Dutch Cow Tests Positive for Bird Flu Antibodies in European First
Wageningen, Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
A Dutch dairy cow has become the first in Europe to test positive for H5N1 bird flu antibodies, marking a groundbreaking detection that occurred after a farm cat died from the virus in December 2025. While five cows on the Friesland farm showed evidence of past infection, no active virus was found, meaning the animals pose no transmission risk. The discovery highlights advancing veterinary surveillance capabilities and provides crucial insights for pandemic preparedness across species boundaries.
AgriTech Innovation Transforms Disease Surveillance
This development represents a significant advancement in agritech and veterinary surveillance technology. The detection combines sophisticated antibody testing capabilities with cross-species disease monitoring protocols, positioning the Netherlands at the forefront of agricultural health innovation. Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, a division of Wageningen University & Research, conducted the breakthrough research that identified H5N1 avian influenza antibodies in the dairy cow [1]. The institution, based in Wageningen, Netherlands, operates as the Dutch national reference laboratory for avian influenza and specializes in veterinary diagnostic technologies [1]. This detection method offers substantial benefits for early warning systems in livestock populations, enabling authorities to identify past infections even when animals have recovered and no longer carry active virus.
Timeline of Detection Events
The surveillance chain began in December 2025 when two cats contracted bird flu, with one cat originating from the dairy farm in northeast Friesland [2]. On December 26, 2025, the farm cat was diagnosed with avian influenza and subsequently died [7]. This prompted heightened monitoring protocols, leading to milk sample collection from twenty cows on January 15, 2026, and January 22, 2026 [2][7]. Initial testing revealed one cow with antibodies, but subsequent analysis conducted by demissionary agriculture minister Femke Wiersma’s office revealed that five cows total had developed antibodies against the virus [2]. The affected cow had experienced mastitis and respiratory problems around mid-December 2025, with symptoms including reduced milk production, but had fully recovered by the time of testing [1][2].
Technical Mechanism and Safety Protocols
The detection system works by identifying antibodies in blood samples, which indicate past infection even when no active virus particles remain in the animal. Monika Ballmann, a WBVR researcher and head of the Dutch national reference laboratory for avian influenza, confirmed that “all samples tested negative for active virus, meaning these animals are not carriers of active virus” [1]. The farm’s seventy-two cows posed no transmission risk because pasteurization completely inactivates any virus present in milk [2][4]. All milk from the affected farm was processed exclusively into pasteurized products, ensuring food safety throughout the detection period [1][7]. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) implemented comprehensive testing protocols, taking bulk milk samples and individual cow samples to track potential spread [1].
Broader Implications for European Agriculture
This marks the first time antibodies against H5N1 have been detected in dairy cattle across Europe, establishing a precedent for enhanced surveillance programs [2]. The H5N1 variant circulating in the Netherlands differs from the strain affecting cattle in the United States, spreading less rapidly and presenting different transmission patterns [4]. Unlike the American outbreak where 1084 milk farms across 18 states became infected since March 2024, the Dutch case remained contained to a single location [7]. The Netherlands’ proactive approach contrasts sharply with the American experience, where 773 farms in California alone were infected since August 2024 [7]. Results from comprehensive antibody testing of all cattle on the Friesland farm were expected during the week of February 16-22, 2026, providing crucial data for assessing the full scope of exposure and informing future surveillance strategies [1][2].