ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Bird flu has infected cattle in a number of states this year but so far, Missouri’s herds have stayed clean. The state veterinarian says that’s in part due to the biosecurity measures in the state.

With the Missouri State Fair well underway, First Alert 4 headed to Sedalia to check in with farmers about how increased protections for this year’s Fair impacted them and protected their cows.

The bird flu is the common name for Avian Influenza, which can be devastating to flocks of chickens and other birds, according to veterinarians.

Because of the high number of outbreaks, and the transfer of the virus from livestock to humans, the USDA has launched an online tracker.

THE BIRD FLU

As of today, the USDA does not currently report any livestock cases of the bird flu in Missouri.

Some versions of the virus can show no signs, the MDA says. Others require a rapid response because it can be fatal to chickens and is highly contagious.

“The goal is to quickly contain and eradicate the disease, protecting our poultry industry, and in turn, the American consumer,” the MDA website states.

The USDA is monitoring an outbreak in dairy herds across multiple areas of the United States.

In the last month, a total of six states have reported Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI or bird flu) by the USDA.

In that same time frame 29 cases have been reported in Idaho, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Texas — and the hardest hit area — Colorado.

While most states have five or less cases, but Colorado is currently reporting more than 16 in the state, USDA records show.

Other mammals can be infected, including a domestic cat in the Centennial State.

In July, Colorado officials reported 10 cases of bird flu in humans. Officials said that one of the infected worked on a dairy farm, while the remaining cases worked on poultry farms.

But many other states have had cattle herds hit by cases of bird flu this year — including neighbors of Missouri.

Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Wyoming and Idaho have all reported cases since March, according to the USDA’s online tracker.

Still, the CDC says human risk remains low.

Missouri State Veterinarian Steve Strubberg tells First Alert 4 that his department is ready to help any owner who finds their animals infected.

“These health requirements are in place for the 2024 Missouri State Fair in an effort to protect the dairy industry and all of agriculture,” Dr. Strubberg said in a statement. “There have been no cases of H5N1 influenza detected in Missouri dairy cattle. Still, we want to operate in a manner of caution while allowing dairy exhibitors the opportunity to show their animals.”

The disease is a common affliction on in animals across the globe, according to the CDC. Technically known as H5 – avian influenza infects animals through shared air.

Wild birds can catch the disease, and then by mixing with controlled flocks, the infection can spread across farms and ranches, according to animal experts.

COWS & OUTBREAKS

Recently, some dairy cows in the U.S., as well as humans, have become infected with H5. The CDC says that outbreaks in both poultry and dairy animals caused the infections but the health risk is low.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is partnering with FDA, CDC and state level partners to monitor the outbreak ongoing in dairy cows.

In May, the Missouri Department of Agriculture provided an overview of the disease online.

The bird flu is technically known as influenza type A, which can naturally occur in bird populations. The virus moves from bird to bird through droppings, saliva and their nasal passages. It can infect a wide range of birds from chickens to quail.

At the top of the webpage for the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA), it states, “There is no immediate public health concern,” and that it is safe to eat properly handled chicken and egg products.

“The United States has the strongest AI [avian influenza] surveillance program in the world,” the MDA says.

The MDA has even produced a set of protocols for animals at the State Fair this year. All lactating dairy cattle must test negative for H5N1 within seven days of their arrival at the fairgrounds in Sedalia.

Lactating dairy cow testing information has been provided, and you can view it here.

The dairy cow displays at the Fair are historic, according to the MDA. The goals of precautions being placed at the Fair – like using personal milking machines, and disposing of the milk – are designed to allow the showing of dairy cattle without risk of any spreading.

The Fairgrounds milking parlor is not slated for exhibition of dairy cattle this Fair, according to July communications of the MDA.

RESOURCES & REPORTING

The MDA website has a section dedicated to questions about bird flu, including a section on whether HPAI might spread easier to mammals more often than originally thought.

“Many species are susceptible to influenza viruses, including wildlife that often come into direct contact with wild birds,” MDA says. “Many of these animals were likely infected after consuming or coming into contact with birds that were infected with HPAI.”

In fact, the USDA lists more than 20 mammals that tested positive for bird flu which cover a wide range from bobcats to bottlenose dolphins, and minks to harbor seals.

WARNING SIGNS FOR AVIAN FLU:

MDA says that there are many symptoms including not eating; coughing; lack of noise; decreased egg production and sudden death.

REPORTING SICK ANIMALS:

The Animal Health Division of the MDA is available at 573-751-3377.

Avery Martinez covers water, ag & the environment for First Alert 4. He is also a Report for America corps member. RFA places talented, emerging journalists in newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organization dedicated to rebuilding journalism from the ground up.

Copyright 2024 KMOV. All rights reserved.

Welcome to the first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

In anticipation of the first four-round postseason in college football history, we’re counting down our predicted playoff field as the season approaches. The top five conference champions in the CFP selection committee’s rankings will make the playoff and the rest of the field will be filled out by seven at-large teams. Who will lift the national championship trophy on Jan. 20 in Atlanta?

Previous previews: Nos. 25-13, No. 12 Boise State, No. 11 Utah, No. 10 Florida State

2023 record: 11-2, 6-2 SEC

Last season in 100 words

The Tigers were one of the surprise teams of a season ago. A 61-yard field goal got the Tigers a win over Kansas State in September and Mizzou only lost to LSU and Georgia. For the second straight season, Missouri was Georgia’s toughest SEC East win.

After losing to Georgia, Missouri blew out Tennessee and then snuck past Florida thanks to a big fourth-down conversion. The Tigers then beat Ohio State 14-3 in the Cotton Bowl for the program’s first 11-win season since 2014 and the school’s first winning season since 2018.

Why Missouri can make the playoff

The Tigers return nine starters on an offense that was one of the most efficient in college football a season ago. Mizzou averaged 6.5 yards per play as QB Brady Cook had a breakout season. Cook threw for over 3,300 yards and had 21 TDs to just five interceptions.

WR Luther Burden III may be the best wide receiver in the country and will move all over the field for the Tigers again in 2024. Burden had 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore.

The rushing attack needs to replace All-SEC RB Cody Schrader after the former Division II player rushed for 1,627 yards and 14 TDs. That’s not an easy task and it’ll likely be done by committee. Missouri added former Appalachian State RB Nate Noel and former Georgia State RB Marcus Carroll through the transfer portal. Each player has a 1,000-yard season to his name and Carroll had 1,350 yards a season ago.

Cook’s role in the run game should also still be significant. He rushed for just 319 yards — sacks count against a college QB’s rushing total — but had eight rushing TDs. Missouri wasn’t afraid to call a designed QB run in key times in 2023.

The bigger question for the Tigers is on defense after the departure of coordinator Blake Baker to LSU. Former South Alabama DC Corey Batoon takes over a unit that gave up less than 21 points per game and had 39 sacks in 2023.

Finding replacements for draft picks Darius Robinson (8.5 sacks) and CBs Ennis Rakestraw and Kris Abrams-Draine are paramount for the defense to match its performance of a season ago. Players like former Florida DL Chris McClellan, ex-Miami LB Corey Flagg and former Clemson CB Toriano Pride will be counted on to be immediate contributors.

Key player

Burden will get the most attention from opposing defenses, but Wease’s ability as an outside receiver is nearly as important to Missouri’s offense and also allows Burden to be so effective out of the slot.

After spending four seasons at Oklahoma, Wease had the best season of his career in 2023 with 49 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns. After a brief flirtation with the NFL Draft, he decided to come back for a sixth season in 2024.

Without Schrader to grind out yards, Missouri may lean more on its passing game. And Wease will need to be a more consistent contributor. He had two or fewer catches in six of the Tigers’ 13 games last season.

Biggest game

Missouri’s schedule is a big reason why the Tigers are playoff contenders. Mizzou may have the easiest schedule of any team in the SEC and needs to capitalize.

The Tigers visit Alabama on Oct. 26 after hosting Auburn at home. But we’re going with a trip to Texas A&M earlier in the month as the biggest game because it could define Missouri’s season. With the first four games of the season at home against Murray State, Buffalo, Boston College and Vanderbilt, Missouri should be 4-0 heading to College Station.

A win there would give the Tigers a phenomenal chance of being 7-0 before the trip to Tuscaloosa and allow Missouri to lose to both the Crimson Tide and one of Oklahoma, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Arkansas while still harboring serious playoff hopes with a second straight 10-2 season.

(The rest of the rankings will be revealed in the days leading up to the season.)

In a preseason headlined by veteran experience and seasoned newcomers, some youngsters are making some noise.

Missouri football is fast approaching its 2024 season-opener, which comes Thursday, Aug. 29 against Murray State on Faurot Field in Columbia. Behind the scenes, some true freshmen are drawing the plaudits of their peers and mentors.

“I mean, there’s freshmen in every aspect of the game, offense, defense, special teams,” Missouri tight end Tyler Stephens said Thursday. “And I think that these guys need to understand that they are needed. Like, every single player is needed. Doesn’t matter if you’re a first year, if you’re a fifth year, there’s going to be an opportunity to play.”

Mizzou signed 21 players in its Class of 2024 — a recruiting cycle that brought one five-star prospect, seven four-stars and 13 three-stars to Columbia. The recruiting service 247Sports rated that as the No. 20 signing class in the country.

But, when the Tigers draw back the curtains on the new campaign, how many of those rookies will Missouri fans realistically see in Year 1?

Due to limited portions of practice being made available to reporters, and the periods that are available mostly containing individual and positional drills, it’s an imperfect system to attempt to adjudicate how much playing time each player is likely to earn from practice alone.

So, based on best judgment, positional needs and comments from players and coaches throughout fall camp, here are the Missouri freshmen who look the most likely to burn redshirts in the 2024 season:

More: Projecting Missouri football’s first offensive depth chart of 2024

Has Cameron Keys made case as rotational corner for Missouri football?

When you lose both of your starters at one position in the same NFL Draft, there’s naturally going to be some shake up.

With Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. no longer manning the cornerback spots for Mizzou, true freshman Cameron Keys — a three-star pledge out of Panama City, Florida — seemingly is making a strong case to get some reps early in his Mizzou career.

“Cam Keys has done a nice job. He’s very physical,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said on Aug. 3. … “When we put the pads on, he already knew what it was going to take and the physicality he had to play with.”

The Tigers’ depth appears to have Dreyden Norwood and Clemson transfer Toriano Pride Jr. as the starters. Experienced backup Marcus Clarke likely will retain his role as a rotation piece and redshirt freshman Nicholas DeLoach has been seen working with the Tigers’ first-team unit in camp.

Keys, who is listed at 6 foot, 166 pounds, might be one of the next men up, as he’s packing more of a punch than his listed weight suggests.

“He’s physical, he ain’t scared to put his head in there,” wide receiver Mookie Cooper said. … “He’s just not afraid to put his head in there and go make contact with a receiver. That’s just something you don’t see too much out of freshmen, especially at his size.”

Need for Williams Nwaneri may increase after injury

Five-star defensive end Williams Nwaneri would be most people’s first guess for the freshman most likely to get playing time as a rookie.

More: Here’s where Missouri football could turn after EDGE Darris Smith’s season-ending injury

Mizzou’s staff isn’t planning on rushing the Lee’s Summit North alum onto the field, and have attempted to temper any undue expectations for the top-10 recruit. But a season-ending injury to Darris Smith in camp could hurry his journey to the field.

“The key for us is to not put too many expectations on him,” Drinkwitz said at the start of fall camp. “Just let him learn the standards of how we operate on a day to day basis and when it’s his opportunity he’ll take advantage of it.”

Despite the injury to Smith, the Tigers can still ease Nwaneri into the lineup. Johnny Walker Jr., Zion Young, Joe Moore III, Eddie Kelly and Jakhai Lang all look capable of contributing.

But it would be a surprise not to see Nwaneri at some point to help shoulder the load.

Trajan Greco, Jeremiah Beasley special teams candidates

There’s a tough road to defensive reps for Missouri football’s young safeties, with more returning production there than any other spot on the defense. At linebacker, between returning their Cotton Bowl starters and finding experience in the portal, MU seems to have its two-deep sorted.

But, safety Trajan Greco and linebacker Jeremiah Beasley may still play important roles this season, coming in the form of coverage unit reps.

“Trajan Greco is a guy that’s really stood out,” Drinkwitz said Saturday. “Jeremiah Beasley has really stood out as guys who can find a role, whether that’s on special teams, so it’s been good.”

More: Projecting Mizzou football’s first defensive depth chart of 2024

Will Mizzou’s blue-chip WRs play?

Four-star wide receivers James Madison II and Courtney Crutchfield both have flashed in camp. Crutchfield hauled in a one-handed grab during 1-on-1 drills during Tuesday’s workout on Faurot Field for one of the more impressive plays of the day. Madison’s 6-3 frame, in particular, makes him an intriguing option.

But the depth of players ahead of them will make offensive snaps sparse.

The Tigers don’t have a set-in-stone punt-returner at this point in camp, although Drinkwitz said Saturday that the team has a “pretty clear idea” who the top two players will be on that front this season. The coach added that six wide receivers have been taking reps at the position: Luther Burden III, Theo Wease Jr., Marquis Johnson, Daniel Blood and the two true freshmen, Crutchfield and Madison.