Three Creeks Animal Health Survey
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
Food Safety and Animal Health Division
December 1, 2011
Contents
• Purpose
• Questionnaire Contents and Distribution
• Response and Results
• Survey Comments
• Conclusion and Future Role
Purpose
• March 23rd 2010 - Report to the Office of the Chief
Provincial Veterinarian
• Owner referred to local veterinary practice and the OCPV
will assist the veterinary practice
• Farm visit by ARD veterinarians on April 27th 2010
• Anecdotal reports by this livestock producer that there are
other livestock producers in the area affected.
• April 2010 - February 8th 2011 – No cases reported to
local clinic and no reports to OCPV.
Purpose
• July 2010 – A human health survey was recommended
during a community meeting. Decision to attach an
animal health survey with the human health survey.
• February 8th 2011 – New complaint by same producer
about sick cattle on his farm due to gas emissions.
• Questionnaire sent out to community last week of March
2011 and deadline for return was May 2011.
Animal Health Questionnaire - Contents
• Companion Animals (Cats, Dogs and Horses)
– Basic Pet Information
– Symptoms during odour episodes
– Medical history of the pets
– Comparative health from previous year
• Livestock (cattle – beef cattle)
– Production records for most recent calving season
– Medical history for most recent calving season
Questionnaire - Distribution
• 586 joint human/animal health questionnaires were sent
out to the residents and landowners around the affected
area.
– Questionnaire distribution by location:
• Northern Sunrise County Residents – 266 packages
delivered (8 homes unoccupied or declined to
provide information)
• Little Buffalo – 70 packages sent out.
• Cadotte Lake – 250 packages delivered
Questionnaire - Response
• 109 animal health surveys were returned
• 68 surveys were completed
• 25 surveys were blank
• 16 surveys mentioned that they did not have pets
• 67 completed surveys were for companion animals (1
survey also had beef cattle information).
• 1 survey was completed for beef cattle only.
• 2 surveys in total with beef cattle information
Questionnaire Details
• In the 67 companion animal surveys:
• 151 animals in total
• 80 dogs
• 48 cats
• 22 horses
• 1 not stated.
• Out of 151 companion animals
• 107 animals were kept mostly or always outside
• 44 animals were mostly or always kept inside the house.
General Health – Companion Animals
• At the time of survey, out of the 151 animals,
• 118 animals were in very good to excellent health
• 17 were in good health
• 9 were in fair health
• 4 were in poor to very poor health
• 3 were deceased (June 2010).
Comparative Health – Companion Animals
• Compared to previous year 138 animals had the same or
much better health.
• 10 animals had somewhat worse to much worse health
as compared to last year.
Odour Emission Days – Companion Animals
� 119 animals had no symptoms of illness during odour
emissions days.
� 32 animals had symptoms during odour emissions
days. Some had multiple symptoms.
� 3 animals out of 151 required veterinary attention
during those days.
• Most common symptoms observed:
– Reduced appetite and activity
– Eye, nose and throat irritation
– Increased activity and anxiety
– vomiting and diarrhea
• Less common symptoms observed:
– reduced water consumption
– abdominal pain and increased urination.
Questionnaire Results - Livestock
• Two beef cattle surveys completed.
• Cow-calf producer A
• No abortions
• 94% live calves
• 1 calf mortality
• Cow calf producer B
• 5 abortions
• 88.75% live calves (92.5% calving )
• 3 calves with birth defects and (cows?) with foot rot
and staggering.
• No veterinary assistance sought
Survey Comments – Companion Animals
• A more comprehensive animal health study be done,
suggests a wildlife study should be done as well, wishes
there were a place for more general comments on survey.
• Single respondent:
– pets general health : "[The animals] all died 1 year
[ago] in June.”
– comparative health: "These dogs were healthy about 3
years ago”
– seeing a veterinarian about symptoms during odour
episodes: "Too expensive to see vet. Can't afford it."
Survey Comments – Beef Cattle
• “most of these problems are related to farming practice
1) too big bulls used 2) calving in cold weather. Why
more concerned with animal health & survey than
people”.
• “I am concerned that reports of a neighbour losing
several calves and cows due to smell but the next farm
over had one of the best calving seasons ever”.
• “Cows walk stiff on front end. When gas is around,
cows go off feed for up to two days after gas is gone
and are running from nose and some abort at that
time”.
Conclusion
• Animal Health issues are not significantly widespread
• 1 cow-calf farm reported health issues during odour
emissions. (183 beef and dairy operations registered
within 50km radius).
• Animal Health issues in companion animals are minor
• A number of short term, minor health issues in
companion animals during odour episodes were
reported by their owners.
ARD – Future Role
• ARD will provide assistance through private veterinarian.
• Cost of veterinary visit and exam will be producer
responsibility .
• Assistance with diagnostic testing for cases referred to
private veterinarian will be decided based on case
history.
• ARD will not work directly with producer.