FX168 Financial News (North America) News As the bird flu epidemic continues to spread at dairy farms south of the border, Canadian officials said they are doing their best to protect the country's animal husbandry industry.

Since a highly infectious A (H5N1) avian influenza virus strain was first detected in dairy cows in Texas in March of this year, a total of 68 cows have been diagnosed with the infection in nine US states.

Last week, a Michigan dairy farm worker was confirmed as the third case of human infection with the virus.

Dr. Martin Appelt, senior director of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's animal health program, said that not a single case of this disease has been detected in Canadian dairy cows.

However, he said that the Canadian Food Inspection Service is strengthening surveillance and testing to prepare for possible livestock bird flu cases on this side of the border.

Bird flu appears to cause mild and brief illness in cows, Appert said. The Pasteurization Act (all milk sold in stores in Canada must go through it) has been shown to be effective in killing the virus, meaning that commercial milk and dairy products are safe to eat even if Canadian cows are infected with bird flu.