Blog

The safety and well-being of our team members and our herd is the top priority at Threemile Canyon Farms. To prevent the transmittal of avian flu, we have been taking proactive precautionary steps. These steps are part of our overall commitment to maintaining the highest possible animal welfare and safety standards throughout our operations.

We make personal protective equipment (PPE) available to all team members. Further, frontline managers have been made aware of the human symptoms that occur during avian flu and any team member with symptoms will be tested immediately.

One of the most effective ways we can provide protection for our animals and team members is by keeping them away from animals not raised on our farm. At Threemile, we have a closed herd, meaning our animals never directly interact with those from other farms. While having a closed herd means the risk of diseases like avian flu is extremely low, we are constantly monitoring the animals for any indication of symptoms and have begun conducting voluntary testing as a precaution.

Avian flu is typically transmitted from cow to human through direct contact with raw milk. This most commonly happens before milking starts through a process called stripping, which prepares the udder for milking. As a precautionary measure, our team members have significantly reduced stripping before the cows are connected to the milking machine so there is a much lower risk of coming into contact with raw milk. 

With a team of veterinarians on staff, Threemile understands the conditions associated with a higher risk of contracting and spreading avian flu. Our first line of defense in protecting the animals is certainly the closed herd and our second line is related to the conditions in which our cows live and produce milk every day.

Through our animal welfare program, we make every effort to keep comfort at a maximum and stress at a minimum for the cattle. We ensure that our cows are comfortable and can move about in a calm environment, with limited noise and human interaction. In doing so, we are not only limiting their risk of contracting disease but also ensuring that they can be as productive as possible.

We are also committed to maintaining our high standards of safety throughout the milk supply chain. Every milk tanker and calf truck is required to be thoroughly washed and sanitized before entering Threemile’s property, and trucks are given a lock to certify they have been washed and sanitized. Additionally, the Oregon Department of Agriculture visits Threemile at least monthly. PLC data is available to them on every load of milk sent to Tillamook which includes time spent in the tank, temperature, and proof of milk silos being washed and sanitized after each load.