystery-cow-disease #dairy-cattle-health #texas-panhandle #animal-health-investigation #farmworker-illness
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